Before you purchase a laminator, there are so many factors that you should put into consideration. Truth be told, if you neglect any of these criteria, you might be making a very costly mistake.
Many people believe they can go ahead to buy laminators because friends or colleagues have recommended them. Sometimes, people see ads for these laminators and just go for them without getting proper information about them.
Out of the many factors that you are meant to consider, the one almost every looks at is the price. People tend to go for machines that are less costly, so they do not run out of budget. There are several things you could put your money into than spending it all on a laminator.
I believe almost everyone agrees with that and tends to purchase laminators that fit into their budget without having to break the bank. So, price is a very common criterion you should consider before buying a laminator.
However, many people tend to overlook the most crucial factor when buying a laminator; some do not even know about this. We refer to them as laminator sizes.
Yes, laminators come in different sizes, so the dimensions of the materials you can laminate with them differ from one another. You could laminate Item A in a specified laminator but will not be able to laminate item B in the same laminator.
Before you go ahead to purchase laminators, take a survey of the sizes of documents that you will be laminating with it. Ensure these sizes can all be laminated in the laminator you wish to buy.
If the sizes of the materials are more significant than the entry of the laminator, they will not fit in, and you can not force them in. If you try to force them in, you will get a wrinkled laminate or even have the material jammed in the laminator.
When this happens, you will have to bring the paper backward again, which might end up delaying you. A task you could have completed in fifteen minutes could take thirty minutes or will not even get done.
First of all, let’s see the sizes that laminators are produced in. This will help you determine which one is right for you.
What Are the Various Entry Sizes of Laminators?
There are A2, A3, and A4 laminators. These laminators vary depending on the sizes of documents that can pass through them. The most common of these laminators are the A4 laminators.
A4 laminators are the most common but have the most minor usage. They can be used to laminate all documents that have a size A4 or less than that. Examples of these documents include Id Cards, access cards, and other smaller items.
A4 laminators are used in schools and institutions dealing with small items that fall within the A4 category. An A4 laminator will laminate A4, A5, A6, and other smaller-sized things.
A3 Laminators are less standard than the A4 laminators. However, they have a wide usage range. You can use A3 laminators to laminate more essential documents up to the A3 size. You can also use it to laminate smaller documents that can be laminated in the A4 laminator.
A2 laminators are the least common of these laminators. They are used in fewer places that involve laminating larger documents up to A2 sizes. You can laminate items as large as cardboard in an A2 laminator.
A2 laminators are usually large and occupy considerable space, so you can not find them in small offices and institutions. This is one of the reasons why they are less common. They are found in places that are spacious and will accommodate them well.
Can I Laminate An A4 Paper with My A3 Laminator?
Here is a question I have received countless times, so it would be best if I answered it here. First of all, we know that the A3 is one of the common laminators, so it is likely to find it in more places than A2 laminators.
If you want to purchase a new laminator and you are wondering if it will be compatible with the sizes of items that you will be laminating, you should know this. An A3 laminator will laminate any document or item that is sized A3 or less than A3.
These sizes include A3, A4, A5, and below. An A3 laminator will do these tasks without any glitch. So, if you are considering getting an A4 laminator, you can just go for an A3 laminator.
You might have an A3 laminator around and think of getting an A4 laminator for that purpose; here is good news you can use your A3 laminator to laminate your A4 papers.
However, one thing that might discourage you a bit is the price of these laminators. The prices tend to increase with their usage possibilities. An A3 laminator will cost more than an A4 laminator, and an A2 laminator will cost the most.
Even with these prices, I will advise you to go for the ones with a broader scope, so you don’t limit yourself to a particular document size. You can choose to laminate a greater paper size at your own convenience.
How To Laminate A4 Paper in An A3 Laminator
For some reason, you might think the process of laminating an A4 paper in an A3 laminator might be different from how you have been doing it. Let me tell you that it is the same process, but for the sake of clarity, I will show you how you can go about it.
First, turn on your laminator and let it heat up for about ten minutes. Some laminators take longer than this time to heat up, so you have to be patient a little.
While you wait for your laminator to heat up, grab the paper you want to laminate and set it on the laminating sheet. Laminating sheets usually have one of the four sides sealed together, so you don’t struggle with alignment.
Place the paper or item in the laminating sheet and set it correctly. Since it is an A3 laminator, the laminating sheet will be an A3 size. Therefore, you should place the smaller A4 paper in the middle of the sheet. Some people prefer to put it in the corner, but I prefer the middle.
When you notice that your laminator is hot, slowly put in the laminating sheet that contains the item you want to laminate. Let the already sealed side of the sheet go in first. Gradually allow it to go in. I will not advise that you force it in.
Allow the laminator to do its work, and as the laminate comes back out, do not drag it out. Get scissors to trim the edges and sides to make it look good. It would help if you trimmed the laminate back to the size of the A4 paper in it.