Car wraps are a fun way to customize your vehicle. From a good design, to the right location and the right tools, there are useful tips to be a good car wrap applicator. Here, 10 tips to get great Car Wraps:
1. Make sure you have images of the vehicle prior to planning the design.
2. Determine where all the joins will fall. Use the natural lines of the vehicle, whether horizontal or vertical. Use door panels/weld lines to cover overlaps.
3. Thoroughly wash the vehicle down with soap and water and allow 24 hours to dry, paying extra attention to door seals and wheel arches.
4. Degrease the vehicle. Mactac recommend isopropyl alcohol. Alternatively use a fast drying panel wipe with silicone killer paying special attention to all the recesses.
5. For solvent printed media allow a minimum of 48hrs to outgas. The rolls should be left standing vertically and loosely wound to help with airflow and should be turned regularly as the solvents are heavier than air. The more the vinyl can be allowed to de-gas, the less tacky the adhesive will feel and the easier the graphic will be to fit.6. Laminate with cold rollers only. Do not use excessive tension on the rollers.
7. Use a hard Mactac squeegee or similar. Apply a strip of velvet to one edge and change the velvet regularly to avoid scratching.
8. Apply the vinyl to the flattest part of the panel first (create a base line) working from side to side, keeping the vinyl as level as possible. Stretch the vinyl without heat over the whole area and do not work the film into the more complicated areas such as recesses until later.
9. When stretching the vinyl, always pull outwards from the largest area of the vinyl you can to spread the tension. This also applies when you use extra heat to soften and stretch the vinyl, apply heat to a larger area than you need as this should help to avoid distorting the graphic.
10. When cutting through the vinyl on the bodywork or around handles it is best to stick electrical tape to the surface first. Use a new blade each and every time you cut through the vinyl. The weight of the blade should be enough without having to apply extra pressure.
Source: allprint.co.uk