Oct 12, 2022

Car Wrap | The Difference Type of Vinyl Wrap

Have you stared at your painted car and found that you do not like the current paint anymore? Well, you are not the only one with this feeling. Sometimes the paint on your cars gets too casual and looks outdated when you have seen it in the same color of paint over a long time. And that is where the vinyl car wrap comes in. A car wrap is a great avenue to change the appearance of your vehicle.

Vehicle wrap saves you the cost of going for a new painting job that costs a lot. A paint color job that you could get tired of in the long run. As a fact, car wrapping is cheaper than painting. Also, it offers you different ways, designs, and patterns to change the look of your car in such a way that is unthinkable with car paint.

Some people get bored in a short while seeing the same paint or vinyl wrap. Thus, vehicle wrap comes in handy, as it can offer you the frequency to change your car's appearance, which a painting job will not do in terms of cost and frequency. Who would want to spend over $20,000 in a calendar year on changing the paint on a car, even when you can comfortably afford it?

Vinyl wrap offers protection from the paint on your car, and the beauty of it is its usefulness in covering a part of your vehicle while you leave the other part painted, such flexibility.

But to a novice, what is Vinyl wrap? Let's get to find out below.

What is vinyl wrap?

Vinyl wrap is the idea and practice of changing the look of a car without paint but with film material known as the vinyl wrap. The vinyl wrap – also called the painting wrap, vehicle wrap, or car wrap, among others – is a way to change your car's appearance with a different color. And with types of vinyl wrap like a matte wrap, and gloss wrap, in such a way that the finish is of a unique feel that a painting job will do.

The vinyl wrap also earned itself the fame of being called a paint protection wrap since it does protect car paints. Hence, if you have a lease car and are meticulous in making sure the painting is as clean and neat as at hire, you can employ car wrap to maintain and protect the car paint.

Pros of using vinyl wrap

Now it is ripe to discuss the advantage of vinyl wrap. The pros are:

It offers your car an expensive look even when the vinyl wrap is cheaper than the cost of painting.
It presents the opportunity to change the design of your car at will, without the need to spend a large sum on painting your car to your taste.
You have the freedom to customize your vinyl wrap.
Another advantage of using vinyl wrap is that it offers your car paint the protection it needs from damage caused by the sun, debris, scratches, etc.

Cons of using vinyl wrap

It is time to consider the not too-good of vinyl wrap if there is any.

Some users have complained that the vinyl wrap gets damaged when the car frequents the car wash.
The vinyl wrap is not a permanent solution, as it will deteriorate over time.

Though the second concern is genuine, one should not forget that the reason for the vinyl wrap is to create a temporary solution for cars and owners who would be unable to afford to have to paint their cars every time it gets scratched.

Car Wrap History

In 1993, car wrap usage became necessary as the German government required that the vinyl manufacturer Kay Premium Marking Films(KPMF) make films that it would use to differentiate between a car and a taxi. Thus, since the requirement exist that all taxis should be painted beige was strict by the government, the company had to produce an alternative to car painting. Hence, car wrap became popular.

It is noteworthy that the usage of car wrap also became a go-to thing for companies or marketing agencies to advertise their product with a vehicle wrap.

Another reason behind the car wrap popularity was that after a car is wrapped with vinyl, the car paint remains the same when you decide to remove the vinyl and go back to the paint on the car.

Apart from the innovation Vinyl wrap brought to the space of commerce, it also appealed to car owners who desired to have their car wrapped with vinyl when they were bored with their car paint. With this in view, manufacturers quickly swept into action and started producing different kilors and designs for car owners to choose from.

Over the years, Industry players have ensured that vehicle wrap undergoes various ways to make it better and more durable. Advance colors and designs have been added to match car paints and to match the desired design expectations of car owners who want customized vehicle wraps for their cars.

What is the benefit of vehicle wrapping?

The growing popularity of Car wrap has become a known fact. But why is vehicle wrapping popular? Well, that occurs as a result of the benefits people derive or see from using it. We will discuss the benefits of vehicle wrapping below.

Fast to process

Though wrapping your vehicle with vinyl wrap depends on the type of car wrap you intend to use. A vehicle wrapping should take an average of three days. If you doubt how many days it will take to wrap your car, you might want to call the installer to give you an ETA.

Paint Protection

Wrapping your vehicle protects it from the damage caused by your car staying under the sun for too long. It also covers the paint and prevents it from scratching. And then there is a strong indication that your car's paint tends to fade as time goes on.

How else does wrapping a vehicle serve as a benefit? You get to reduce your cost of repairs by having to paint your car frequently. The vinyl car wrap protects the paint.

