The best cover films, compared.
Top pick: Hawksbill 500 mm film Best value: HERMA 7003 film – About £4.95 for 3 m by 40 cm of named polypropylene, the highest value score among the rest. Updated 22.10.2026.
Cover film is clear plastic you press or wrap onto a book, a map or a document so the cover survives a school bag or a shelf. On amazon.co.uk the usual roll is self-adhesive film on a release liner. A smaller group is non-adhesive wrap that you fold and tape at the turn-in. Slip-on jackets, window film and food covers are different products. Parents buy a short roll before term. Households use one on paperbacks and maps. You tell a suitable roll from checks that stay the same when the listings change. The plastic should be named, with polypropylene ahead of a vague plastic line or a PVC roll sold for walls. Width comes next: about 30–33 cm for many exercise books, about 40 cm for a household book, and about 45–50 cm for a large open textbook. A grid on the liner helps the cut. Treat a reposition claim as a short window, not a promise you can lift the film later. Those checks are set out in the [cover film buying guide](/hub/diy-supplies/cover-film/sub/cover-film-buying-guide).
Cover film is clear plastic you press or wrap onto a book, a map or a document so the cover survives a school bag or a shelf. On amazon.co.uk the usual roll is self-adhesive film on a release liner.
36 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
How will you fix the film?
Hawksbill lists 500 mm by 10 m at about £10.54, and the star line is 5.0 from 2 amazon.co.uk reviews. One UK text says this was the easiest of three brands to apply, with minimum bubbles, and that the buyer would purchase it again. There is no second text stored, so that praise is a single report rather than a pattern. The polymer is not named, and the page asks whether the film will damage delicate surfaces without answering. The dimensions field reads 1000 by 50 by 0.1 cm, and the listing does not say whether 0.1 cm is the film gauge. Listed weight is 680 g, which is a heavier parcel than the 140 g on the other 10 m title. A reposition claim says you can carefully reposition it during application, and nothing in the two-review sample confirms or denies that. A 5.0 from two reviews is not a reason to prefer this roll over a long title that has 2,529 reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are replacing a Hawksbill roll you have already measured, and you accept a two-review sample.
Less suitable: You want a long roll you can judge from thousands of UK reviews, or polypropylene written on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
What size is the Hawksbill 500 mm roll?
The title says 500 mm by 10 m. The product-dimensions field says 1000 by 50 by 0.1 cm and 680 g.
Does the listing say it is waterproof?
This listing has no waterproof field. The page asks whether it will damage delicate surfaces and does not answer that.
How many review texts are stored?
The rating line is 5.0 out of 5 from 2 reviews. One UK review text is stored. It says the film was the easiest of three brands to apply, with minimum bubbles.
The G4GADGET roll is 33 cm by 3 m at about £5.98, and 6,914 amazon.co.uk ratings sit at 4.4, which is one of the larger samples here. Buyers in the stored UK texts use it on school writing books and on 20 cm paperbacks when they peel slowly, and several say the grid on the backing makes the cut easier. The material field only says Plastic, so you do not get a polypropylene or PVC name from the listing. Light tack lets some people correct a small mistake, though other reviews say the film is too sticky for a neat book or not sticky enough to stay down. Backing that tears, or film that sticks to itself, comes up often enough that a rushed sheet on an exercise book is the usual failure. A ridge along the roll and a packaging sticker that will not peel off are the other repeat complaints. The page asks about residue on removal and does not answer it. Weight is 140 g. The rank line describes popularity, not a thickness.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are covering a short pile of exercise books or small paperbacks and you want a 33 cm grid roll with a large UK review sample.
Less suitable: You need polypropylene named on the listing, or about 50 cm of width across a large open textbook.
Specifications
Common questions
What size is the G4GADGET 33 cm roll?
The title and the size name both say 33 cm by 3 m. The unit-count field says 3.0 count.
Does the listing name the plastic?
The material field and the adhesive-material field both say Plastic. Polypropylene and PVC are not named.
