Cold laminators are definitely more versatile than their thermal counterparts. They can be used to apply adhesive to items so you can make stickers and labels. You can even make magnets with them. Many of them can also laminate one side of a document and apply adhesive to the back.

Cold laminating pouches are self-adhesive and do not require heat to create a lasting seal. Simply place your document inside the pouch and press down to close. The 8 mil thick pouches provide durable, semi-rigid protection.

Thermal or hot laminating is the process of using heat to melt the adhesives on the plastic to seal the document. The other type, cold laminating, doesn’t involve heat. The laminating film used in cold laminating has a self adhesive that will stick to the document on its own.

The colors and quality of the printed document are typically better when you use a cold laminator. The heat of a hot laminator can cause colors to bleed or degrade. You have the option of laminating only one side of a graphic, making cold laminators the best option for decals and adhesive decorations.

Generally speaking Thermal Laminate sheets work with an iron. I use 2-ply aluminum foil under the laminating sheet and a thin towel above. Set the iron to the hottest setting and iron for 30-60 seconds.

Hot laminators are capable of doing faster laminate jobs and have a variety of heat settings and additional features that can accommodate other materials besides paper. Additionally, the laminating products that come with a hot laminator are typically cheaper compared to the materials used with a cold laminator.

Cold Lamination: With cold lamination, heat sensitive materials like photos, glossy paper and inkjet printed business cards can be easily laminated. Cold lamination is your best option when laminating heat-sensitive documents. These would include faxes, photos, and documents printed with an ink jet printer.