Laminated sheets with any information are stored for a long time. That is why those papers that need to be stored, or which, due to frequent use, can quickly become unusable, are subjected to this procedure. For example, cards with educational pictures for children, printed cards of board games, business cards. How can I laminate paper at home? There are two ways that do not require a lot of time and money. However, one of them is more professional, but special material is needed for it. In both cases, you can not do without an iron.
Take a regular file ...
In order for the document to be preserved, it must be “hidden” in the film. Can I laminate paper at home with a file? In fact, this will no longer be a full protection of the document, since the film thickness in the file is low. However, this method can also be applied in life.
What does that require? You need to have an iron. The necessary sheet is put on the file. You need to cut two pieces, which are 1 millimeter larger on all sides than the desired document. Then the paper is hidden between these films, the edges of which are slightly folded. Now you need to heat the iron. They should go through the workpiece only once, but firmly, with pressure. Then the paper will be securely hidden under the film. If you pass the iron several times, then you can glue the file in the wrong way. In order not to accidentally connect the film and the iron, it is better to leave a sheet of white paper between them.
Who should use this method?
How to laminate paper at home using a regular file is understandable. However, it is worth noting once again that this design will not be similar to the usual laminated surface. It will be softer due to the small thickness of the film.
However, this method is suitable, for example, for cards that are made on thick cardboard. This material in itself is difficult to wrinkle or bend, and the film from the file will only save it from damage. Therefore, this method can be useful and quite budgetary. If you want to laminate a sheet of paper, it is better to choose the second option.
Lamination film: which one to choose?
How to laminate paper at home? There is a special film that helps to carry out this process. Several types of this material have been developed, it can be purchased in stores where they sell everything for needlework, or in office supplies.
Its price is not very high, given that one package is enough for 100 sheets of standard, landscape format. What is the difference between this paper? Oddly enough, almost nothing depends on the manufacturer. From the scatter of prices, the quality of the film does not deteriorate and does not get better.
It all depends on the thickness of this material. It is measured in microns. It is most advantageous to take a thickness of 75 to 85. This is an indicator of one half of the film, but you will have to use it on both sides. Therefore, you can safely multiply the thickness by two.
How to get a denser workpiece? Just advice
If you want the card or any other document to be thicker, not bent, then you can go in two ways:
- Choose a film for lamination with a larger thickness.
- Stick your blank on cardboard.
The second option helps to save money, since the film with the greatest thickness is more expensive than cardboard.
What is a special film?
How to laminate a sheet of paper at home? You need to take the film specifically for this, and choosing it in size. At its core, such material is a kind of pocket.
The special film is matte. One part of it is bonded to the other from above or from the side. That is, it remains only to put it on paper. The inner part of the film is coated with special adhesive material, which is activated when heated. This allows the film to be welded to paper and to the opposite part of the material.
We pass to lamination
How to laminate paper at home with an iron? To do this, it needs to be heated, but only at medium power. If you overheat it, the film will not stick, but will become wrinkled, uneven.
While the iron is heating up, you should put your document, cards or other option for lamination, and then fold the material tip to tip, as even as possible. You need to start ironing the film with the iron from the place where it is connected by the manufacturer. Do not rush, you need to make slow pressure movements, expelling air from under the film. In this case, the film will no longer be matte, but will become transparent. It cannot stick to the iron, since the glue base has remained inside.
If an air bubble appears ...
How to laminate paper at home, it became clear, but what if the air bubble appeared on the film? Do not be scared. This also happens. First of all, you need to try to walk around this place with a cloth moistened with water. But you need to do this while the film has not cooled down and has not become stiff.
The second option is to pierce this place with a needle, then the air will come out, and the puncture site needs to be ironed again with a heated iron, then the film will become smooth, without any bulges.
How to laminate paper at home? You can use either a special film or a regular file for documents. However, it should be understood that the latter option is only suitable for dense materials such as cardboard. Also, it may not look very aesthetically pleasing, therefore it is suitable only for paper processing for home use. If you deal with lamination on your own, you can save money, since the film is not as expensive as regular trips to specialized centers. Also, this method can help out when there is no time to run to the store.