Do-it-yourself car wrapping with vinyl

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

Many car owners use vinyl wrap to protect their car's paintwork. If necessary, this material can be independently glued to the vehicle body. The main thing is to follow all the rules.

How much film do you need

Wrapping a car with vinyl is a simple process. However, it is important to correctly calculate the amount of material. In this case, some nuances should be taken into account, for example, the type of film and the type of body. Also, the experience of the master is of particular importance. If you are a beginner, then it is better to take more material, since flaws and errors are not excluded.

Do not forget that the vinyl film may have individual characteristics, among which it is necessary to highlight the elastic and strong stretch. It is for this reason that experts give the following material calculations:

1. It takes 23-30 meters of film to wrap an SUV.
2. For a crossover - 18-23 meters.
3. For a sedan - 17-19 meters.

Of course, this data is relative. However, thanks to them, the car owner has a rough idea of how much material to buy. If wrapping your car with vinyl is not within your power, then you should seek help fromspecialized salons. Here they will help you choose the material and apply it to the vehicle body.

Is it possible to wrap a car yourself

Do-it-yourself car wrapping with vinyl requires accuracy. This is currently the most popular way to transform a vehicle. In fact, working with vinyl film is very simple and easy. Thanks to this, the material can be applied to the car body independently. In just a day, you can completely change the appearance of the car. In this way, you can give the body any color, apply an original pattern or ornament. Also, the vinyl film allows you to place your own company's mobile advertising on the vehicle.

Technology

Wrapping a car with vinyl has many advantages, but the most important thing is the convenience and ease of application of the material. At the moment, there are several main technologies - wet and dry.

The last way is the hardest. Dry pasting a car with vinyl with your own hands should be carried out using special tools. This job requires prior training and experience. It should be borne in mind that the film sticks to a dry surface much faster, and therefore it is almost impossible to smooth out the wrinkles after application. It is for this reason that dry gluing is best done in a specialized salon. The main advantage of this method is that the vinyl is applied only once and lasts for a long time.

Wet car wrapping with vinylflows much easier. It is much easier to apply the film on pre-moistened vehicle parts than on dry ones. At any time, the material can be removed and transferred to another place. The main disadvantage of this method is the likelihood of water accumulation under the film after completion of work. Of course, after complete drying, the moisture will evaporate, but ugly bubbles may form in its place. However, do-it-yourself wet vinyl wrapping avoids worse mistakes.

What you need for work

Before you start, you need to prepare the tools for pasting the car with vinyl. For work you may need:

1. Paint tape.
2. White spirit or alcohol.
3. Spray bottle and soap solution.
4. Professional hair dryer.
5. A stationery knife or scissors.
6. Felt or plastic squeegee.

Preparation and getting started

If you are not confident in your own abilities, you can take a course in car wrapping with vinyl. Before starting work, it is necessary to prepare the vehicle. Vehicle surfaces should be thoroughly polished. In this case, it is necessary to immediately remove all the irregularities. In addition, it is worth degreasing more complex areas of the interior and body. Finally, thoroughly wipe every corner of the vehicle with a dry cloth. After preparation, you can start applying the film.

Wrapping a car with vinyl takes place in several stages. In progresssome nuances need to be taken into account. It is worth starting pasting with the smallest radius over the entire surface. This step allows you to stretch the film over the entire body without compressing it. The ability of the material should also be taken into account. Vinyl stretches about 30-50% but shrinks only 10%.

After the film is stretched over the entire surface, you can start heating it. The temperature should not exceed 70°C. Otherwise, the material may not only lose color, but even collapse.

How to glue

So, how does car wrapping with vinyl work? Reviews indicate that the material should be applied in one piece to each part of the vehicle. In this case, the film must be laid on a previously prepared and uniform surface. If it is necessary to make several pieces of vinyl, then experts recommend making a slight overlap of one layer on the second. This will protect the canvas from getting air and moisture under it.

If you need to paste over rougher surfaces and complex shapes, then you should not allow gluing the corners of the hanging material. It is very difficult to break it without causing damage and tearing. It is for this reason that professionals recommend treating the surface with adhesive with special solutions.

After the vinyl is pasted, experts advise against operating the vehicle. The film should dry well. It takes about 10 days.

Troubleshooting

What to do if car wrapping with vinyldidn't go well? When applying the material on the surface of the body, do not allow air to enter under the canvas, as well as its strong stretching. If it was not possible to avoid such errors, then it is worth gently pressing the vinyl with a damp cloth, and then walking through the dangerous area with a jet of hot air. As a result, the film shrinks slightly. This will eliminate the defect.

Correct advice

The easiest way to update the surface of the body is pasting the car with vinyl. The photos of the vehicle presented in the review confirm this. However, in the process of applying the film, many make mistakes.

Ground rules:

1. The vehicle must be washed and degreased before pasting. Many car owners believe that this is completely unnecessary.
2. The body must be wiped down.
3. If the canvas is large, then you should ask for help. Gluing the film alone is not so easy.
4. The film cannot be glued without prior adjustment. Before tearing off the mount and removing the backing, the material should be tried on the part.
5. The substrate should be removed immediately before pasting the part. Do not wet it with water.
6. The material should be rolled with a squeegee from the middle of the canvas to its edges.
7. When working with vinyl, you need to heat it with a special hairdryer. The temperature of the air flow should not exceed 70°C.
8. After pasting, dry all treated surfaces with warm air. Full vinylwill stick only 10 days after application. Do not drive during this period.

If you are not confident in your own abilities, then the work should be entrusted to experienced craftsmen from the salon. Otherwise, the ghostly savings may result in additional costs. After all, wrapping a vehicle with vinyl is an art.