Film lamination applies a film and adhesive (usually PV, polypropylene, cast or polyester films) to a printed substrate. Today, most film laminators use pressure-sensitive rollers, sometimes with a little heat to improve activation of the adhesive at the point of pressure. For this process to work, you will usually need a good-quality film laminator that applies even, consistent pressure to bond the adhesive film to the substrate being laminated. Lamination protects the printed substrate against premature degradation from abrasion, handling, rolling, installation and, finally, exposure to the environment where it is installed.
Despite the common belief that ink and media do not need protection, in the long term film and media will only last longer if protected with a laminate. Film lamination is often used to add rigidity to a print to ease handling, protection and installation, and sometimes to enhance the printed image, its colour and its visual effect. Its main pitfall is that the quality of the adhesive bond over the life of the print depends on the operator’s skill and the pressure applied. Some films add UV protection against premature ink fade, as well as resistance to scratches, water, chemicals, handling, touch and cleaning. Over time, however, this protection can fail for a number of reasons, such as shrinkage or expansion of the substrate, causing delamination or air pockets and bubbles where the film has not adhered as well as expected.
Liquid lamination provides a different, and in some areas more advanced, form of protection where film lamination simply will not work. It cannot add rigidity, but it does have other benefits. First and foremost, you do not need a professional laminator to apply a protective laminate: liquid laminates can easily be applied with a hand roller, brush, paint pad or spray equipment. You can also apply liquid laminates after the graphic has been installed, in almost any flat, clean, dry environment. As well as offering a very flexible, adaptable protective coating for almost any substrate – including textured substrates, where film lamination is not very effective and usually fails – liquid laminates bond naturally and permanently. It is rare for a tested liquid laminate ever to delaminate.
The only prerequisite is that the liquid laminate has been tested for initial adhesion; thereafter it will not fail. Because liquid laminates are highly flexible, they adapt and move with any change in the stability of the substrate. They also protect against water, abrasion and UV fade, and will usually protect a graphic print twice as long as an unprotected graphic in the same environment. Common applications where liquid laminates work and film lamination does not include PVC banners, fabrics and textiles.
Landor Liquid Lamination Coater 1.6
The value and benefits of liquid laminates at a glance:
We believe it is important to remain impartial, so we have summarised the good reasons to use liquid lamination instead of film lamination – and also the reasons why film lamination is still the right choice in some cases.
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For more information, advice or support with protecting your graphics, extending their life, or testing and training for liquid or film lamination, please contact us on +44 1252 624411, email info@landoruk.com, or visit our website www.liquid-lamination.co.uk.
As well as developing and supplying coatings, coating systems and coating services globally, we offer a unique service that lets you try before you invest in liquid lamination capital equipment.
You can visit our Bolton, UK operations and warehouse to try our equipment, or we can provide our coating services, so you get genuine hands-on experience before investing in this technology.
We also appreciate that there are many financial reasons why PVC is so heavily used in print, as well as the added profitability it brings to the print market. If we can help bridge this divide in support of conserving resources and preventing waste and damage to our planet, our business will be happy to listen, act in the most responsible way possible, and share this with like-minded business leaders, politicians, consumers and the design agencies who shape the choice of materials.
If you feel as strongly as we do about the environment, and want to be sure there are valid reasons for moving to eco-friendly coatings and eliminating PVC and plastic films (and other materials) throughout the print process and its applications, please get in touch. Your feedback and views are important for the future of print.
Reviewing the drawbacks of film lamination should help you understand when Landor liquid laminates will give your prints better protection, longevity and durability.
Our coating service and advice can be adapted to your needs. With water-based, UV-curable, roll-to-roll and flatbed coating resources, we will be happy to discuss your applications, durability and sustainability requirements.
