Vinyl: car wrapping

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Vinyl is a film made from polymers. If necessary, this material can be easily applied to any elements of the body, as well as the interior. As a rule, the film performs protective functions, protecting the surfaces of the vehicle from minor mechanical damage. But these are not all the properties that vinyl has. Pasting a car with such material allows you to refresh the appearance of the body, as well as create an original pattern on it.

Film functions

So what does vinyl do? Pasting a vehicle with this material:

1. Protects vehicle surfaces from corrosion and scratches, and prevents paint fading.
2. Allows you to change the texture or pattern in just a few days. In this case, the paintwork of the body will not suffer.
3. Allows you to create an art composition and apply almost any pattern to the surface of the vehicle.

Material advantages

The popularity of the film is easily explained by its merits. Car wrapping with vinyl is a common type of tuning. Among the advantages of this method, it is worth highlighting:

1. The technology of wrapping a vehicle with a film is quite simple. If desired, all work can be done independently. At the same time, there is absolutely no need to buy modern and expensive equipment.
2. Vinyl film can be easily removed if needed. In this case, you do not have to worry about the paintwork of the body. Its integrity will not be violated. This indicates the reversibility of the process.
3. Relatively low cost. Many car owners will agree that airbrushing is a very expensive procedure. Yes, and regular painting is not cheap. Vinyl allows you to update the appearance of the vehicle, while saving a significant amount.

Pasting technology

So how do you apply vinyl? Wrapping a vehicle with film is a simple process. The main advantage of this type of tuning is ease of use, as well as minimal requirements for surface treatment. At this stage, no special costs are required. It is enough to thoroughly wash the vehicle, degrease and wipe dry. If there are small chips or scratches, then they are recommended to be repaired. Otherwise, air bubbles will appear in their place.

After preparation, vinyl can be applied. Pasting can be carried out in several ways: wet and dry. The latter option is not suitable for beginners, since the glued material can no longer be corrected or torn off without damaging it. Best applied wet. In this case, the surfaces of the body are wetted, and only after that they are appliedfilm.

It costs one piece to glue the vinyl. You should start with parts with the smallest radius. This will allow you to stretch the material over the entire surface without much difficulty. Also, many experts practice pasting the interior with vinyl. With this type of tuning, it is recommended to remove all parts that may interfere.

What you need for work

Wrapping a vehicle with vinyl takes a little time. However, tools are required to carry out such work. What do you need?

1. Magnets or masking tape.
2. Stationery knife.
3. The rag is dry.
4. Combined, plastic and felt squeegee.
5. Degreaser - ethyl alcohol.
6. Industrial hair dryer.
7. Edge sealant.
8. Spray bottle filled with soapy water.

Preparation

Vinyl pasting is carried out in several stages. The first step is to prepare the vehicle. A thoroughly washed car must be dried and then wiped with a degreaser. After that, you can start sampling. At this stage, you need to be very careful. Everything should be carefully measured, and only then cut out. In this case, it should be remembered that more material is spent on bends and corners. All necessary marks on the body can be done with masking tape. After all measurements and adjustments, you can cut out pieces of vinyl.

Vinyl car wrap

If you decide to resort to the wet method of gluing, then moisten from the sprayerall body surfaces. Only after that you can proceed to the main stage of work. Before applying the vinyl, it is worth spreading it on a flat surface and removing the backing. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that debris and dust do not get on the adhesive composition. Wrinkling is also undesirable. Therefore, it is worth using someone's help.

After the material has been applied to the surface, it should be smoothed out. It is worth starting from the middle of the canvas, gradually shifting to its edges. At this stage, it is better to use a rubber squeegee. In the process of smoothing, the film must not only be smoothed, but also heated. In this case, it is better to use an industrial hair dryer. The temperature of the air stream must not exceed 70°C. Otherwise, the film will begin to break down.

Wrapping a car with vinyl should be done carefully and without haste. Air bubbles and wrinkles must not be allowed to form. On bends, corners and convex parts, the material should be heated more thoroughly. After all, here the vinyl must be evenly stretched. The edges do not need to be bent.

Finally

After the car is completely covered with vinyl, it is necessary to dry all surfaces. Now the vehicle should stand for 20 minutes and cool down a bit. Finally, all surfaces should be passed with a felt squeegee to remove any remaining bubbles. Excess material should be carefully trimmed. In this case, it is necessary to leave a margin of 1 centimeter around the edges. When bending vinyl, you should carefully warm it up. At the end of all the edgesshould be treated with an edge sealant. A pasted car should stand in the garage for several days. It is also not recommended to drive it at high speed for 10 days.