Looking for a place to get laminating services? If so, you’ve come to the right place! We have compiled this list of top places that provide laminating services near me.
Finding laminating services around you can be confusing and overwhelming. Especially when you don’t know what to look for or where to get the best deals. From reliable quotes to free options, there are tons of questions being asked these days by consumers who are looking for a quick, cheap, and easy place to get their items laminated. For this reason, we decided to write a series of guides on some of the best websites that offer this service at an affordable price without any hidden fees.
Where can you get cheap laminating services near me?
Answer: FedEx Office/Kinkos, the UPS store, Staples, OfficeMax/Office Depot, and Minuteman Press, are among the top places to get laminating services near me.
The cost of laminations varies from place to place, depending on the size of your project and the type of finishing you want. You can expect to pay anywhere between $1-$3 per square foot. The list places also offer printing, copy services, fax services, buy stamps, and more.
What Stores Have Laminating Services Near Me?
If you want to put your documents into some sort of form, laminate them. You can use it for business cards, invitations, pamphlets, and so forth. If you want to put these documents somewhere else than the desk or table in front of which you are doing the reading, then it’s a good idea to laminate them.
In fact, there are many stores that offer this service and it saves work for busy people who do not have the time for unsightly thumbprints on paper or temporary ink stains on fingers along with a lot of other issues that can occur with handwritten notes.
If you are looking for a store near me that does laminating services, I have pulled together some of the top nearby laminating services stores/site names to help you get started.
Here’s is a list of top places that offer laminating services nearby:
FedEx Office/Kinkos
FedEx Office/Kinkos is a great place to get cheap laminating services nearby. It has over 2,200 FedEx Office locations that provide laminating services, cheap photocopies, printing, faxing, scanning services, online print-on-demand printing, and more.
Each store can print or laminate oversize prints for framing, window graphics, and training event posters.
FedEx also offers promo codes to help you save money for various services. For instance, during this writing, you can save $10 on print orders of $50 or more with the promo code NOW222. Click here for FedEx Office promo codes.
FedEx Office services include:
- Full-color printing
- Lamination
- Binding
- Scanning
- Copies
- Shredding
- Custom finishing services
FedEx Kinkos laminating costs around $3 per square foot, but FedEx Office members enjoy a reduced rate of $2.55. It’s an excellent one-stop shop for all your printing, lamination, and other finishing services.
Many services are available online or in-store. If you don’t feel like getting dressed, simply upload a print-ready file and place your order. FedEx will do the work and mail it to your address. Lamination orders are usually completed the same day or within 24 hours.
Staples
Staples stores are great places to access laminating services nearby. The company has about 1,575 stores in the United States that focus on office supplies and related products. Most Staples locations also offer print and copy services.
You can access Staples laminating services in-store or online, where you can have your documents printed, laminated, and mailed to your address. Same-day delivery options are available, and you’ll get free shipping on all orders of $50 and above.
Staples laminating costs stand at $2 per square foot for larger projects, but costs for smaller sheets range from $1.89 for 5mil to $2.49 for 10mil.
The UPS Store
The United Parcel Service is known for its fast and reliable shipping services. Apart from shipping, UPS can be a one-stop shop for all your printing and laminating needs. There are over 5,250 UPS Store locations across the US and Canada that offer print & copy services, lamination services, fax services, cheap notary services when you’re estate planning, shredding services, and more.
Customers can print, make copies, laminate, and ship your documents where they need to go, all under one roof. For example, you can laminate banners, posters, brochures, business cards, door hangers, flyers, laws signs, menus, and more. The USP Stores also offers a 3D printing service.
UPS Store laminating costs range from $1.5 for business cards to $1.95 for “8.5 x”11 sheets and about $4.55 for “12 x “18 sheets. And with so many UPS Store locations in the United States, you’re sure to find a UPS Store down the street that offers cheap lamination services.
Minuteman Press
Minuteman Press is a great place to get cheap laminating services. The company focuses mainly on professional printing and marketing services with over 1,000 locations. From restaurant menus, artwork, trade show event materials, posters, price lists, and other documents, you can have anything designed, printed, and laminated at Minuteman Press. They also offer shrink-wrapping services.
Take advantage of the Minute Press location in your area for cheap and high-quality lamination services to keep your documents protected for many years.
OfficeMax/Office Depot
The ODP corporation operates over 1,400 retail stores that sell office supplies. They also offer print & copy services, shredding services, managed print services, and same-day laminating services.