Does the listing say you can reposition it?
The bullets say it is easily repositioned if you make a mistake. Residue on removal is asked on the page and not answered.
The title and the size name say 50 cm by 10 m at about £11.99, while the unit-count field says 1.0 metre. That clash sits under 4.4 from 2,529 amazon.co.uk reviews, which is enough to read and not enough to settle the length. Buyers praise a strong film on paperbacks and on unusual book sizes, and they like the square grid for cutting. The same texts say the backing is thin and very hard to peel, sometimes taking many minutes, and that the film is not repositionable despite the easily-repositioned bullet. A scratch or fault line shows up only after the sheet is down for some people. The material field says Plastic, with no polypropylene or PVC name and no thickness. Listed weight is 140 g, the same figure as the 3 m G4GADGET roll, which does not prove the length. Treat about £2.40 a square metre as real only if the roll you receive is the 10 m on the title.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need about 50 cm of width for large books and you will check the metres on the roll before you cover a whole set.
Less suitable: You need a printed micron, or you cannot accept a listing whose unit count disagrees with the title.
Specifications
Common questions
How long is the G4GADGET 50 cm roll?
The title and the size name say 50 cm by 10 m. The unit-count field says 1.0 metre.
Does the listing say you can reposition it?
The bullets say it is easily repositioned if you make a mistake, and the special-features field says Easily Repositionable. Many reviewers say it is not.
Is the plastic named?
The material field says Plastic. Polypropylene and PVC are not named. Thickness is not stated.
Hode is self-adhesive PVC, 30 cm by 3 m, at about £6.99, rated 4.4 from 2,038 amazon.co.uk reviews. The thickness field says 0.2 millimetres. The brand line is Hode and the manufacturer field is MEIBAN. Bullets mention school books and scrapbook photos, and they say you can unpeel the film to correct a mistake, while the uses field says furniture and wall. UK reviews in the sample concentrate on kitchen walls, splashbacks and wallpaper that wipe clean, with strong tack that had not lifted after a couple of months for one buyer. The same sample says removal pulls paint off plaster, so the removable claim is not a promise on emulsion. Large pieces are stiff and fold onto themselves, and a pre-rolled crease showed on a journal page where some areas did not stick. For an exercise book, that paint-pull behaviour matters if any film overhangs onto a desk or a wall. It is a poor match when you only wanted a light book film.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are protecting a kitchen wall or a flat splashback and you accept a PVC film.
Less suitable: You are covering exercise books, or you may need to lift the film off painted plaster.
Specifications
Common questions
What is the Hode film made of?
The material and the adhesive material are polyvinyl chloride. The thickness field says 0.2 millimetres. The brand is Hode and the manufacturer field is MEIBAN.
What size is the roll?
The configuration and the size name say 30 cm by 3 m. The dimensions field is 3L by 0.3W metres. The weight is 140 g.
Does the listing say you can lift it?
The bullets say you can unpeel it to correct a mistake and that it stays on once applied. Special features say removable. UK reviews say removal pulls paint off plaster.
HERMA 7002 is 2 m by 40 cm of self-adhesive polypropylene at about £3.95, and it is the top pick because the listing names the plastic and 8,750 amazon.co.uk ratings sit at 4.3. The bullets say PVC free with a solvent-free adhesive, and the pattern field says Lattice, which matches the grid buyers praise when they cut school-book covers. Several of the stored UK texts call the tack right for paper if you peel the backing a little at a time, and some find this roll easier to start than others. Low tack is still the limit you should expect: film unsticks from books within minutes, or will not hold cardboard, and one buyer found it weaker than a Fantasnight roll they already owned. Others call it thin, slightly opaque and creased, and one person needed two people on a large area. The amazon attributes do not state a thickness, though HERMA’s page for this film quotes about 60 µm. It does not stay on a painted wall or a window for the people who tried those surfaces, so treat it as a book roll.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a short sticky roll with polypropylene named on the listing and thousands of UK reviews behind a school-book cover.
