There are many reasons to laminate, including protecting your digital print from scratching or adding life to a digitally produced banner, especially one that is being used with a retractable banner stand. In the case of vehicle and fleet graphics that contain a photo realistic image or digital logo, it is essential to over laminate the print. Not doing so would be the equivalent of getting a custom paint job on the vehicle and then taking it to the local automated car wash. This is not a good idea! Those spinning rubberized carwashes blades can do damage to your print or custom vehicle wrap.
Also, if you have a retail store front in a metropolitan area and are mounting digital graphics to your exterior windows, then graffiti guard, a special type of laminate, is highly recommended. Unfortunately there is a budding teenage graffiti artist population that this type of neighborhood may attract. While “Goof Off” or similar products represent a way to clean graffiti from cut vinyl, the harshness of the chemicals will remove ink from a digital print that has not been over-laminated.
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There are a variety of over-laminates, including spray-on laminates, so check with the sign company producing your graphics to be sure you select the type that is most appropriate for your specific application.