OfficeMax laminating costs around $1 to $2 per square foot. Take advantage of their cheap laminating services if you have a large number of documents.
Laminating Services At Home
If you do a lot of lamination in your business, home, school, or office, the cost can quickly skyrocket. In this case, it makes sense to purchase your own Scotch Laminator to DIY your laminating services at home.
A Scotch Laminator may cost anywhere between $30 to $90, but expensive options exist that cost up to $300. Go with whatever machine gives the best value for your needs.
You can also DIY your own laminating services at home, but buying a Scotch laminator has an upfront investment of $30 to $90. But, once purchased, you have an inexpensive laminating service at your home and office The only thing you will miss is the convenience of having a professional copying service available to you. But, when dealing with sensitive documents, you’re better off taking them to the experts versus DIY.
Where To Buy Laminating Pouches Near Me?
You can find laminating pouches in stores that carry office supplies or order them online from national brands that sell pretty much anything. The best places to buy laminating pouches include:
- Walmart
- Amazon
- Target
- OfficeMax/Office Depot
Prices will vary from place to place. For example, Amazon sells them for about $22 for a 25 pack, while Walmart sells a letter-size pack of 10 for about $7.
Walmart has many 24-hour supercenters open for late-night emergency projects.
What’s the Best Home Laminator?
For schools and workplaces that do a lot of lamination, using lamination services at a FedEx office or The UPS Store can be expensive in the long run. A better option is to purchase your own home laminator for DIY projects. Buying the best home laminating machine can be difficult with so many options. You want to balance cost and quality.
The Scotch thermal laminator is the best home laminator when you weigh the pros and cons. It is also the best laminator for teachers, schools, and contractor work. It features a two roller system for a professional finish. The machine is suitable for laminating documents and photos up to 9 inches wide and 5 mil thick.
But what makes the Scotch thermal laminator stand out is its cheap and affordable price. Prices range from $20 to $90. Other models, such as the Fellowes Saturn SL 125 and Fellowes Venus 125, cost $100 or more.
How Much Does Lamination Cost?
The cost to laminate paper-based documents and other items depends on the item’s size, laminating thickness, the place you choose, and the finish.
It costs $1-$3 per standard 8” x 10” sheet of paper at FedEx Office or Office Depot. But you can expect to pay $2-$4 per square foot for larger sizes.
The type of item also has a bearing on lamination costs. For instance, it may cost $6-$10 to laminate an 8″ x 10″ photo professionally and up to $24 to laminate a 24″ x 24″ piece of paper.
Costs also vary from place to place. For instance, you’ll pay $3 per square foot to laminate a standard 8″ x $10 sheet at FedEx Office and only $2 per foot at Staples for the same size.
You can reduce costs by purchasing your own Scotch Laminator for about $30-$90 to DIY your lamination projects at home. More expensive laminators like the Fellowes Venus 125 may cost up to $300. Weigh the pros and cons when buying a machine for your needs.
How To Use a Scotch Laminator?
If you haven’t used a laminating machine before, it may feel confusing at first. But the process is relatively easy and straightforward.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use a Scotch Laminator:
- Place the document: Open the pouch and place your document against the folded edge, leaving enough space between the document and the pouch edges.
- Smaller documents: To laminate multiple pieces of smaller documents or cards, arrange them inside the pouch while leaving enough space between them so that there will be a laminated edge around it when you cut.
- Seal: Seal and close the pouch. Avoid sizing the pouch before putting it inside the laminator.
- Warm up the machine: Turn on the machine and wait for around 1 minute until it heats up. Smaller machines heat up within 5-8 seconds, while larger ones may take up to 8-15 minutes. You’ll see an indicator light when your machine warms up properly.
- Adjust settings: Adjust the temperature and speed depending on the thickness of the pouch film. Set the machine to a lower speed and high temperature for thick pouches. If your machine doesn’t have the speed adjustment option, use thicker pouches.
- Place the pouch between the rollers: Now, pick the film and place the folded edge straight between the rollers. Placing it at an angle will make it crump. Again, don’t push the pouch; the machine itself will grab it.
- Wait for lamination: Wait for 1-2 minutes for the pouch to go through the rollers completely.
- Cool and cut: Once your paper is laminated, wait for a few minutes for the paper to cool before cutting around the edges to trim it, if necessary.
- Congratulations! You’ve laminated your first document successfully.
