How do you laminate paper?

Paper is commonly laminated using a pouch laminating machine. The paper is put into specially designed pouches and this is then fed into the machine. It is also possible to use self adhesive sheets or larger roll laminators.

Using a self adhesive sheet is ideal for occasional amounts of home or office laminating. Roll laminators come in heated and cold varieties and are typically used for heavier applications and frequent laminating jobs. To laminate paper with a pouch laminator, follow this guide.

1. Dry run
If the item that is being laminated is valuable or hard to replace, it is important to do a dry run first with a piece of paper that is the same size. However, never laminate an empty pouch.
2. Prepare the paper
Make sure the pouch is the right size for the piece of paper that is being laminated. There should be about one-quarter of an inch between the edge of the paper and the edge of the pouch. If there is any excess paper, this should be trimmed away before it is laminated.
3. Feed into laminator
The laminator will usually have an indicator that it is ready to use. Feed the pouch into the machine so that the sealed edge goes in first. Once finished, remove the document and let it cool.