To Laminate or Not? A Simple Guide for Making Your Decor Last

Laminating your classroom decor feels like a must-do to keep everything looking great… right?

Well, what if I told you—as someone who creates classroom decor for a living—that you don’t have to laminate everything? Yep… really! 🤯

Don’t get me wrong—laminating can definitely come in handy for certain things, and in some cases, it’s totally worth it.

But laminating every single piece? That can be super time-consuming and add extra work to your already full plate.

So, I put together a quick guide to help you know what’s worth laminating—and what you can totally skip!

What Doesn’t Need Laminating? Here’s a Simple Rule of Thumb

A great rule of thumb for classroom decor pieces that can skip the laminating is if the item will be touched daily. 

If it is going to be hung up, out of the way, and only looked at day after day, it doesn’t need to be laminated. 

Simply print those pieces out on cardstock or premium paper (this brings out the colors & cardstock gives your posters a bit more durability), hang them up, and you’re good to go! 

Worried about the cost of printing your decor? Don’t worry — check out my biggest tips here! I’ve got your back 😉

Here are some examples of items that you do not need to laminate from your classroom decor bundle: 

Alphabet Posters 

These alphabet posters are a part of the Tropical Vibes Decor Bundle

Since these will be way up high, AND not touched at all, there is no need to laminate these posters. 

Number Posters 

These number posters are included in the Pastel Retro Classroom Decor Bundle

Even though these are closer to the ground, students won’t be handling them. 

I would absolutely print these on cardstock paper, though. It keeps the corners from curling or getting torn. 

Classroom Rules Display

These classroom rules posters are from the Tropical Vibes Classroom Decor Bundle. 

Classroom Rules posters are another great item to have displayed in your classroom. 

However, laminating these items will only take more of your time and make them harder for your students to read. 

Growth Mindset Display

This growth mindset display is from the Tropical Vibes classroom decor bundle.

Just like the classroom rules display above, these bulletin boards won’t have students touching the pieces. So, no laminating is needed. 

Birthday Display 

This birthday display is a part of the Pastel Retro Decor bundle. 

Yes, your students will be ALL over this display but not in a way that requires you to add extra support to your pieces. 

CUBES Posters / Math Strategy Displays

This CUBES display is from the Simply Neutral Classroom theme. 

This is a great example of a piece of classroom decor that would actually be harder for your students to use if it is laminated. 

Make sure there is no glare so your students can read what each step of the CUBES process is and use it effectively in their math work! 

Amazing Work Coming Soon Posters

These Wow Work posters are from the Tropical Vibes Classroom Decor Bundle. 

Staple these straight into your bulletin board so you don’t need to worry about laminating these pieces! 

Yes, Laminate! 

Some things in your classroom definitely need to be laminated—otherwise, they won’t last long!

Anything that is touched often needs some extra protection from normal wear and tear that happens in a classroom filled with tiny humans. 

Laminating these items will save you time (and reprinting headaches!) in the long run.

Here are a few practical examples of what classroom decor items I would laminate:

Classroom Library Bin Labels 

These are the editable labels included in the Modern Calm Colors Bundle. 

The labels you have on the front of your classroom library book buckets are GREAT examples of things to laminate. 

And really, any label going into your classroom on a tub or box, I would laminate. 

This will help them hold up even as students grab bins, move them around, and rummage through them to find what they’re looking for. 

Book Bin Numbers 

These editable labels are included in the Tropical Vibes Classroom Decor theme. 

Anything that is going to be in your student’s hands probably could use some lamination. 

Think desk nametags, special manipulatives, and student handout resources you want them to use over and over. 

Flip Calendar 

This flip calendar is from the Modern Calm Colors bundle. 

In order to keep the cards on the rods, you need to laminate the pieces to give them some extra durability & strength. 

Calendar Display 

This calendar display is included in the Tropical Vibes Classroom Theme. 

Speaking of calendars, I would laminate all of these pieces as well. 

That way, you can easily change dates without being worried about having to be too careful with the date cards. 

And if changing the calendar is a student’s job, you can pass those cards over, confident that your student won’t accidentally destroy one of them. 

Schedule Cards

These editable schedule cards are included in the Modern Calm Colors bundle. 

While these cards generally live on your whiteboard, being able to swap them out easily is one of the key features of this resource. 

So, take the extra few minutes to laminate your schedule cards. 

Then you can more easily store the cards you aren’t using and swap them around without missing a beat. 

There are SO many pieces that go into printable classroom decor. 

Taking the time to make sure you have fully laminated classroom decor is simply not worth your time.  

Save yourself some time (and money) to keep your classroom decor cute, effective, and long-lasting, without the hassle. 

Just starting to dip your toes into figuring out how to bring your printable classroom decor into your room?

Follow these 7 steps to keep it easy and simple.