What Laminating Film Thickness Do I Need?
Choosing the laminating film thickness for roll or pouch lamination makes a difference in how flexible or rigid the finished piece comes out.
We've put together a guide of the most popular thicknesses and their uses to help you choose the best option for your laminated prints.
How is Lamination Film Measured? What is a Mil?
Lamination film is measured in mils. A mil is equal to 1/1000ths of an inch (0.001"). (Different measurement than millimeters)
To choose the best thickness for your needs, keep this in mind: Thinner films are good for a wide variety of uses, are economical, and can be folded if need be. Thicker films provide a sturdy finish, offer great protection, and last a long time.
Note: Keep in mind that if you're using lamination roll film, the total thickness will be double if you're laminating both sides. For example, using 5 Mil lamination film on both sides will make it a total of 10 Mil thick.
1.5 Mil Lamination & It's Uses
1.5 Mil lamination film is one of the thinner options (available mostly in the form of lam rolls).
It's used for school materials, thicker printed materials, flexible items like maps & pamphlets, and other uses.
1.5 mil is one of the most economical solutions if your laminator supports it.
Popular Uses for 1.5 Mil Lamination
- Business Cards
- Presentation Folders
- Book Covers
- Flash Cards
- Temporary Items (Event Maps, Holiday Menus, etc.)
- Other flexible & large quantity uses
3 Mil Lamination & It's Uses
3 Mil offers good protection while still being foldable if desired.
A great solution for office, school, and home.
Compatible with most roll & pouch laminators.
Popular Uses for 3 Mil Lamination
- Restaurant Menus
- Wall/Classroom Posters
- Maps
- Manual or Flip Book Pages
- Loose Sheets
- Other projects including foldable items.
5 Mil Lamination & It's Uses
5 Mil provides a moderate rigidity and is great for frequently used/handled items.
Your documents will be almost waterproof, and hard to fold or crumple.
You can score & fold 5 mil, but keep in mind there may be a spring-open effect.
Popular Uses for 5 Mil Lamination
- Business Cards (great for thin cards)
- Restaurant Menus
- Diagrams & Charts
- Event Passes
- Dry/Wet Erase Boards
- Bookmarks
7 Mil Lamination & It's Uses
7 mil is a great solution for when you need something between 5 & 10 mil.
Popular with document sizes up to letter size, and provides great protection even in rough environments.
If you'll be handling it quite a bit, you may want to use a corner rounder if you're using roll film to prevent pointy corners.
Popular Uses for 7 Mil Lamination
- ID Cards & Security Badges
- Letter-sized & smaller sheets
- Heavy Duty Protection
- Signs, Lists, & Posters
10 Mil Lamination & It's Uses
10 Mil lamination film is one of the best options for ultimate protection.
Items laminated with it are very similar to credit card thickness, and do not crease or bend easily.
You may want to use a corner rounder on the edges if you're using roll lamination to avoid pointy corners.
Popular Uses for 10 Mil Lamination
- ID Cards, Security Badges
- Reference Sheets
- Luggage & Reusable Tags
- Non-folding Menus
- Items used in dirty, damp, greasy, or other rough environments
