Signage Education | Vehicle Wrap Facts: Part 4 – Wrap Lifespan

How long should my wrap last? That’s a great question. How long do you want it to last?

The technology behind the production of vehicle vinyls has improved exponentially since digital print graphics were first introduced. There are products for just about any application of any duration you would need. The question isn’t then how long will the graphics last but how long do you want them to last.

What do I mean? Why wouldn’t you want the graphics to last as long as possible?

Another great question. Let’s talk about this for a few moments. Most of the time we think about wrapping our cars as a “permanent” commitments when really, it doesn’t have to be and in some cases, it shouldn’t be. Take for example the facility maintenance company. They have a need for their logo and phone number to be on their trucks and trailers all of the time so they may option for a 7-10 year vinyl product (cut vinyl or printed graphics). But, they may also want to advertise specific services that coincide with seasons of the year such as signing up early for snow removal or leaf removal contracts, lawn overseeding, spring window cleaning, etc. These would be short term promotions that could be done as partial wraps or decals and would not warrant the expensive, long duration vinyls or require laminates at all. 

You see this type of thing most commonly with sponsorships. Many leagues, teams and/or athletes sell sponsorships for one or two years as a way to generate income. The sponsorships usually consist of logos on the side of team vehicles or other collateral used or worn by the entity being sponsored. Think of a race car. There are decals all over the car showing who has paid to sponsor the driver. Frequently sponsors will change and the space resold to another sponsor creating the need to remove the old logo and replace it with a new one. Using a “temporary” vinyl is the right application here because the adhesive does not cure the way long life vinyls will and it makes removing the decal much easier even after several months or a year.

Boutique wraps can also be something done on a short term basis for a special event or occasion like when your school is in division finals and you want to show support by adding the school mascot to your hood and door panels. There are also special finishes available like carbonfiber and matte colors that car afficionados will use to trick out their rides. These things tend to be on trend and may only need to be of a 3 year durability.

So back to the original question, how long do you want the wrap to last?

For more information on vehicle wraps, contact us at info@richmondsignscapes.com or download our wrap tip sheet. We’ll be happy to answer any questions.