Signage Education: Selecting Vehicle Wrap Materials

Nowadays vehicle wraps are used in place of expensive custom paint jobs. In addition to being a lower cost option to paint, vinyl can be removed when the advertising campaign is over or you are ready to turn in your leased vehicle.

This article will take you step-by-step through the process of selecting vehicle wrap materials and offer tips and tricks that ensure you receive a high quality vehicle wrap.

As with any product, the finished product is only as good as what you start with. So choosing the right vinyl for the job is essential. Since full wraps are expected to look and perform similar to paint, you will want to choose a material with these characteristics. Due to its manufacturing process, cast film is very thin (approximately 2 mil) and has excellent durability and conformability characteristics. This thin gauge of the film gives the vinyl a “paint like” finish that many customers are looking for. When properly applied these films generally last 5 years or more. Consequently, cast vinyl film is the ideal film for full vehicle wraps.

If you are more concerned about the price and don’t need the extended durability of a cast film, there are economy vehicle wrap options available from various vinyl manufacturers. Keep in mind that these economy vehicle wrap films are generally “calendared” films and will not have the same performance characteristics as cast films. For example, you can expect some degree of tenting (material lifting) in areas of the vehicle such as deep crevasses. These economy films are developed to provide a good looking graphic that will last up to one year at an economical price.