I was reading through some posts on Nairaland when I saw a question asked by a Nairaland user; he wanted to know the “effects of lamination of certificates?” That inspired me to share why you should avoid laminating certificates and other vital documents.
Without further ado, let’s delve right into it!
What Is Lamination?
Lamination is the process of covering paper documents (like certificates, results, or testimonials) with a thin layer of transparent plastic to “protect” them from damage.
Why Do People Laminate Certificates?
Many people believe lamination is the best way to preserve documents. Common reasons include:
- Protecting paper from dust, moisture, grease, and wear.
- Extending the lifespan of certificates and results.
- Improving appearance and durability.
There is more to it, but those are the most important reasons why people often choose lamination. A lot of people make believe what isn’t supposed to be true. However, laminating certificates, pictures, and other paper materials isn’t utterly advantageous; while these reasons may sound convincing, lamination actually does more harm than good.
Disadvantages of Laminating Certificates & Documents
1. Risk of Permanent Damage
Hot lamination machines can overheat and damage your document permanently. Once destroyed, your certificate cannot be replaced easily.
2. Security Seals Flattened
Many certificates have embossed seals, stamps, or marks. Lamination flattens these security features, making documents look suspicious or even invalid in the eyes of organisations, embassies, and schools abroad.
3. Poor Photocopy & Scanning Results
Laminated papers reflect light, making it difficult to photocopy or scan clearly. This can distort text, lines, and colours, which is a big problem when certified copies are required.
4. Rejection by Institutions
Some organisations, embassies, and verification bodies outrightly reject laminated certificates, treating them as altered documents.
Better Alternatives to Lamination
Instead of laminating your certificates:
- Use plastic bags with seals at the tips or waterproof folders to protect documents instead of laminating.
- If you intend to laminate, make sure you confirm the machine being used isn’t overheated or confirm via sampled work.
- You can opt for a cold laminating machine instead of a hot one; this is proven to be safer.
- Keep original documents in a safe bag or case, then carry duplicates around. Only if required to produce the original should you bring it out.
- Keep documents away from dirt, moisture, etc.
- Even if you insist on laminating your documents, make sure you scan all documents and save them directly to your email or cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.).
Final Word
In Nigeria, most institutions still rely on physical certificates and seals for verification. Laminating can flatten these features and even render your certificate invalid. Instead, focus on safe storage and digital backups.
