Lamination Depot offers laminating pouches in hundreds of unique sizes to accommodate the most popular insert document sizes. Because laminating pouches need to be larger than the insert document in order to achieve a proper seal, there are a few guidelines that should be followed to help determine the most appropriate size for your document.
A minimum border of 1/8″ is required on all sizes of your document in order for the pouch to seal properly. The easiest way to determine the ideal laminating pouch size for your insert is to simply measure the document and then add 1/4″ to both the length and the height. The resulting measurements will represent the appropriate laminating pouch size for your insert. If your insert document is a standard size (such as a letter-sized sheet or a business card), then you will likely find a pouch that is designed to be an exact fit.
Even if your document is an unusual size, it is still somewhat likely that you will find a standard pouch size that will work. Although you cannot have a margin of less than 1/8″ between the edges of your pouch and the edges of your insert document, having a larger margin will not cause any problems. You can choose to leave the larger border intact or trim it down to 1/8″ using a paper cutter or a pair of scissors. If the pouch that you are using is substantially larger than your insert document, then you may notice small bubbles forming in the areas where the layers of excess film meet (which is why it is important to use the pouch size that most closely matches your document).
If you plan on using pre-slotted laminating pouches (or will be using a manual slot punch to add slots after lamination), then you will need to increase the margin to account for the slot. A standard slot is 1/8″ tall, and a 1/8″ margin is required above and below the slot itself, bringing the required margin to 3/8″ for the slotted portion. When you add this to the 1/8″ margin that is required on the edge opposite the slot, your pouch will need to be 1/2″ larger than the insert document on the slotted side (and will need to be the standard 1/4″ on the side without the slot).