Laminating Like a Pro: When, Why, and How to Use the Right Film

Tips & tricks from Randy Hannah at Westkey Xibita & Rob Varnel from R&M Lamination

Presented by Randy Hannah | Westkey Xibita
Featuring Rob Varnel | R&M Lamination

At Westkey, we don’t just print and produce - we educate, evolve, and partner with some of the best in the business. That’s why we recently hosted a team training with Rob Varnel of R&M Lamination, one of Canada’s top trade lamination experts.

Rob's session was a masterclass in the dos, don’ts, disasters, and game-changers of lamination. Whether you're working in an offset print shop in Edmonton or create a mass run of menu printing in Toronto, this is your cheat sheet for when - and how - to laminate like a pro.

Laminating 101: Understand the 3 Types of Film Families

1. LF – Lay Flat Nylon

• Use for: One-sided lamination (think book covers, brochures, and folders).

• Why it matters: It breathes. Humidity escapes, paper doesn’t curl.

• Sell line: “Lay-flat: because nobody wants a brochure that pops open like a Jack-in-the-box.”

2. PP – Polypropylene

• Use for: Two-sided lamination, often with soft-touch or scuff-resistant coatings.

• Pros: Velvet finish, cost-effective, luxurious feel.

• Caution: Avoid on solid black - fingerprints will haunt you.

• Sell line: “When you want premium texture without the greasy aftermath.”

3. PE – Polyester

• Use for: Heavy-duty menus, badges, signage—anything that gets manhandled.

• Notable trait: It’s tough. Comes in 1.5, 3, 5, and 10 mil. The only option for fully encapsulated pieces.

• Sell line: “Think polyester leisure suit. You can’t wrinkle it - even if you tried.”

Rob’s Top To-Do’s for Bulletproof Lamination

Always Confirm the Press Type

Digital toner and offset printing behave differently. Rob showed us what happens when you laminate digital toner with the wrong adhesive - it delaminates like wet cardboard. Key Tip: Always specify “digital adhesive” for toner-based prints.

Sample, Sample, Sample

If you're matching a competitor's piece or reprinting, test the thickness. Pro Rule of Thumb: 1mil = 1pt in thickness. Example 10pt paper + 5mil laminate (2 sides) ≈ 20pt finished thickness.  

Pre-Laminate Before Mounting

Printing directly onto corrugate then trying to laminate? Don’t. One client learned the hard way - warped flutes and cracked folds on every piece. The fix: Always laminate the print before mounting to board.

Watch the Finish with Soft Touch

Soft-touch over heavy blacks looks beautiful - until someone touches it. Greasy fingerprints ruin the aesthetic, fast. Alternative: Use delustered or scuff-resistant laminate finishes for high-touch pieces.

Real-Life Fail Stories from Rob (a.k.a. Why This Stuff Matters)

The Book That Fell Apart

A premium hardcover job was digitally printed and laminated in Alberta. Unfortunately, they used the wrong adhesive for toner. At binding, the covers literally peeled apart at the corners. Westkey stepped in and saved it - but not before it was printed three times and laminated twice.

The Christmas Box Catastrophe

A corrugate chocolate box looked great - until folded. Cracked edges, bad gluing, and zero stability. Why? They laminated after mounting, skipped glue releases, and didn’t test the folds. The solution? Re-laminate the unmounted stock and reassemble with two glue guns and four hours of hands-on salvage work. (Yes, really.)

The Bar Menu Bust

An agency insisted on 5mil lamination with no border on a thick, tabbed menu. Rob warned them to use synthetic stock instead. They ignored him. Within two weeks, beer-soaked edges, peeling corners, and child-ripped tabs had destroyed the entire national rollout.

Lesson: Trust your trade partners - or laminate at your own risk.

Sellable Features Your Clients Will Love

Window Laminate Film

• Crystal-clear gloss over die-cut openings

• Perfect for premium retail packaging

• Food-safe adhesives keep your products safe and visible

Unique Leather & Sandy Matte Textures

• Actual textured laminate films (not fake print)

• Great for luxury packaging and tactile brochures

• Works best with dark backgrounds and dual-side lamination

White Film

• Ideal for light ink or cracking issues on fold

• Looks and feels like paper but prints perfectly

• Use when you want “paper” that behaves better than paper for folds and final appearance

Presentation Folder Upgrades

Thinking spot UV? Embossing? Foil? Don’t underestimate what a base layer of the right film can do. According to Rob:

“Laminated folders are the top of the finishing food chain. You can emboss, foil, UV, and laminate just helps it hold all up better.”

Lamination isn't a replacement for embossing - it’s a foundation that strengthens the piece and allows you to add treatments like embossing without damaging the surface.

On laminated stock, embossing and foil are cleaner, more durable, and resist cracking or flaking.

Perfect for real estate kits, pitch folders, and premium portfolios. If you need menu printing, presentation folders or offset printing in Edmonton, don’t settle - ask about how lamination can elevate your piece.

Final Word from Randy

We’re not here to upsell film - we’re here to prevent reprints, salvage disasters, and help your agency look like experts.

At Westkey, we work with pros like Rob Varnel because they keep our work honest, our output reliable, and our clients smiling. If you’ve got a complex piece coming through the shop, ask us first. You might just save the job before it goes off the rails.

Want to talk through your next lamination project?

Whether you're running a flyer print, planning a direct mail campaign, or producing a short run of high-touch laminate brochures, we can help.

Reach out to your Westkey rep or email us at: [email protected]

Need samples? We'll get you a box.

Let’s keep your print performing at its best.