When seeking to have a piece laminated, there are a couple of laminating options to consider before choosing the method most appropriate to your needs.
Sealed Edge Lamination
As its name implies, sealed edge lamination completely encapsulates the printed piece in the plastic lamination. This is accomplished by having the laminate film extend beyond the edge of the printed piece — typically by 1/8” to 1/2” — which allows the two sheets to bond along their entire perimeter. Once sealed, the printed paper stock is impervious to fluids, dirt, grease, etc. Sealed edge lamination is ideal for restaurant menus, bar menus, signage, ID cards, etc. In essence, any type of document subject to frequent handling in less-than-ideal environments is a good candidate for sealed edge lamination.
Flush Cut Lamination
When absolute protection for a document is not required, but the desire for a clean, aesthetic edge is paramount, flush cut lamination is the choice. Trimming the laminate film to match the edge of the printed document means the edge of the document is susceptible to damage from exposure to liquids, grease or dirt. However, for items like bookmarks, business cards, folders, etc., that are less likely to be handled in unforgiving environments, flush cut laminating does provide a significant amount of protection from the normal wear or tear paper documents are subject to over time.
Other Considerations
The cost of lamination is mostly predicated on the thickness of the laminate film used during the process: the thicker the film, the higher the cost. Thus, when contemplating having pieces laminated, some thought should be given to the type of substrate or paper stock to be printed. Using a thin laminate over a heavy card stock will be less expensive than a heavy laminate over a standard or text weight paper stock. Flush cut lamination will typically incur additional trim charges during the finishing process.
If you have any questions about Flush Cut or Sealed Edge Lamination, give us a call at 330-597-8560. We’re happy to help you get the most out of your printing project.
Photo by Emily Bernal