Less suitable: You need 3 m on one roll, a width near 50 cm, or a film that stays on painted walls.
Specifications
Common questions
What size is HERMA 7002?
The title says 2 m by 40 cm. There is no separate dimensions field. The unit-count field says 1.0 count and the weight is 89 g.
Is the plastic named?
The material type is polypropylene (PP). The bullets say PVC free and solvent-free adhesive, and they use the words archive quality.
How thick is HERMA 7002?
The page asks how thick the film is. The attributes do not give a thickness. HERMA’s own page for this film quotes about 60 µm.
Fantasnight is self-adhesive PVC, 30 cm by 300 cm, at about £7.99, rated 4.3 from 2,882 amazon.co.uk reviews. The thickness field says 0.2 millimetres, and one UK review measured about 0.07 mm, so the gauge on the listing and the gauge in that review do not match. The recommended-uses field says Wall and the surface field says furniture, while the bullets also mention book covers and a removal with no adhesive residue. Reviews in the sample mostly describe dining tables, shelves, wallpaper and painted walls, not exercise books. It can look clear and wipe clean when it goes on slowly, and the square grid helps the cut. It is also very sticky: one wrong move wastes the rest of a long piece, and some buyers get only the first metre down before the film sticks to itself. Removal is harder than the no-residue bullet in the reviews that mention lifting. The oil-proof and heat-resistant lines are listing claims, not a lab result.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are covering a flat shelf or table and you want PVC named on the listing.
Less suitable: You want a book-only film, a polypropylene name, or a sheet you can lift off emulsion.
Specifications
Common questions
What is the Fantasnight film made of?
The material field is polyvinyl chloride and the adhesive material is PVC. The thickness field says 0.2 millimetres.
What size is the roll?
The size name is 30 by 300 cm. The dimensions field is 3L by 0.3W metres. The weight is 150 g.
Does the listing say it leaves residue?
The bullets say it can be removed after application without leaving adhesive residue, and that it will not damage the furniture surface. That is a listing claim. Reviews that mention lifting say removal is harder.
HERMA 7003 is best value if you want more of the same named film: about £4.95 for 3 m by 40 cm, against about £3.95 for the 2 m roll, with 4.2 from 2,649 amazon.co.uk reviews. The material type is polypropylene, and the bullets say PVC free with a solvent-free adhesive. HERMA’s page for this film quotes about 60 µm. The amazon attributes do not print a thickness, and they leave the waterproof question unanswered. Buyers who peel a little at a time report few bubbles on paperbacks, school books, photo albums and maps. The same sample often says the adhesive is too weak: it lifts, rolls off, or sticks to itself rather than to the paper, and some say it will not stay stuck overnight. Several people found the roll covered only about two books, or only two A4 books, which is a poor yield if you counted on 3 m for a whole set. The pattern field says Solid while the bullets say lattice lines on the backing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a longer household roll of named polypropylene and you will peel it slowly on books you are happy to commit to.
Less suitable: You need a strong tack that survives a school bag, or a width near 50 cm for a large open book.
Specifications
Common questions
What is HERMA 7003 made of?
The material type is polypropylene (PP). The bullets say it is PVC free, with a solvent-free adhesive, and they use the words archive quality.
How big is the HERMA 7003 roll?
The title says 3 m by 40 cm. The dimensions field says 3L by 0.4W metres. The unit-count field says 1.0 count.
Does the listing say it is waterproof?
The page asks whether it is waterproof. The attribute block does not answer that.
