Laminating your documents and photographs is an excellent way to make them last longer. But have you ever thought about ways you can make them stand out? If so, you’ll be glad to know there are several things you can try. Here are a few of them:
- Use matte film. Most of the laminating film and pouches on the market are glossy. However, using matte laminate is a great way to make your work stand out. It will look more sophisticated and people might not even be able to tell it’s laminated.
- Trim excess film. While there are plenty of laminating pouches that are the right size for various documents, sometimes your item may end up being surrounded by excess laminate. If this happens, you should take a couple of minutes and trim away the extra film. You can do this with pair of scissors, a craft knife, or even a rotary trimmer. Many people ask how close you can cut to the laminated paper or if you can cut your laminating pouches before laminating. As a rule of thumb it is best to laminate with the full size pouch first to ensure full coverage and then trim to have about 1/8” margin to prevent any dirt or moisture getting in. Learn how to trim lamination here.
- Adjust the machine’s settings. If your laminated documents are marred by heat bubbles, wrinkles, or other blemishes, you may need to tweak your machine’s settings. If there is too much heat or not enough, there is a chance your documents won’t look the way they should. Adjust the settings when necessary to ensure great results.
- Experiment with foil lamination. Finally, you can make your documents stand out by experimenting with foil lamination. Just place a bit of laminating foil on a laser jet printed document, run it through your machine, and then peel the foil back. Check out our article on how to foil laminate to see the process in action. Your document will definitely be eye-catching.
Making your laminated documents stand out is easy. Be sure to give matte film a try, trim your excess film, adjust your laminator’s settings if necessary, and experiment with foil lamination if you want to make your work shine. Good luck and happy laminating.