A lamination machine is a very useful office tool. This simple and inexpensive machine makes documents robust and essentially waterproof. The glossy finish is also attractive and can be used to accentuate an otherwise drab bulletin. A small home-office laminator can add pomp and panache to any at-home craft project.

There are two main types of laminating media: The roll and the pouch. As a roll, the special laminating plastic can be cut to any size. Items to be laminated are limited only by the width of the lamination machine. Roll-type lamination is great for making banners and other long items that would not fit in a pouch. A laminating pouch is simply two sheets of laminating plastic which have been bound together at one or two edges. They come in standard sizes to fit standard paper with enough margin to completely encase the document in plastic. These pouches are most commonly found in 8.5″ by 11″ and are used to laminate standard sheets of paper. Pouches, however, can be found in sizes all the way down to a business card.

Lamination is not just for those who need hard-wearing documents. Collectors of leaf and flower specimens often use laminating pouches to preserve their samples. Laminating construction paper cut-outs makes them much more durable and kid-friendly. Posters and signs which need to be used outdoors can be laminated to last much longer than regular paper. In short, a laminator is a great tool to have.

A laminator is not out of reach of the home office. Most light-duty lamination machines cost less than a printer. Lamination plastic can get expensive in large quantities, but remains very affordable for home and personal use. Laminators take up very little space and can be stored in a desk drawer when not in use, making them a perfect non-invasive addition to any office environment.