Vehicle wraps are one of the best things you can do to protect and beautify your vehicle. In one step, you can protect the finish from most impacts while also adding some color and flair. For businesses, vehicle wraps are an important method of advertising. Still, there is one little problem: Many people are wondering “will a vehicle wrap damage the paint on my vehicle”? Let’s examine this question in a little more detail.
Every Vehicle Wrap Has A Lifespan
When you get your vehicle wrapped, your auto care professional will probably give you a rough idea of its lifespan. Regardless of the numbers that are given, you should remember that this isn’t a suggestion.
If you leave a wrap on your vehicle too long, you will greatly increase the chances of paint damage. As the adhesive bonds with the surface of the vehicle body, it gets stronger with time. Thus, you should stay within your wraps’ lifespan to ensure that you don’t damage your paint job.
The Importance Of Proper Vehicle Wrap Installation
The durability of a vehicle wrap will vary from one job to another, and installation is one of the factors that determine your results. You should always go with an experienced professional, as it is easy to mess up a wrap job.
The quality of your paint will make some difference here. Factory paint should be fine, as will most specialty paints, but some of them might be a little too fragile to be used in combination with a wrap. Of course, you shouldn’t be using cheap paint anyway.
Your installer should clean the surface of the car thoroughly, drying it completely to make sure that no water remains to interfere with adhesion. They should also make sure to use quality vinyl instead of the cheap stuff, as vinyl has a much better chance of leaving your paint intact.
Don’t Try To Remove A Vehicle Wrap On Your Own
Because a vehicle wrap is essentially just a big sticker, you might think that you can remove it without professional help. While this is possible, we don’t recommend it highly. If you wanted to damage your paint job, this would be one of the surest ways to do so. Since you probably don’t want that, leave the removal to professionals.
Ideally, a graphical wrap should be removed by the same person who installed it in the first place. This ensures that they won’t run into any surprises, and makes a problem-free removal more likely. They will probably use a mixture of heat, pulling, and solvents to get a smooth removal of all material.
Always Heed The Vehicle Wrap Warranty
As we mentioned, every wrap has a lifespan, and this plays a huge role in the matter. If your mechanic is any good, they should give you a warranty with your vehicle wrap. This warranty will have a certain duration, and this can be viewed as your “replacement clock.” When the warranty is getting short, it will be time to get that vehicle unwrapped.
Consider The Construction Of Your Vehicle
People often forget that the body of a car can be made of several materials. Steel is very common (especially in older cars), but carbon fiber is now the more popular choice. Some cars also have bodies that are made of high-strength aluminum, although these are much less common. As you might guess, a vehicle wrap will adhere differently to each surface.
Vehicle Wraps Help To Protect Paint
Now it is time that we give you a good answer to the question posed in the title. Vehicle wraps can sometimes damage the paint on a vehicle, but only if they are installed or removed improperly. They can also cause damage if they are left for too long. When done properly, a vehicle wrap should have the opposite effect.
Some people opt to encase their vehicle in a clear wrap without adding decals or graphics of any kind. While it may not add anything to the appearance of the vehicle, it will definitely help its finish to last a lot longer. It won’t protect you from a serious impact, but it will keep little things like gravel and hail from damaging your finish.
Conclusion
At Tupp Signs, we understand that vehicle wraps are an important job. That’s why we strive to give every customer the time and care that they deserve. More importantly, we have all the right people to do the job correctly. When you bring your vehicle to us, you won’t need to worry about the vehicle wrap causing paint damage because you are dealing with the finest professionals in the business. If you have found this article to be interesting and helpful, feel free to fill out the contact form below.