A laminate is a material constructed by uniting two or more layers of material together. The process of creating a laminate is lamination, which usually refers to sandwiching something between layers of plastic and sealing them with heat and/or pressure.

The materials used in laminates can be the same or different. For example, by applying a layer of plastic film either side of a sheet of glass, the glass is said to be the laminated subject. The plastic is said to be the laminate.

Examples of laminate materials include Formica and plywood. Formica and similar plastic laminates (such as Pionite or Wilsonart) are often referred to as High Pressure Decorative Laminate (HDPL) as they are created with heat and pressure (more than 5 psi).

Laminating paper, such as photographs, can prevent them from becoming creased, sun damaged, wrinkled, stained, smudged, abraded and/or marked by grease, fingerprints and environmental concerns. Photo identification cards and credit cards are almost always laminated with plastic film.

Types of laminators

Three types of laminators are used most often in digital imaging:

• Pouch laminators
• Heated roll laminators
• Cold roll laminators

Film types

Laminate film is generally categorized into these five categories:

• Standard thermal laminating films
• Low-temperature thermal laminating films
• Heatset (or heat-assisted) laminating films
• Pressure-sensitive films
• Liquid laminates

See also

• glass-fibre reinforced plastic
• carbon-fibre reinforced plastic
• epoxy
• Composite material

External links

• An Introduction to Laminating Systems and Materials