Hydia’s title says 33 cm by 3 m at about £4.99, rated 4.2 from 553 amazon.co.uk reviews. The dimensions field is 32 by 2.3 by 2.3 cm and the unit count is 1.0 count, so the 3 m length is the title’s claim rather than a second measurement. The material field says Sticky plastic, with no polypropylene or PVC name, and the colour line says Clear, Translucent. Some buyers find it manageable for school-style covers and for card crafts, and one calls it smooth once it is on. The repeated complaint is a very thin film whose edge will not start, then sticks to itself and creases, and a child’s book covers were spoiled when the sheet could not be handled. Glue is too weak for one buyer and strong enough for sequins for another, which is not a stable tack story. Rain got under it on a cardboard garden table in one review, so the waterproof field is not an outdoor guarantee. The page asks about heat resistance and does not answer.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 33 cm grid roll at about £4.99 and you will peel it slowly on a book you can redo if it wrinkles.
Less suitable: You need a named polymer, or you are covering a pile you cannot afford to crease.
Specifications
Common questions
What size is the Hydia roll?
The title and the size name say 33 cm by 3 m. The dimensions field says 32 by 2.3 by 2.3 cm, and the unit count is 1.0 count.
Does the listing name the plastic?
The material field says Sticky plastic. Polypropylene and PVC are not named. The colour field says Clear, Translucent.
Is it heat resistant?
The page asks whether it is heat resistant. The attributes do not answer that. The water-resistance field says Waterproof.
HERMA 7360 is the only non-adhesive wrap here: 2 m by 40 cm at about £2.62, rated 4.0 from 6,293 amazon.co.uk reviews. The title and the bullets say matt polypropylene and PVC free, while the material-type field says Plastic, Polyurethane. This comparison does not choose between them. The closure field says Slip-On, and the weight is 30 g. Buyers who already use a tape-and-fold method like the lack of glue on paperbacks and dust jackets, and one person covered 2 A5 and 3 A4 textbooks from the 2 m. That yield is one report, not a formula you should copy. The same sample calls the film thinner than bookshop wrap, slippery, hard to fold on a thick hardback, and misty rather than glass-clear, and tape does not stick well to the film for one buyer. People who wanted sticky-back plastic for school books received a wrap and could not stick it down.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a wrap you can take off a paperback or dust jacket and you already plan to tape the turn-in.
Less suitable: You want glue on an exercise book, or a single plastic name with no conflict on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
Is HERMA 7360 self-adhesive?
The title and the bullets say non-adhesive. The closure-type field says Slip-On.
What plastic does the listing name?
The title and the bullets say polypropylene and PVC free. The material-type field says Plastic, Polyurethane. Both appear on the listing.
What size is HERMA 7360?
The title says 2 m by 40 cm. The unit count is 2.0 metre and the dimensions field is 2L by 0.4W metres. The weight is 30 g.
The Hawksbill 400 mm roll is 400 mm by 2 m at about £3.95, with a glossy claim, a grid-lined backing and a full-surface adhesive described on the listing. The star line is 4.0 from 2 amazon.co.uk reviews, and no review texts are stored, so there is no UK comment here on tack, bubbles or how many books the 2 m actually covered. Both material fields say Plastic, so polypropylene and PVC are not named, and thickness is not stated. The bullets say you can carefully reposition it during application and that it is waterproof, which are listing claims rather than something a stored review confirms. Country of origin and warranty are absent. At the same about £3.95 as HERMA 7002 you are trading a named polymer and 8,750 reviews for a similar width and an almost empty sample. Model HBMX2210 and a weight of 120 g are the concrete extras the technical block does give you.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already know this Hawksbill code from a roll you have used, and you only need the printed size.
Less suitable: You are choosing a first roll from reviews, or you need polypropylene written on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
What size is the Hawksbill 400 mm roll?
The title and the size name say 400 mm by 2 m. The weight is 120 g.
Does the listing name polypropylene or PVC?
The material field and the adhesive-material field both say Plastic. No polymer name is given.
Are there review texts stored?
The rating line is 4.0 out of 5 from 2 reviews. No review texts are stored with that line.
Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures already stored for these ten listings. No roll was lab-tested. The score is 0–100 from four parts, then shown on this page as a 1–10 figure by dividing by 10. The highest total is the top pick, once. Best value is the highest value-part score among the rest, once. A 5.0 from two reviews does not outrank that.
