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| Selecting your Over-laminating Film
Over-laminating films or ‘over-laminates’ are offered in a selection of textures and finishes from gloss to matte and can consist of many different types of film, such as polyester, vinyl or polycarbonate. These materials have different performance characteristics therefore the end customer’s application demands should be fully understood before selecting a film type.
They also incorporate one of three types of adhesive: thermal or "heat activated" which require heat to activate the adhesive, pressure sensitive or cold adhesives which include a release liner and require only pressure to initiate their bond to a printed image and finally heat assist or "heat-set". This type of adhesive closely resembles pressure sensitive, by including a release liner however it does require heat to activate the adhesive.
Proper selection requires understanding the 3 components of an over-laminate, the finish, the film type and the adhesive. Follow these three easy steps to select the right product for you!
1. Select your finish
SEAL offers a vast selection of finishes such as matte, satin-matte, luster, gloss and unique textured films. We recommend selecting your finish based on lighting conditions and handling exposure. This will ensure optimum viewing of your displayed image. For instance if the graphic will be displayed in an area that is intensely lit, opt for a matte or luster finish.
2. Select your film type
SEAL over-laminates consist of many different types of film, such as polyester which is low cost and offers rigidity, vinyl which is a slightly higher cost but offers flexibility to the image and polycarbonate which is one of the most expensive materials but which offers the highest durability. Because each film has different performance characteristics it is essential to understand the application requirements or demands when selecting a film type.
3. Select your adhesive
SEAL over-laminates incorporate one of four types of adhesives. First, there is thermal or "heat activated" which requires heat to activate the adhesive. Second, "pressure sensitive" which include a release liner and require only pressure to initiate its bond. Third, our heat assist or "heat-set" which closely resembles pressure sensitive adhesives, by including a release liner and requires heat to activate the adhesive. Finally, our "Super Stick®" adhesive which is a unique class of pressure sensitive adhesive that requires heat but does not include a release liner.
Click here to view your choice of SEAL Over-laminating Films.
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