Have you ever wondered whether you should or shouldn’t laminate? This is a question you should ask yourself. There will be situations that call for one approach or the other. The choice can make or break a job. Laminates are an essential part products and will be for the foreseeable future. Saying this, there is a time and place for them. Some applications and occasions won’t call for laminate. We want to look at this topic here, then if you need specialist laminating services you can rely on us.
Reasons to laminate
You may be wondering what the reasons are for laminating. The main use would be protecting your work from the elements and issues like UV degradation. It also augments exterior durability. You could utilise lamination to finish a project with matte, lustre, or gloss. In addition, you can give an extra property to your product. Examples would be slip resistance or an anti-graffiti coating.
It is also possible to employ laminates to add thickness and body to your materials. This can be especially handy when you are printing onto thinner substances. The additional layer will prevent your graphic from stretching. Installation will be simpler too. Everything we’ve mentioned here needs considering with print projects. That being said, there are some other things you must keep in mind as well.
Long term protection
Firstly, you need lamination for long term UV protection if you want everything to last. Projects where materials will be in direct sunlight need extra support if you expect them to survive. If you want to prioritise a graphic’s ink, you need to think about laminating all long term work. We mean this for both the outdoors and indoors. The same goes for materials in high traffic locales such as hallways and corridors. If you need our stellar laminating services, please let us know.
Finishes
While considering laminates for finishing effects, this will only be necessary in some instances. Print media will have different finishes. Newer print hardware even enables matte and gloss output straight away via their ink setup. So, a laminate may not be necessary if your only goal is to get that kind of finish.
Short term work
Are you noticing a recurring theme at all? Most of the arguments in lamination’s favour are for long term work. Knowing this, you have to ask about short term endeavours. Is it also necessary to laminate these products? Outside the demand for adding extra functionality to your graphic, in shorter projects, you can often do away with the need for lamination.
You may be able to simply select a thicker print media as well as a removable film solution. These materials will do a decent job, and save you time and money. You will be able to save on unnecessary work. Modern print media has led to 4mil materials and dot adhesives for simple installation. There are also 6mil removable solutions that won’t stretch when you work with them. Textured solutions are readily available too that can offer various resistances.
Considering everything that’s been said, you need to know when to use and when not to use lamination. By knowing the correct answer, you can use your time and money in the best possible ways.
We’ll get you the help you need with our laminating services
At Foiling Services, we are committed to giving our clients the best solutions possible. The team understands the finer details of lamination. This includes knowing when to and when not to laminate. We will advise you to ensure you select the best service for your needs.
So, if you need our laminating services, feel free to contact us. We are specialists, able to add laminate to a massive array of different sheet materials.