Whether it’s for business purposes or to keep organizational lists safe from the destruction around the home, laminators are handy for keeping signage in good condition.
You can use laminators to preserve important or sentimental papers, such as financial and legal documents, old family photos, educational certificates, and more. In order to laminate papers properly without the risk of damaging them, it’s important to understand the correct lamination process.
Laminators are used to preserving important documents. This can include kid's report cards, legal or financial records, or even your favorite takeout menus. Laminators work by using heat pressure to cover documents with a layer of plastic. In practice, this means that plastic pouches are placed over paper documents and put through a laminating machine, so they have a sealed plastic covering that protects them against fluids, time, and sunlight.
There are warm and cold laminators, though the most effective type is undoubtedly the warm laminator. People who work in offices that maintain a need for paper files or guides may be familiar with laminators and how to use them. Conversely, in a world where we use increasingly less paper, many people may be relatively unfamiliar with the functionality of laminators.
The main benefit of laminating is that it provides a permanent way to keep paper documents safe from liquid damage and tearing. It also goes a long way toward preventing colors on the paper from fading, though you should still try to keep documents out of direct sunlight.
If you won’t be needing direct access to a paper document and want to keep it permanently sealed and protected, laminating is the way to go.
Before you start using a laminator, it’s important to get familiar with all the steps you need to complete so you laminate documents correctly. That being said, laminating is a fairly straightforward and easy task when you know how.
This stage presupposes that you already have a laminator that's ready to use. You need to make sure the laminator you’re using will laminate the size of paper you need to laminate.
The most common size of paper and, therefore, laminating pouches is A3, A4, A5, and A6. With this in mind, you should check the manufacturer's specifications on any pouches you select. Once you pick up pouches, make sure you also have a set of sharp scissors to trim the edges of the laminated sheet after you complete the process.
You should always follow the manufacturer's instructions, but generally speaking, laminators are designed to be fairly universal so anyone can use them.
You first need to get your laminator out and plug it into the power terminal. Next, make sure you have enough space at either end of the laminator. Finally, once the machine is plugged into the power terminal, check that the device is switched on and set to laminate mode.
You need to wait until the green light comes on before you move to the next stage. The green light indicates that the laminating machine is now hot enough to seal the pouch properly when you pass the document through.
Once the machine is switched on, set to laminate mode and the green light is on, it's time to get laminating.
First, put the paper into the pouch. This means sliding the document you want to laminate into the pocket and making sure it lines up with the pocket so the paper doesn’t become slanted inside the pouch.
Next, line up the paper in the pocket with the “feed” side of the laminator. Once the pocket is in the machine, the laminator should do the rest of the work for you. This means the machine will roll the file through the motor and compress the plastic over the paper. Keep watch for the pocket exiting the other end of the laminator so it doesn't drag or get snagged on the table below the laminator.
This is the final step in the process of laminating. At this stage, your document should be firmly embedded in the plastic pocket. However, you may find the edges of the laminated sheet are a tad too big and may need to be trimmed down. This is why you need a pair of scissors. The first and most popular method of trimming is to go around the edges and trim lightly with scissors, making sure the document doesn't get clipped or trimmed too close to its edge.
If, however, you have a paper cutting board, you can place the document on that, and with a ruler and an outstretched set of scissors, run the blade down the edge of the ruler, so you get a nice even trim.
Fellowes Spectra 125 Laminator
This laminator is user-friendly and compact enough to be stored away without taking up too much space. The auto shut-off function ensures it doesn’t overheat.
Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches
This legal size pack of laminating pouches is suitable for people looking to preserve or maintain important financial or legal documents. This affordable option is also a good choice for household items, such as making sure that your kids’ artwork lasts a lifetime.
HP Office20 8.5 x 11-Inch Multipurpose Paper
This ream of paper is excellent for those who are looking to laminate a bundle of stuff all at once. It’s a high-quality but affordable option for professionals or even restaurateurs who have a requirement to print and preserve documents.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Lauren Farrell writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
