What thickness of laminating film do I need?

It would, we believe, be fair to say that everybody has a broad understanding of what laminating film does to materials, in particular documents. The purpose of it is to protect the substrate from damage or defacement. Carrying this out is typically very valuable in the long term, as it allows important papers and documents to be preserved and used as frequently as required for many years.

Something less widely known or appreciated is the fact that not all lamination film is the same. This is true, at least in terms of beyond the most visible differences which exist between matt and gloss finish films. The actual thickness of the film being applied to papers or documents can vary considerably. It is always important to make sure you know which thickness is required to achieve the results you want.

The thickness of laminating film is measured in microns. One micron equals 0.001mm. If that sounds like a really minuscule measurement it’s because in a wider sense it is – but in terms of the laminating film you choose to use it can make a big difference.

In order to understand what micron measurement is needed you first need to establish the use for the item being laminated. As a guide, a higher number of microns mean that the film is thicker. Following this, with higher thickness comes increased rigidity and a drop in flexibility.

At present the thinnest laminating film we offer is 42 microns, which leaves you with a very high level of flexibility. For work where protection is important and rigidity is not an issue we offer 75 micro, 125 micron and 250 micron film rolls.

We know that not everyone who is carrying out lamination work will know exactly how many microns they should be looking for when they are ordering laminating film. We are here to help. Our team are experts in all of the products we represent. If you give us a call and tell us your requirements, we will happily tell you the usual micron level used for that purpose, and of course we will discuss the various options you have available.