A. Lamination is perfectly suited to jobs when durability, protection, longevity and enhanced appearance are desired. Though lamination adds to the overall cost of a project, the price becomes marginal considering the cost of replacing materials due to wear. Because lamination comes in a wide range of finishes, as well as specialty materials such as foils, colours and functional laminates such as those used to make mouse pads, the opportunities for lamination are limitless. Another characteristic of lamination is that it can be used to add rigidity to paper stock and is perfect for applications such as cards, menus and covers. Of course, the unique finishes offered by lamination also make it a good choice by designers looking for something a little different than varnishes and other on-press coatings.

A. Selecting the appropriate lamination material will result in a much better final product. We regularly stock and run six different finishes, however, based on the particular needs of a project, we can offer over 15 options and are constantly researching new materials. Many laminators don't have either the expertise or the inventory to offer such solutions.

A. Depending on the design and production layouts, the actual image area may only be a fraction of the paper stock you are printing, leaving a significant portion of the sheet to be trimmed off. Laminating this excess is thus unnecessary. Our costs, and hence prices, are based on laminating the entire sheet. In some instances cutting the paper prior to the start of the job can save you money when it comes time to laminate. Check with us in advance so we can properly plan your job and ensure the most economical method.

A. We only recommend using 1.5-mil film for 1-sided laminating. When you use thicker films there is a greater risk that the product will curl up towards the film, an undesirable result.

A. Yes, we have films that are designed to accept foil. We also have films that are suitable for gluing as well as for printing on. If you are also planning to emboss (or de-boss) the foil, we recommend that you foil under the lamination (i.e. before laminating the sheet). This will prevent the foil from rubbing off during use.

A. Yes, we have films designed just for this purpose.

A. This depends on the application. If the product is to be trimmed or die cut after laminating we recommend that you score after laminating. If the sheet is already trimmed to size and then laminated, resulting in a small lip of plastic around the borders, then we recommend you score before lamination. The reason for this is so that the extra lamination forming the border will also be scored, making the piece easier to fold and less likely to crease incorrectly.

A. This depends on the application. When doing single-sided laminating we recommend a sheet size at least 10” x 13”. This allows us to feed the sheets automatically, although we can take smaller sheets for short runs. The image area for single-sided laminating should be ½” in from all four sides. For double-sided laminating we can accommodate almost any sheet size up to 28” x 40”.

A. Our standard turnaround is two days from the time it arrives in our shop.

A. Our films can be die cut with most applications. It is always best to advise us of all finishing details so we may assist you with selecting the correct material and method of laminating to accommodate your needs.

A. Most of the newer copiers produce a product that can be laminated. However, we recommend providing us with a sample output so we may test compatibility of your desired lamination with the toners and fuser oil of the colour output.