Car wrapping with carbon film

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

Wrapping a car with a carbon film is quite common today, but the peak of its popularity has long passed. But there are still those who find it attractive and beautiful. Therefore, in this article I will tell you how the car is pasted with a film. Carbon is the most popular type of vinyl film. It has a textured surface and looks unusual.

Preparatory stage

Before you start pasting, you must first prepare the surface of the car for this. So, you will need a polishing machine and polishing paste (this is ideal, of course, but you can do without polishing), a degreaser (you can use ordinary technical alcohol, white spirit or, in extreme cases, a solvent if you don’t feel sorry for the paintwork of your car), as well as a lint-free cloth. If you are aiming for a perfect result (as in professional workshops), then you need to wash the car, polish the surface of its body. If you are doing it yourself, you will need three types of polishing paste with different abrasives (from the coarsest to the finest grit). On a part, such as a hood, apply a small amount of paste and in a circular motion"rubbing" it into the surface. Then remove the excess paste, repeat the procedure 2 more times. After the car is polished, it is necessary to finally get rid of the remnants of the abrasive paste, degrease the surface with alcohol and a napkin. Preparation is over. Next, you will need a warm indoor space, preferably clean and bright.

Carbon wrapping

In order to start pasting, you must first prepare all the necessary tools. So, you will need:

1. Film already cut to size for each piece. It is still worth clarifying that one part is glued with one piece of film. That is, you cannot seal the hood with two halves, you must have one canvas of a suitable size (with a margin).
2. A clerical or special film cutter (I use an OLFA with interchangeable blades).
3. Squeegee blades (felt, rubber and small flat and thin to eliminate imperfections).
4. Industrial hair dryer, preferably with different modes.
5. Soap solution and spray bottle (if you are dealing with a complex part, such as a bumper or hood with an uneven surface).
6. And also a partner, because everything that is larger than a mirror or a threshold is very difficult for one person to glue, especially if you are doing this for the first time.

So, the wrapping of the carbon film of the car begins.

Pasting process

Carb wrapping is not difficult if you put it on the hoodor roof. But when it comes to the bumper, you have to try. I will tell you about two different ways to apply the film quite briefly. If you are interested and have a desire, you can read additional and more detailed literature.

Method one

It is called (understand correctly) wet, because the film is glued with a soap solution (to prepare it, you need ordinary water and dishwashing detergent, which is diluted in water, mixed and applied to the work surface with a spray gun). After the preparatory activities, we proceed to the process itself. We treat the working surface of the car with a soapy solution, i.e. apply it to the part (the more, the better and easier it will be to work with the material), separate the substrate from the film, but try not to wet it, otherwise it will be problematic to remove it. After that, we apply a solution to the film itself, while keeping it in a vertical position so that excess debris does not stick to it. After treatment with a solution, we apply the film to the part and begin to “roll” it with a squeegee from the center to the edges gradually, with smooth movements. If this is a hood, then from the center of the hood to the edges. If there are convex body parts, then we heat these places with an industrial hair dryer and roll them with a squeegee. After the film is glued, it is necessary to dry the edges with a hairdryer, and then bend or cut off the excess. Done.

Second way

Pasting with carbon film can be done in another way. It is suitable for those who are more advanced in this matter or for those who are not afraid to take risks. As an example, let's takehood. We clean its surface, remove the substrate from the film and, without applying it completely, roll only the strip in the center. In this case, it is necessary that one person holds one edge of the film and does not allow it to lie completely on the part on one side, and the other person on the other side.

Next, with a felt squeegee, gradually roll the film from the center to the edges, expelling all the air. We also heat the bulges with a hairdryer. However, the film must not be overheated, it may melt or tear. Excess also bend or cut with a knife.

You got a general idea of how to wrap a car with vinyl wrap.