The Process of Vehicle Wrapping

Drive down any high street or head onto any motorway in the UK and chances are you’ll pass at least one or two vehicles that have been wrapped. Vehicle wrapping has become the cost-effective way to change the colour of a car or add business branding to a vehicle, and is one of the fastest-growing automotive services around today.

What is Vehicle Wrapping?

Wrapping is simply a way to change the appearance of your vehicle, whether it’s a car, van, truck or bus, without the need for an expensive respray or paint job.

Wrapping uses a vinyl film covering that is carefully applied over the bodywork of your car. You can opt for either a complete or partial covering depending on your requirements and there are a range of different textures and finishes available such as metallic, matt and gloss.

The great thing about vehicle wrapping is that it’s not permanent and can be removed. The most common way that commercial ventures use vehicle wrapping is to add branding and advertising to their vehicles via tailored graphics.

The Process of Vehicle Wrapping

The central process for vehicle wrapping is to apply a layer of self-adhesive vinyl over the top of a vehicles paintwork. This takes place through several distinct stages.

The most important stage of vehicle wrapping is the preparation. Your skilled operator will first measure your vehicle accurately and check the surface to make sure it is suitable. You will at this time have decided on the colour that you require, the design if that is applicable or have developed the graphics that are going to adorn your vehicle.

Each vehicle is different so there are going to be various challenges that need to be analysed. For example, if you have a wrap that will overlay the doors or is to be transferred to a non-flat area, these factors have to be taken into account. This may not be so important if you are just changing the colour of your vehicle but is vital if graphics are involved. It’s also why you should always have the wrapping done by a professional.

The next, and very important stage, is to prep and strip, or clean and decontaminate, the bodywork where the vehicle wrap is going to be applied. The vinyl needs to be placed on a spotless clean surface otherwise you will have problems with adhesion.

The vinyl is printed and laminated in preparation for application onto your vehicle. Once it is applied by the expert team, the car wrap is post-heated to between 90 and 120°C and re-cast to the shape of your vehicle. This is a very delicate process and an expert will take considerable time and effort to make sure that it is done properly to produce a seamless effect.

Why You Should Always Use a Vehicle Wrapping Expert

Vinyl vehicle wrapping comes with a number of advantages, not least the range of designs and graphics you have to choose from. They also protect your vehicle from scratches, chips and damage that can be caused through UV light, ensuring that the underlying bodywork retains its integrity and value.

It is relatively easy nowadays to change the appearance of your vehicle and wrapping is certainly less expensive than a respray which is permanent. You should, however, always makes sure that you use the services of a qualified and experienced vehicle wrapping team to ensure the highest quality end product.

We at WrapUK are experienced specialists in vehicle wrapping ranging from small cars to large trucks, buses and boats. We have a great reputation for working closely with our clients and have a very happy client list who regularly return to us.

Whether you have a single vehicle or a large fleet, contact us online or give us a call on 01243 908 007 to discuss your requirements.