Laminators for Signs

IS A LAMINATOR must-have equipment in every signshop? Of course not. If you paint, carve, provide strictly indoor signage or work exclusively with cut-vinyl graphics, there is little reason to invest in a laminator. A laminator mainly creates a protective “skin” over graphics to further protect them from UV light, scratching, abrasion, dings and dents that can seriously shorten the life of vehicle wraps or digitally printed outdoor graphics. So if you produce graphics that will be exposed in the great outdoors, you probably need a laminator. In addition, laminators can produce some unique products like durable floor graphics that can help to expand your product line and serve as a revenue stream.

If you are looking to purchase a laminator, you will quickly find a number of different types available. Each has advantages as well as disadvantages and it is up to you to determine what will fit best in your shop. Let’s take a look at these different types of laminators so you can make an informed decision.

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The most common laminators used in the sign industry are cold laminators, which use pressure to bond clear adhesive film to the print. Cold lamination comes with very few restrictions and even vehicle graphics can be laminated with the cold process. One major advantage is lower equipment cost as a heater is not required and they are easier to load and maintain. A common problem with cold laminators is silvering, the appearance of silvery looking specs in the laminated print. UV ink prints can be susceptible to silvering, so many signmakers use gentle heat to eliminate this artifact afterwards.

If that sounds like more trouble than it’s worth, you can go with a hot or heated laminator. It still uses pressure to adhere the film to the print but the film’s adhesive is heat-sensitive. This allows for better adhesion and eliminates silvering. The downsides are that the machines are more expensive, and when used with inkjet prints you have to wait 24 hours for the ink to completely dry prior to lamination as a wet print can cause the graphic to fog.

If you are interested in laminating textured media like canvas and fabric, look at liquid laminators. As you would expect, these machines use a UV-sensitive liquid that coats the substrate and is then dried with UV light. These machines can also be used for standard graphics on paper and vinyl. The resulting graphic will be more flexible than traditional film laminates and liquid laminate costs less than films. The downsides are also what you probably imagine: long setup time and a potentially difficult cleanup.

A fourth type of laminator has been out for a number of years but offers additional functionality that can make the price more palatable. These machines are called application tables. While most laminators resemble a tall printer, application tables look like workshop tables. Their primary function is to aid in taping and applying cut vinyl to substrates like boards and magnetic signs. Since they use a weighted roller and a roll-feed mechanism, they can also be utilized as cold laminators. The major disadvantages to this fourth type are price and table width, which may restrict the size of image you can laminate. For some shops, however, this could be a solution that kills several birds with one stone.

So there you have it. It’s hard to imagine too many shops that wouldn’t benefit from owning a laminator. The driving factors are your budget and the types of prints you are producing. Laminators will run between $3K and $80K depending on the type and size. Just do a little research before taking the leap.

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