Flowing from the above, using a vinyl wrap also increases the value of your car on re-sale. Thus, if the car is wrapped and has not gotten any scratches, you get to sell it at a great price when you remove the wrap for the car sale.

Marketing Strategy

If you are a business looking to reach out to people, especially everyday people, vinyl wrap is something you should explore. You will reach more target audiences and advertise your product to them by using a customized car wrap.

It is apposite to state here that we have discussed the benefits of a vehicle wrap in the introductory part of this article. Hence you are advised to read them and know how much using a car wrap serves you.

The Types of vinyl wraps

There are different types of car wraps, but for convenience's sake, the article will discuss eight of them.

Gloss wrap

The gloss wrap is the type of vinyl wrap that does not come out shiny like a high gloss paint but glisten, which makes your car distinct from every other car on the street.

It is renowned as one of the easiest terms for installation for your car. Gloss wrap is easy to maintain and offers you the chance to relieve yourself from the stress that might have come when you don't have your car wrap.

The gloss wrap presents you with a wide range of options for your car and is manufactured from high-quality materials.

Carbon Fiber Wrap

Carbon fiber wrap is another type of vinyl wrap made from carbon, and it is lightweight when compared with metal-like vinyl materials. A way to wrap your car, but not to replace any carbon material on your car. Thus, it beautifies your vehicle so it may look like a carbon fiber design and not change the main body of your vehicle.

Pros

It gives your car that carbon-fiber look without needing to spend so much on the actual carbon fiber itself to make it stand out.
It is easy to clean and maintain.
It offers sufficient protection for your car and painting.

Cons

It requires a professional to have it wrapped in your car.
If done in haste, it may cause bubbles to appear.
It is identifiable from the carbon fiber itself.

Matte wrap

The matte wrap is somewhat of a conservative type of vinyl wrap. It does not assume the shiny and glossy look of other types of vinyl wrap. It comes in such a way to flatter. That is, it is one of the best to use when other types of car wrap cannot wrap around the curved bodies of your car.

Pros

It is receptive to light which helps to hide imperfections that may arise from the body.
It is useful when it comes to covering scratches on a car.

Cons

It requires frequent maintenance practice as it can be easily stained.
The colors are limited.
It may appear too chalky sometimes.

Chrome wrap

The Chrome wrap is a lot flashy and appears expensive. It is made for car owners who love to have their cars be the talk of the town.

Pros

As the name states, it is flashy and sometimes attractive.
It offers maximum protection for the paint and the car.
Those who have good maintenance practices have identified that this vinyl wrap can last five or more years.

Cons

It requires so much time to wrap against the car.
It is heavy.
When the quality of the chrome wrap material is poor, it can deteriorate the wrap and cause bubbles to appear.

Metallic wrap

The metallic wrap is manufactured with titanium and magnetron, which enables the wrap to brighten when light interacts with it.

If you pay close attention, you'll notice that metallic wraps possess a flaky surface that shines through in sunlight, a beautiful side of this type of vinyl wrap.

Pros

It boasts six layers compared to other types of vinyl wrap that possess only three layers.
Metalic wrap offers protection to the car due to the number of layers.

Cons

You require the help of a professional to have this wrap on your car.

Customized Wrap (graphics)

This type of vinyl wrap is according to your preference and the design you want. Also, you can choose from the variety of materials you want your vehicle wrap made.

Thus, some settle to have a bespoke design for their car, which could be a pet they love or an image or picture of an animate or inanimate object.

Commercial enterprises are associated with customized vinyl wraps. They use it to promote their business through graphical advertisements.

Pros

It gives you the liberty to choose your material and design.
It serves as a way for commercial ventures to cut advertising costs on other channels.

Cons

It is expensive

Comparison of the two types of Vinyl wraps: Calendared and Cast Vinyl.

There are two types of Vinyl wrap grouped according to the materials used to make the wrap.

Vinyl is the material by which most vehicle wrap is made. However, those not made with vinyl are from similar materials. At this juncture, there is the Calendared and cast Vinyl wrap.

The cast vinyl as the name implies is already cast according to different designs by the manufacturers. They are produced from more durable plastics and can stay strong despite being the thinnest compared with the car wrap made from Calendars vinyl.

Additionally, they offer great flexibility and can cover curved edges or contoured areas.

On the other hand, calendars vinyl is made through cheaper means of heat and pressure. And though they are not as strong, they undergo a process that makes them thicker than Cast vinyl.

Full wraps

The full wrap is the car wrapping used on the entire body of your car. It is one of the best ways to get the whole body of your vehicle changed to something entirely different from the paint on it. It also prevents you from spending so much on repainting the car.

Pros