Diablo Prosthetic & Orthotics in Walnut Creek, CA.
I talk to many people about getting a wrap for their car or truck. It’s amazing how many of them don’t know what a wrap is. Maybe it’s because I’m more aware of vinyl on vehicles (since we live and breath it), but it seems like every other vehicle on the road has a wrap or graphic of some sort. . . “Is it some sort of ‘shrink wrap’?” is a common question. The next one; “Well, like, um, just a simple question, how much does it cost to wrap an average car”. Then they ask; “will it hurt the surface of my car if I want to take it off?” . . .
These are all valid and understandable questions. When we answer them, we may sound vague, however, we don’t have simple answers for these questions. The first one, “what is a wrap” in itself is fairly complicated. There are stages to pass before embarking on a full wrap. Taking steps from small to big; the first thing you might want to consider is a bumper sticker. I’m sure you’ve all seen them! They come with a reputation of being bad for the finish of cars, which may or may not be true, depending on the material in the sticker. They are what they are, we hope they fall off before becoming an eyesore on your car. Next step is “Vehicle Graphics”.
These are usually made from one color vinyl which is cut on a plotter before being added to a part of your vehicle, like maybe the door. They can also be made from printed vinyl and then cut on the plotter and installed in the same way. (I will give installation information in another blog article.) Depending on the color of the vehicle, cut graphics could leave a shadow when removed, especially in a state that has lots of sun for most of the year, and you are driving a dark car. It is actually shading the spot from the fading process the rest of the vehicle is experiencing. (This is the same reason that you need to hire a professional to color match your paint after you have been in an accident).
“Is it some sort of shrink wrap?” Shrink wrap is plastic, this is vinyl. I would say it is more like contact paper if you want to compare distant cousins. We all remember what a mess contact paper can be. However, the gauge of vinyl is heavier, the material is much stronger, and vinyl is forgiving. This means that if it is stuck down too soon, it can be removed and stuck again. It can also be stretched with heat, and will go around corners and curves! Vinyl that is used for curvy vehicle wraps is made with millions of air pockets under the surface, so that it is easier to adjust and readjust, and holds on to the surface for a longer time. This helps when it comes time to remove it, too. This is a good time to mention that our installers remove as well as install. When a good product was used in the beginning, it is easy to remove the old. Our guys can also remove the product that wasn’t good, but it does take time and patients. Just as a side note, you cannot reuse the vinyl. . .
“Well, like, um, just a simple question, like, how much does it cost to wrap an average car”. Just as humans are different and have different needs and curves, our vehicles need special stokes, too. We could do simple cut graphics like we mentioned above, or, we could go all the way to a complete wrap. Vehicle graphics on my car would cost about $100. (See picture) If you add a second layer, or do print and cut (maybe various colors of your logo), the price would go up.
Wraps could mean just the sides and back of a truck, (a partial wrap), or could go as far as wrapping all metal surfaces, including the top of the hood and roof of the vehicle, and even add perforated vinyl on the windows. . . Wow!
Additionally, we need to consider the curves of your vehicle. When wrapping a curvy car, we would need to use a high quality product that will hug the curves, which is more expensive than a product which will be applied to the side of the bus you ride to work. Because the side is flat, the bus doesn’t need all the air pockets below the surface of the vinyl. How long do you want this wrap to last. 6 months, a year, 7 years? All of these details influence the price. I tell people that it usually runs between $7 and $10 a square foot. . .
“Will it hurt the surface of my car if I want to take the vinyl off?” No, not if you have used quality vinyl. It actually preserves your paint job. Many people who purchase the highest price collectors cars have all of the metal surface of the car wrapped before they ever accept delivery. When they sell them a few years later, the car has a paint job that is preserved like new.
Know that we will always use the best quality product and application for your vehicle. . . both for life of your wrap, and the removal! Plan to come by for a tour!
Lynn Koellermeier
Business Development and Design
Signature d’Sign, Inc
925 446 6477
Sales@signaturedsign.com
http://signaturedsign.com
