helpful guidance and money-saving ideas for book printing

Print materials are laminated to increase longevity. In most cases, lamination is applied to printing that will be subject to stains, smudges, moisture, oil, grime, wrinkles, tears or anything else that might shorten its life.The lamination applied to printing is a clear plastic film, with either a gloss or matte finish. It can be applied to the face only, or it can be applied to both sides of the printed piece. Since the primary goal of lamination is protection, our experience has shown that the vast majority of laminated pieces have the plastic film applied to both sides.

What is a Sealed Edge?

A Sealed Edge is created when a printed piece is sandwiched between two pieces of plastic laminate film that extend past the edge of the printed piece. This allows the two sheets of film to bond to each other around the entire perimeter, thus totally encapsulating the printed document in plastic.

A Sealed Edge provides the ultimate protection against contaminants and is used when the printing may be subject to frequent handling or used in a harsh environment. The overhang lip created by the Sealed Edge method is usually in the range of 1/8"-1/2" to produce a strong bond and ensure that fluids and dirt never contact the edge of the printed paper substrate. Common uses for Sealed Edge lamination include restaurant and bar menus, factory signage, machinery hang tags, identification cards and educational material.

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