Stars
40%Amazon stars scaled as (rating divided by 5) times 40, rounded to the nearest integer.
Review sample
20%1,000 or more reviews scores 20. 500–999 scores 16. 100–499 scores 12. 1–99 scores 4.
Fit as book film
25%Named polypropylene, a PVC-free bullet, size fields that agree, a lattice liner and book jobs score highest. An unnamed polymer, a size clash, a plastic-name clash, or PVC aimed at walls scores lower. Low-tack complaints stay in the score.
Value in this set
15%Price for the area and the job the listing supports. About £4.95 for 3 m by 40 cm of named polypropylene is the top value part. A 10 m title is cheaper per square metre only if that length is real.
Buy the job, then the plastic name, then the width. Cover film on amazon.co.uk is self-adhesive book film or a non-adhesive wrap. Polypropylene named on the listing comes ahead of a vague plastic line or a PVC roll sold for walls. A grid helps the cut. A reposition claim is a short window, not a promise. None of these rolls was lab-tested.
Cover film is clear book covering film. On amazon.co.uk that means self-adhesive sticky-back plastic, plus a non-adhesive wrap. Parents use a short roll on exercise books before term. Households use one on paperbacks and maps. Schools that need a printed micron and a 20–25 m roll usually buy from a catalogue. Slip-on jackets, frosted window film and elastic food covers are different products. The job comes first. Everyday books you will commit to are the usual use.
The film sticks to itself. Peel a little at a time, on a clean dry cover, and smooth from the middle. A grid helps the cut. It does not stop a crease.
About 30–33 cm suits many exercise books face by face. A large open textbook needs about 45–50 cm. Metres follow how many books you have, not the star average.
Two PVC rows also point at walls and furniture. UK reviews include paint pulled off plaster. Do not treat a removable bullet as a promise on a painted wall.
The first check is the job. Everyday books you will commit to are the usual use. A rare book is a conservator’s job. Then choose adhesive or wrap. Self-adhesive film is the faster school cover. A non-adhesive wrap has no glue on the paper and has to be taped at the turn-in. Read the plastic as printed. Polypropylene, with a PVC-free bullet, comes ahead of an unspecified plastic.
Thousands of UK reviews beat a two-review listing when the specification is otherwise equal. A 5.0 from two reviews cannot lead. Then check that the size fields agree. One 50 cm title says 10 m while the unit-count field says 1.0 metre. One 33 cm title’s dimensions field does not repeat the 3 m length. A price per square metre on a long roll is only real if you receive that length. Thickness is often missing from the amazon attributes.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are covering a short pile of school books and you want polypropylene named on the listing. HERMA 7002 is the top pick at about £3.95: 2 m by 40 cm, a lattice liner, and 4.3 from 8,750 reviews. Peel the backing a little at a time. Low tack still lifts off some books.
You want more metres of the same named film for paperbacks, maps or a small set of books. HERMA 7003 is best value at about £4.95 for 3 m by 40 cm, with 4.2 from 2,649 reviews. The adhesive lifts or sticks to itself for many buyers, so peel slowly.
You want a wrap you can take off a paperback or dust jacket, and you will tape the turn-in. HERMA 7360 is the only non-adhesive row, at about £2.62, with 4.0 from 6,293 reviews. The title says polypropylene and the material field says polyurethane. It will not stick an exercise book down.
The top pick is HERMA 7002 at about £3.95. It scores 90, the highest here: polypropylene named, a lattice that matches the pattern field, and 4.3 from 8,750 reviews. Low tack still lifts off some books, and the amazon attributes do not state a thickness. Best value is HERMA 7003 at about £4.95. About £1 more buys 3 m by 40 cm of the same named film. Weak tack and a Solid-versus-lattice clash remain. A 5.0 from two reviews does not take either badge.
HERMA 7003 film
About £4.95 for 3 m by 40 cm of named polypropylene, the highest value score among the rest.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Updated 22.10.2026.
This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures already stored for this set. This is not a laboratory test.
