Guide

Liquid Lamination Glossary

Liquid lamination borrows words from printing, painting and chemistry, and the same thing often goes by several names. This glossary explains the terms you will meet on product pages, data sheets and quotes, grouped by topic so related ideas sit together. Where a term is a Landor product name, the definition says so.

Core terms

Liquid laminate / liquid lamination: a clear protective coating applied as a liquid to a printed surface, which dries or cures to protect the ink and substrate from water, abrasion, chemicals and UV fade. It bonds without a separate adhesive film.
Clear coat, digital varnish, digital lacquer: other names for a liquid laminate on digital prints.
Giclée varnish: a liquid laminate for fine-art inkjet prints, especially on canvas.
Film lamination: protecting a print with a plastic film and adhesive. Films are either pressure-sensitive, sticking under pressure, or heat-sensitive, becoming tacky when heated. See film vs liquid lamination.
Primer: a coating applied first to improve adhesion of ink or a topcoat on difficult surfaces, such as UV inks, rigid boards or glass.
Overcoat / topcoat: the final protective layer over the print.

Coating chemistries

Water-based coating: a coating that dries as its water evaporates, by air or heat. Low odour, with soap-and-water clean-up. Suits water-resistant inks and media.
Solvent-based coating: needed for paper, dye inks and other water-sensitive prints. Must be used with good ventilation.
UV-curable coating: a coating that cures instantly under UV light. Often used for rigid boards and high-volume lines.
Two-component (two-part) coating: a coating mixed with a hardener before use. Traditional industrial systems often use isocyanate hardeners. Landor Anti-Graffiti is a two-part water-based coating.
Pot life: how long a mixed two-component coating stays usable. Ready-to-use coatings such as ColourShield have no pot-life limit.
VOCs: volatile organic compounds released as some coatings dry. Water-based and UV-curable coatings are both described as low in VOCs.

Landor product names

ClearShield: water-based liquid laminates, produced by Marabu North America, for non-water-sensitive inks. Versions include Type C for roller and spray, and Type LL and CSX5000 for liquid laminators. See ClearShield.
ColourShield: Landor’s ready-to-use water-based coating range for graphics.
ColourShield Safetouch: anti-microbial clear coatings tested to ISO 22196.
Wallpaper Matt: a low-sheen water-based laminate for inkjet wallcoverings. Wallpaper Satin and Wallpaper Gloss are also available.
ClearJet: solvent inkjet fixative sprays. A2000 is for inkjet papers and films; AFA and FA are the fine-art versions. Type BR is a brush-and-roll formula, Type S is ready to spray and Type LL is for laminating equipment.
ColourJet: acrylic aerosol fixative sprays, including ColourJet Canvas.
Marashield: Marabu UV-curable coatings, tuned for Bürkle coaters. Examples include UV-AG (anti-graffiti) and UV-FXG/FXM (flexible).
Action Tac, Splash, Window Juice: vinyl application fluids. Grafix Gone: an adhesive remover.
Phototex: Landor’s self-adhesive, repositionable printable fabric.

Finishes and performance

Gloss, satin, matt: levels of sheen. Gloss deepens colour, matt reduces glare and satin sits between them. Sheen describes appearance, not chemical resistance. See choosing a finish.
Low gloss / semi-gloss: terms used on ClearJet products. Low gloss is equivalent to matt.
Anti-graffiti: a coating designed so paint and marker can be cleaned off without removing the print.
Anti-microbial: a coating designed to inhibit the growth of specified microbes on its surface. It supports, but does not replace, routine cleaning.
ISO 22196: an international standard for measuring antibacterial activity on surfaces. Landor’s anti-microbial coatings are tested to it.
Dry-wipe: a UV-curable coating that works like a whiteboard surface.
UV inhibitors: additives that help protect ink and coating from UV fade.
Burnishing: a polished patch on a matt surface caused by heavy rubbing.

Application and process

Roll-to-roll: coating flexible media fed from one roll and wound onto another.
Flatbed coater: a machine that coats rigid boards on a conveyor, such as the Bürkle LFC range.
Meyer bar: a metering bar used on Landor’s water-based coaters to lay down a consistent coating thickness.
Wet and dry film thickness: the coating thickness as applied and after drying, usually given in microns (written “u” or “µ”). For example, 75–100 microns wet giving about 30–35 microns dry.
Drying vs curing: drying is the loss of water or solvent; curing is the coating reaching its full resistance. A coating can be dry to the touch before it is cured.
Outgassing: solvent or moisture leaving freshly printed ink, which should finish before coating.
Tack coat: a light first spray coat, followed by a heavier final coat.
Cross-hatch application: rolling in one direction, then across, for even coverage.
HVLP: high-volume, low-pressure spray equipment.
Blocking: coated surfaces sticking together when stacked or rolled too soon.
Pinholes: tiny uncoated spots where the coating has not wetted out.
Orange peel: a dimpled surface texture in a coating.
Flex-face: PVC banner material used for large outdoor signs and fascias, commonly protected with liquid lamination because film laminates do not suit it.

FAQs

Questions we’re often asked

Is a liquid laminate the same as a varnish?

Broadly, yes. Liquid laminate, digital varnish, giclée varnish and clear coat are all used for clear protective coatings on prints, although formulations differ by ink and substrate.

What does "u" mean on a coating specification?

It stands for microns (µ), the unit used for wet and dry coating thickness.

What is the difference between drying and curing?

Drying is when the water or solvent leaves the coating. Curing is when the coating reaches its full protective performance, which can take longer.

What is ISO 22196?

It is an international standard for measuring antibacterial activity on surfaces. Landor’s anti-microbial coatings are tested to it.

Talk to us or get your next project started

Call +44 1252 624411 or email info@liquid-lamination.co.uk for advice, samples and pricing.