Lamination Films

If you want to extend the life of your sign’s print, a laminate is essential. Laminating your printed vinyl protects it from weathering and damage, and some laminates (Such as our Avery 2400 range) even have UV protection properties that will keep your print looking more vibrant for longer. Another reason to laminate your vinyl might be as simple as needing a change in finish. Perhaps you or your customer have changed your mind about wanting a matt print, and now want it in gloss. Rather than re-printing, you can simply laminate the print to acquire that glossy finish.

In order to apply laminate properly, you will require a laminator machine. Typically, these will consist of multiple rollers, with 2 of these committed to the laminate application process. Usually, one of these rollers will be equipped with a heating element, as some laminates require higher temperatures to properly adhere, and most laminates will adhere better when applied with heat. However, if you are a smaller operation, there are more manually operated lamination machines for cold applications.

It comes down to what your independent needs are. We supply monomeric laminates such as Avery 3000, Ri-Jet M70 and Digimark drywipe for short term or indoor use. If you will be requiring something that is going to increase the durability of your print a little more, or be showcased outside; you may want to use Avery 2000 or Ri-Jet P75. These are monomeric laminates, and our Avery 2000 even features UV protection properties for increased longevity during outside use.

We stock Ri-Jet P75 which is specifically designed to be directly printed to using UV, solvent, eco-solvent ink-jet and latex inks. It can be used as a printable overlaminate or you can use it as an individual print for use on transparent surfaces.

We supply laminates in 4 main sizes. These are 760mm, 1370mm, 1520mm, 1600mm. We also offer a slitting service, if you require a non-standard width we can cut from the larger roll and provide the offcut.

When matching vinyl with a laminate, you will typically want to ensure that they are both monomeric or polymeric products. Ritrama’s Ri-Jet digital has a simple naming scheme which is useful for knowing how they pair up with a laminate. For example, Ri-Jet M80 digital pairs with Ri-Jet M70 laminate. Ri-Jet P75 white pairs with Ri-Jet P75 clear. As for Avery products, you can pair any MPI 3000 digital with any DOL 3000 laminate; and the same goes for MPI 2000 digital and DOL 2000 laminate.

If your sign will only be needed for 2 years, a monomeric laminate such as Avery DOL 3000 or Ri-Jet M80 will suit your purposes, protecting it from general wear for up to 3 years.

You can. Each branded laminate is only officially tried and tested with their own products, however naturally just about any vinyl laminate will work with any vinyl. Please be aware that if you intend to chase a manufacturer, if your laminate fails, you may not have a case to claim if you are mixing and matching products.