How to Laminate Rice Paper

You can laminate rice paper up to 9-by-12 inches in size with sticky-back laminating sheets.

Laminating rice paper at home requires a laminating machine, clear contact paper or sticky laminating sheets. Sticky laminating sheets are easy to use and found at office and supply stores and at hobby and craft stores. Each sheet is coated with a sticky self-adhesive. The sheets are stiffer than contact paper, which makes them easy to use. A grid is provided on some brands of sticky-back laminating sheets to help square the rice paper when laminating. Even without the help of a grid, this laminating process takes only a few minutes and looks very professional when done.

Things You'll Need

• Sticky laminate sheets
• Rice paper
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Place a sheet of sticky-back laminate on a flat, stable work surface with the paper backing facing up. Remove the sticky-back paper.

2. Position the rice paper --- without placing it onto the laminate sheet yet --- so that its edges are parallel to the sides of the sticky-back laminate. Move the rice paper into place so that there is a minimum of 1/8 inch of sticky-back laminate exposed on all four sides to form a border around the rice paper. Carefully place the rice paper onto the sticky-back laminate; put the rice paper down slowly so that you avoid creating any wrinkles or bumps in the laminate.

3. Smooth the surface of the rice paper with your hand. Leave the rice paper facing up. Do not flip the sheet of sticky-back laminate with the sheet of rice paper stuck to it.

4. Remove the paper from the back of a second piece of sticky-back laminate. Line up the edges of both sticky-back pieces of laminate. Carefully place the second sheet of laminate --- sticky side down --- over the first piece.

5. Press the two pieces of sticky-back laminate together over the rice paper. Use the palm of your hand to apply the pressure.

6. Trim the excess laminate from the rice paper, leaving 1/8 to 1/16 inch of laminate as a border.