The Best Laminate Sheets

Laminating machines encase paper documents, cards and images into plastic coatings by fusing plastic onto the paper through heat or an adhesive. Although many situations call for the use of thermal machines, self-adhesive laminating sheets can do the job as well. These sheets require no equipment other than a pair of able hands and scissors. They are easy to use and can save time and money.

You can use laminating sheets to preserve and protect certificates, photographs, artwork and bookmarks. Many come with imprinted grids to use. You can even cut the sheets into smaller pieces to protect name tags, luggage tags, bookmarks and cards.

Some laminating sheets come in pouch form, so you can remove the adhesive backing and place the item inside carefully; there may be a grid for proper alignment. Allow some room around the item for sealing. Close the pouch from the fold to the open side, and press down firmly in this same direction.

If you’re using sheets rather than pouches, remember that every document you want to laminate requires two — one for the front and one for the back. Put the grid under one sheet and remove the backing before aligning it to the grid. Then, you can lay down the document, remove the backing from the second sheet and place the sticky side down onto it.

• Check to see if you can use dry erase markers on the laminate sheets. Once laminated, you can write notes on the document (school calendars, to-do lists) and wipe your writing away later.
• Laminate sheets come in different thicknesses, so look for the thickness you need.
• To smooth out air bubbles, work your way from the inside out. You can use the blunt part of a butter knife for this; a pin can pop any unwanted air bubbles.
• If the sheets do not have grids, just make your own with a pencil and ruler.