Should You Use a Laminate for Your Printed Graphic?

Whether your project calls for a dimensional retail display, interior wall covering, or outdoor banner, adding a protective layer to printed materials can significantly extend their lifespan and maintain their professional appearance. This is where laminates come in. Often overlooked, laminates are a crucial finishing touch that enhance both the function and aesthetic of printed pieces. In this blog, we’ll break down what laminates are, explore their benefits, and explain when you should consider using them in your print projects.

What Are Laminates?

Laminates are clear, protective films applied over printed graphics to achieve a desired visual effect and provide a layer of protection. They are most often applied to adhesive-backed vinyl or paper products like cardstock and corrugate, as well as plastics like Sintra, and plexiglass. Even durable or porous materials like metals or wood can benefit. Laminates come in various finishes and thicknesses, and can be temporary, semi-permanent, or permanent.

There are two main lamination categories: calendared and cast. Standard calendared laminates are more cost-effective but less flexible, making them better suited for flat or minimally curved surfaces. Premium cast laminates, on the other hand, are highly versatile and flexible, able to stretch with heat and conform around complex shapes and textured surfaces - making them essential for dimensional wrap applications. They’re also more resistant to shrinking and cracking over time.

Benefits Of Using a Laminate

Laminates do far more than just protect a printed graphic - though that’s certainly a major benefit! They also actively enhance performance, longevity, and appearance across a range of applications.

Increased Durability

‍Laminates act as a protective shield, extending the life of graphics exposed to everyday wear and tear. In high-traffic environments like athletic facilities and retail stores, laminates offer a critical barrier that helps prevent scratches, scuffs, and abrasions. They also help to protect the printed graphic from direct human contact. The naturally occurring oils on human hands can cause ink to erode over time. If your printed graphics are in high-touch zones (i.e. areas where people can easily come in direct contact with graphics), they are more likely to deteriorate faster without added protection.

Customizable Finish Options

‍Laminates can alter the final appearance of a printed graphic. Gloss, luster, and matte are the most well-known laminate finishes. Gloss laminates intensify color and contrast, providing a vibrant, high-sheen finish. Alternatively, matte laminates offer a softer, glare-reducing look that's ideal for indoor settings under harsh lighting. Luster falls somewhere between gloss and matte finish in relation to sheen, offering a balanced combination of reduced glare and enhanced image clarity.

Slip Resistance

Slip-rated laminates are essential for floor graphics, offering critical non-skid properties that help prevent slips and falls. Ideal for high-traffic environments such as retail stores, trade shows, and public events, these laminates play a key role in maintaining public safety while preserving the integrity of the graphic.

Glare Control

‍In environments where lighting is a concern, matte laminates reduce glare, allowing the audience to focus on the content and minimizing distracting reflections. For projects in art galleries or museums, we generally go one step further and recommend an ultra-matte laminate.

Easy Maintenance

‍For indoor applications like wall murals or wayfinding signage in offices, hospitals, or schools, laminates make cleaning simple. The added film resists smudges and stains, allowing for quick wipe-downs without damaging the print. We generally recommend using a mild soapy water and microfiber cloth to clean laminated printed graphics.

Limit Exposure to the Elements

‍Direct exposure to the sun - whether retail storefront window graphics or outdoor athletic stadium banners - will cause ink to fade and materials to degrade. Repeated exposure to precipitation and moisture also expedites the deterioration process. Finally, heat and humidity cause most printed substrates to expand, while cold temperatures cause most to contract. Substrates that repeatedly expand and contract will eventually warp or peel off. It’s important to note that seasonal temperature changes can also be artificially created indoors. If printed graphics sit directly in the line of air conditioning and/or heating vents, they will be similarly negatively affected. In all these cases, laminates are a fantastic protective solution.

Anti-Graffiti Protection

‍While we’re obviously big fans of original artwork at Infinity Images, we’re less enthusiastic about unsolicited spray paint additions to our clients’ outdoor graphics. Anti-graffiti laminates provide an extra layer of defense to signage in graffiti-prone areas. They allow ink, paint, or markers to be easily cleaned off without affecting the graphic beneath - ideal for transit signage, public spaces, or schools.

When To Use a Laminate

While not every printed project requires lamination, many applications benefit significantly from the added protection, finish, and functionality laminates provide. Here are some of our recommended use cases.

Wall Graphics

‍Laminates are essential for adhesive-backed vinyl wall graphics. They protect against scuffs and marks - especially in high-touch environments such as office interiors and retail stores - and make cleaning easy.

Floor Graphics

‍As described above, laminates are a must for floor graphics. Laminates make floor decals non-skid and slip-resistant, ensuring safety for your audience and longevity to your printed graphic. Except in extremely rare situations, all floor graphics leave our facility laminated.

Window Graphics

‍Direct exposure to the sun will cause ink to fade and materials to degrade. Laminates prevent this accelerated degradation from happening. They also make printed graphics easier to clean.

Dry Erase Surfaces

‍Some laminates are designed for functionality, such as dry-erase finishes that turn graphics into writable whiteboards - ideal for corporate offices, academic classrooms, or planning spaces.

Vehicle Wraps

‍Printed vehicle graphics, often produced with gloss laminates, require protection from sun exposure, road debris, and temperature changes. Cast laminates help the vinyl flex and conform around vehicle curves while extending the lifespan of the wrap.

Exterior Signage

‍Glossy laminates will enhance vibrancy while providing UV and precipitation protection for large-format outdoor signage. Additionally, printed graphics in graffiti-prone spaces like transit hubs and school grounds can be protected with a laminate designed to repel ink, paint, and markers.

When Not to Use a Laminate

Low-Energy Surfaces

A low-energy surface refers to a material with weak molecular attraction at its surface, making it difficult for inks and adhesives to adhere or spread evenly. Applying laminated graphics to low-energy surfaces such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polystyrene can lead to adhesion issues like curling or peeling. While low-energy surfaces can pose adhesion challenges, selecting the right combination of base material and laminate is key to achieving reliable performance. If lamination is required, we recommend choosing a base material specifically engineered for low-surface-energy substrates. Otherwise, an unlaminated printed graphic may offer better performance.

Certain Laminate & Vinyl Pairings

Not all types of vinyl are compatible with all types of laminates. Understanding the difference between calendared and cast vinyl, as well as calendared and cast laminates, is essential for choosing the right pairing. Calendared vinyl is a thick, more affordable product but offers less pliability, which makes it ideal for flat surfaces. Cast vinyl is a thinner, more flexible product and commands a premium price, perfect for complex shapes like vehicle curves or bent fixture edges. When pairing a laminate to a vinyl, calendared laminate goes with calendared vinyl, and cast laminate goes with cast vinyl. Mixing and matching the different types will not work properly.

Recyclable Materials

If you use a laminate on an otherwise recyclable material, the laminate negates the ability to recycle your graphic at the end of your printed project’s life. When sustainability is a priority, we advise you to skip the laminate to keep your eco-minded use of materials intact.

Final Thoughts

From protection to presentation, laminates are a critical upgrade that can enhance the quality and professionalism of any printed graphic. If you’re working with a tight budget on a dimensional or high-visibility piece, laminates are not the place to cut corners. A high-quality laminate can make the difference between a graphic that pops and lasts, and one that fades, curls, or peels prematurely.

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Wide-format Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Wide-format Impressions.