How to Choose the Right Vehicle Wrap Materials

If you’ve thought about wrapping your car, you probably know there are many different options to consider. You have to think about design and content. You must choose vehicle wrap materials. And you have to finalize color. With all these choices, it may be difficult to decide what you want, what you need, and how to make it all look dynamic.

We want your business to not just be noticed and but also presented in the best way possible on your vehicle. Based on our years of experience, we’ve pulled together what you need to know about vehicle wrap materials and why it helps to have an expert in your corner.

Hire a Professional to Design Your Wrap

A good design is so important that it actually has a place on the vehicle wrap materials list. There are many people who may tell you they can design a vehicle wrap. There are many people who are good designers who may be willing to lend a hand. These options for input are great, but when it comes down to final design, lean on someone who has vast experience designing vehicle wraps. Why? Because there’s a big difference between effective branding or graphic design and effective vehicle wrap design. A vehicle wrap designer knows the nuances of each specific vehicle. He or she will know what colors work best. And he or she will also know how much content will be best suited for the size, shape, and color of your vehicle.

Use Top-Quality Vinyl

What’s the difference between average vinyl and professional quality vinyl? A whole lot. We use 3M or Avery vinyl for most of our projects. But it’s important to note that even within the 3M and Avery families there are a variety of options and quality levels to consider. Calendared vinyl is the lower end and primarily used for signs and flat surfaces. Cast vinyl is the top end and works best for curved or riveted surfaces. A professional will be able to talk you through these differences and make recommendations based on your particular project.

Insist on top-quality overlaminate

One of the most important factors is the quality of the overlaminate. (This vehicle wrap material item often gets overlooked!) Overlaminate helps keep the vinyl in place without bubbling and can protect the vinyl from fading. An experienced professional will be able to recommend the best vinyl type for your vehicle, as well as the best overlaminate to pair with it.

Hire Professional Installers

Just like you would hire a professional to install a new roof or furnace, you should hire a professional to install your vinyl vehicle wrap. They know what they’re doing when it comes to vehicle wrap materials. They’ve also learned important tricks of the trade to help your vehicle vinyl last as long as possible.

Clean the vehicle thoroughly

Professional installers understand that the smallest blemish on your car or a missed spot of wax near the weather trim can affect the longevity of your wrap. As a result, they painstakingly wash your car. They’ll remove all wax residue. And they’ll wipe your vehicle down with alcohol to ensure the vinyl will adhere thoroughly. Because prepping for vehicle wrap materials can be so tedious, installers are most likely to shortcut this process. It pays to have patient, diligent professionals.

Install the vinyl slowly and carefully

Once the vehicle is clean, an installer begins the wrap process. It takes countless hours and a lot of wasted material to learn how to install a wrap well. In other words, it’s not like adhering a giant sticker on your vehicle. Often, installers use special tools to help navigate curves and edges. While this is time consuming and exacting work, finalizing the trim requires the most precision of all. An improperly trimmed vehicle vinyl wrap will not only look sloppy, it can also peel up and let in moisture.

Use a heat gun

Last, an installer must run a heat gun over all vinyl areas that are recessed or curved. This allows the vinyl to stretch properly and hold its shape over time. A professional installer will know the limits of the vinyl, how much he can stretch it without damaging it, and how to help shape it in a way that it doesn’t not peel or curl.

Our staff knows how to design an effective vehicle wrap. We know our vehicle wrap materials and how to install them. Most importantly, we take the time to understand your business. At the end of the day this means you have a vehicle wrap that matches who you are, what you do, and gets results every time it’s seen. Call us for a consultation.