Now repeat the process for other documents. Within a day or two of using the machine, you’ll be a pro.
Where to Buy Cheap Laminating Sheets Near Me?
You can buy cheap laminating sheets nearby at most stores that sell office supplies. You can also get cheap lamination services from online retailers that carry office supplies or national retailers that sell almost anything.
Places to buy cheap laminating sheets nearby or online include:
- Amazon
- Walmart
- Costco
- CVS
- Staples
- Target
- Walgreens
- Best Buy
- Dollar Tree
- Hobby Lobby
- Joann Fabrics
- Kmart
- Michaels
- Meijer
- Office Depot
You can save more money by visiting our best online coupon sites guide.
Best Place To Buy Laminating Sheets in Bulk?
One of the great frugal living tips of all time is to carry a cheap grocery list to a discount store and buy items in bulk to slash the unit cost per item. That also applies to reducing your laminating costs too.
For schools, workplaces, and businesses that laminate multiple documents per day, the savings can quickly add up. You may end up saving up to $10,000 a year.
The best places to buy laminating sheets in bulk include:
- Costco: You can buy a pack of 400 sheets consisting of a wide variety of sizes, from ID cards to letter-size photos and documents, for $39.99 only! A 250-count of 3mil 9″ x 11.5″ costs around $33 at Costco.
- Sam’s Club: A 200 pack of letter-size laminating sheets costs about $20 at Sam’s Club, while a 100 pack comes in at around $15. Most items come with free shipping.
- Dollarama: A case of 12 letter size self-adhesive laminating sheets costs around $30 with free shipping at Dollarama.
Costco and Sam’s Club stores also accept EBT cards for SNAP-eligible items. While you can’t use your EBT card to pay for laminating pouches, you can buy protein bars and powder and bagged ice.
FAQs
Where’s the Best Place for Large Format Laminating?
Office Depot is the best place to get large format laminating. It offers same-day service on large format laminating for posters. There are around 1,400 locations throughout the US that offer laminating services in-store.
The UPS Store also offers large format printing and finishing.
What Things Can You Laminate?
Finding cheap laminating services works with paper, plastic, vinyl, and many more materials to preserve and save important and frequently used items. Here’s a list of things you can laminate:
- Photos
- Posters
- ID cards
- Documents
- Instructions
- Menus
- Copies and flyers
- Artwork
- Awards
- Banners for advertisements
- Blueprints
- Binders
- Business cards
- Cardstock
- Fabric
- Presentations
- Stickers
- Vinyl
What Sizes Do Laminating Sheets Come In?
Laminating sheets come in many different sizes. The sizes can be for laminating smaller items like business cards to standard documents to 24″ x 36″ for large photographs. Common laminating sheets come in the following sizes:
- 8.5 x 11
- 8.5 x 14
- 9 x 12
- 11 x 17
- 12 x 12
- 12 x 18
- 18 x 24
- 24 x 36
Laminating sheets can be cut and customized to fit the exact size of your item. Customization is usually done after the lamination process is completed and the paper has cooled. When cutting around the document, make sure to leave enough lamination edges to protect the document and not break the seal.
Can you Laminate your Birth Certificate?
No, you cannot laminate your birth certificate and use it as proof of identity. While laminating your birth certificate may seem like the best way to keep it safe, it’s not a good idea. Birth certificates are printed on special paper where county governments add additional security and authentication features such as raised embossed stamps or other unique markings to make it difficult to forge.
Once you receive a birth certificate through the lamination process, the authentication features will likely disappear. You will not be able to use it as a valid official document to prove your identity after you change it. Government agencies and private organizations may view it as an invalid birth certificate and refuse to use it as proof of identity or citizenship.
The best way to protect your birth certificate is to use a plastic sleeve.
Can I Laminate My Social Security Card?
No, it is not okay to laminate your Social Security card. Your Social Security card is printed with special features that help validate the card. However, once layered, authentication marks become difficult to detect. As a result, your card may be considered a well-designed counterfeit by courts, government agencies, and private entities
While some may use laminated IDs and Social Security cards and no one cares, don’t go that route. To keep your cards safe, use plastic sleeves to keep them in good shape and at the same time visible.
Can I Laminate My Medicare Card?
Yes, you can laminate your Medicare card, but this is not recommended as it may interfere with the identification of the security features printed on the card. The Social Security Administration also advises against laminating your Medicare card.
To avoid messes, it’s best to use a plastic ID card holder sleeve to keep your cards clean and in good shape. You can also carry a photo of the card in your phone or wallet to reduce overhandling of the original.
