Laminator pouches come in a wide variety of sizes. A laminator applies heat to special pouches in which documents are placed. The heat melts the adhesive which is inside the laminating pouch. This seals the plastic film over the document protecting the document from damaging elements such as moisture. This is a common method for preserving important papers such as posters, pictures and other items.
A pouch is made of two pre-cut pieces of plastic. They are joined together on one side using a special adhesive. This makes a sort of booklet into which documents may be placed. The pouch containing the documents are then placed through a laminating machine sealing the document safely in the air tight plastic.
The size of the pouch will depend on the dimensions of the document to be laminated. The laminating pouch needs to be a little larger than the document to ensure a good seal. The pouch needs to be a little less than 1/4 inch larger on each side to make sure the document is properly protected.
Laminate pouches also come in different thicknesses. If you want to keep a sheet more flexible, choose laminate that is only 3 mils thick. Use laminate 3 to 5 mils thick if you want it to be a little more stiff. If you are making signs then you will need to use 10 mil thick laminate. 7 to 10 mil thickness is good if you are making things such as I.D. badges or cards for multiple uses.
Sizes of pouches range from a file card which is 3.5 by 5 inches; up to the size of a standard menu size which is 12 by 18 inches. They are available in standard letter size or legal size pouches. Some companies will also customize pouches. For most items a standard size laminator pouch is available to fit what you need.