Can I Laminate My Driver’s License?
No, you cannot laminate your driver’s license or passport, but you can use a plastic sleeve. Unfortunately, if you laminate your driver’s license the magnetic stripe on the back of the card becomes unreadable. Thus, it will not work.
It may tear in the lamination process and become invalid. Using a plastic sleeve for your driving license is the best way to protect it.
Can I Laminate My Temporary Driver’s License?
No, you cannot laminate your driver’s permit, but you can use a plastic sleeve. However, just like a driver’s license, laminating your temporary permit makes it difficult to authenticate, therefore invalid.
Use a plastic ID card sleeve instead of laminating your driver’s permit.
How to save money on laminating stuff?
There are several ways you can save money on laminating materials, including:
- Buy a used laminator: You can get up to 50% off the original price. This is a good option when undertaking multiple layering projects. Alternatively, if you need to laminate a few standard-size documents, visit the nearest FedEx or UPS location.
- Schools: Avail free laminating machines for teachers and teachers in schools. Many libraries also have laminating machines that students can use at low cost. Checkout teacher supply stores for rates as low as $0.25 to $0.50 per square foot. These are some of the best places to get teacher discounts and benefits.
- Laminating Promotions: Check for specials and promotions at office supply stores. Many coupons are also available at FedEx, Office Max, UPS Stores, and other office supply stores.
- Store cards: Office supply stores offer discounts to their members. FedEx members have a discount of $2.55 per square foot instead of $3
- Bulk Print and Laminate: Bulk discounts, such as free shipping, are usually available on orders of $50 or more.
What is the difference between hot vs cold lamination?
Hot laminating uses an adhesive that activates when the laminate film is run through a hot-roller laminator. Cold laminating uses a more aggressive adhesive that activates when pressure is applied to the laminating films.
The difference between hot vs cold lamination is that hot lamination requires heat to activate the adhesive, while cold lamination works with pressure.
How to laminate with an iron?
DIY laminating is a great way to save money if you’re willing to trade your time for money. You can laminate using an iron, a t-shirt, and a laminating pouch.
Simply place the item inside the laminating pouch and then place the pouch inside the t-shirt. Next, turn the iron to the cotton setting and press firmly on the bag for 30 seconds. Then take it out after cooling. That’s it!
Can you laminate the fabric?
Yes, you can laminate the fabric. The easiest type of fabric to laminate is cotton, but you can also laminate other types of fabric.
Can you laminate sticker paper?
Yes, you can laminate sticker paper by purchasing single-sided clear laminating sheets. First, cut the laminate according to the decal size. Then peel off the backing sheet to expose the adhesive side and place it as flat as possible over the sticker to prevent air bubbles from popping up.
If you see some air bubbles, they will go away within a few days, but you can also use a piece of cloth or a credit card to squeeze them out.
What are DIY laminator tips?
You can laminate your documents at home without a machine. Here are some laminating DIY tips without a machine:
- Use self-adhesive laminating – they cost about 30 cents each
- Thermal lamination without a laminator pouch – you don’t need a machine; Use an iron
- Clear Packing Tape – Use inexpensive clear carton sealing tape that you can buy at most retailers
- Use synthetic paper – it makes your documents waterproof, strong and tear-free for daily handling; It does not require a machine.
Summary of Laminating Services Near Me
Having laminated documents or Forms can be a great way to improve your professionalism, especially when it comes to documents from others. You can use laminated forms for a variety of purposes and will find that the results are surely worth it.
Laminating photos, artwork, IDs, awards, and many other paper-based documents can significantly extend their existence. This will protect them from spills, dust, dirt, tears, and other elements of nature that can tear or damage them.
FedEx Office, UPS Stores, Staples, Office Depot, and Minuteman Press are my best places to get cheap laminating services for a few documents. Costs vary by location, but you can expect to pay $1-$3 per square foot.
You can buy a Scotch laminator to laminate your documents at home. It is the most intelligent and cost-effective option for schools and workplaces that have multiple daily laminating projects. It is also possible to laminate without a machine using self-sealing laminate sheets, transparent cardboard sealing tape, heat with iron, and synthetic paper.
That said, not all documents can be laminated. Avoid sensitive documents such as driver’s licenses, social security cards, birth certificates, marriage certificates, and permits that carry unique security and authentication features. Doing so may render them invalid as official documents.
