What tools and materials will be needed to cover a car with film, calculation of the amount of film and its cost. Preparing a car for vinyl wrapping, as well as do-it-yourself methods for wrapping a car with film.

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Covering the body with film is the most common and popular type of car tuning today, due to the low cost, efficiency and accessibility of this method for most car owners. A wide variety of PVC-based films of various types and colors provides ample opportunities to show your imagination and make your car truly exclusive and stand out from the stream of cars on the road. There is nothing complicated in the process of wrapping a car body, and if you wish, you can do this work yourself.

brand-detail-img-title">Camouflage vinyl film for car

What tools and materials are needed to wrap a car with film?

First of all, it should be noted that wrapping a car with film yourself requires mandatory adherence to the technology of applying film coating, as well as the availability of a place to carry out this work, where the necessary temperature conditions and absolute cleanliness can be created. The room should have moderate humidity, good lighting and a temperature of at least 20 o C. To cover a car with vinyl film you will need the following tools and materials:

• the vinyl film itself of the selected type in the required quantity;
• scissors and a sharp stationery knife;
• spray and soap solution prepared from water and detergent or in a ratio of 10:1;
• plastic or felt squeegee;
• alcohol or solvent for degreasing the surface; white spirit is best suited for this purpose;
• technical hair dryer;
• masking tape;
• dry rags made of soft, lint-free fabric;
• 3M primer is a composition that enhances the adhesive properties of the adhesive layer of the film.

All this should be prepared in advance and be at hand when working.

brand-detail-img-title">3M Primer

Which film is better to cover a car?

Today, there are two types of films for wrapping car bodies - vinyl and polyurethane. Vinyl-based film coverings are available in a variety of types and colors, which allows them to be used to transform the exterior design. Although they protect against ultraviolet radiation and minor damage, their protective properties are inferior to anti-gravel polyurethane films, which are only transparent and are used exclusively to protect the body.

Vinyl films are most often used for car tuning and styling, which is explained not only by their diversity, but also by their lower price.

Depending on the production method, such films come in two types:

• calendered;
• cast.

Vinyl films HEXIS

Cast films are of higher quality and more durable; they are available in a wider range of types and colors, but are somewhat more expensive than calendered ones. Which film to choose for your car is up to everyone to decide for themselves. But, if you decide to wrap your car yourself, it is better to choose cast film, which is of higher quality and easier to work with. There are the following types of vinyl films (car vinyl):

• transparent and colored;
• matte and glossy;
• pearlescent and metallic effect films;
• graphic films intended for applying designs using digital printing methods;
• textured films, with a surface stylized to resemble various materials, which include carbon-look film coating;
• “chameleon” type films, the color of which changes under different viewing angles.

brand-detail-img-title">Vinyl film chameleon

The choice is really very large, and it all depends on your taste, and on what effect you want to get by resorting to this kind of tuning. But, in any case, you need to buy film from well-known brands if you want it to easily fit on any body parts with complex surface topography and last as long as possible. The most popular and in demand in all countries of the world are the following brands:

• 3M Scotchprint (USA);
• KPMF (UK);
• Hexis (France);
• ORACAL (Germany).

To determine how much film will be needed for pasting, you need to know the area of ​​​​all body elements to which it will be applied. It is quite difficult to make such exact measurements, therefore, to roughly calculate the need for material and its cost, they use data verified in practice.

For complete wrapping of a car body, which is recommended for use when using auto vinyl, the following film consumption is accepted, depending on the class of the car:

• compact B-class cars - from 18 to 21 sq. m;
• middle class cars (C-class) 23-24 m2;
• large family cars D-class 25-27 sq. m.;
• business class cars (E-class) - from 27 to 30 sq. m.;
• S-class sports coupe 30-34 m2;
• compact SUVs 25-30 sq. m;
• large SUVs 34-37 m2.

Vinyl film in rolls

It is best to buy car vinyl in rolls 1.52 m wide, so that when pasting large body elements, you do not have to make joints.

Preparing a car for vinyl wrapping

In order for the film coating to last longer, before covering the car with film, the car must be properly prepared. To do this you need:

• Wash the car well with car shampoo and carefully inspect its paintwork for damage and persistent dirt;
• if there are remaining stains from insects or bitumen, remove them with a solvent or alcohol;
• polish the paintwork of the body; to a smoother surface, the adhesion of the adhesive layer of the film will be much stronger;
• degrease complex body elements;
• Wipe the entire car with a dry cloth.

brand-detail-img-title">Preparing a car for vinyl wrapping

Methods of wrapping cars with film

Two methods are used today to apply film coating:

• dry;
• wet.

They are largely similar to each other and differ only in the technology of applying the film to the surface to be treated.

With the dry method, the film is immediately applied to the surface, without prior preparation of the latter. The paster's actions must include maximum precision and confidence in his movements, because the adhesive layer will immediately adhere to the body part being pasted. The advantages of this method are:

• saving time on work;
• better adhesion;
• no need for long drying of the car after applying the film.

Only experienced professionals who have become familiar with performing such operations on a daily basis can afford to carry out car wrapping using the dry method.

brand-detail-img-title">Tool for wrapping cars with film

The wet method involves applying a film coating to a surface treated with a soap solution. This allows, in case of errors in applying the film, to correct its position relative to the body part. This method is ideal for beginner pasters, or for those who decide to apply the film coating themselves.

If you decide to change the appearance of your car by applying car vinyl, you must decide how to cover the car with film - the entire body or its individual parts. Today, many specialized car services offer various options when applying film, including on individual parts:

• rear and front bumper;
• hood and roof;
• car wings;
• doors and thresholds.

When using vinyl film, it is advisable to completely cover the entire body with it, because such material does not transmit ultraviolet radiation. And the paintwork of body elements not covered with film, by the time it is removed, may have time to fade in the sun, and will be noticeably different from the rest of the car.

brand-detail-img-title">When using vinyl film, it is advisable to completely cover the entire body with it

How to wrap a car with film yourself using the wet method

The technology for wrapping a car using the wet method is quite simple. To do this work yourself, you need:

• Mark the material, for which, without removing the backing, apply the film to each element of the body and mark the cutting line.
• Using the completed markings, cut the material. The work must be done on a flat surface using a stationery knife and scissors, leaving a small amount of film on all sides.
• Spray the soap solution evenly over the entire surface of the body part to be pasted, leaving no dry spots on it to prevent the film from sticking to the body.
• Place the appropriate pattern face down on a flat surface and carefully remove the backing paper from the adhesive layer.
• Try to apply the film onto the body element as accurately as possible, pulling it slightly and fixing it on the upper corners. If this did not work out the first time, you need to lift the material and adjust its position relative to the boundaries of the body part.
• Using a plastic squeegee, smooth the film from the center to the edges, displacing the soap solution from under it.
• After removing the soapy water, repeat this procedure, heating the film with a technical hair dryer, and at the same time smoothing it from the center to the edges with a felt squeegee. The drying temperature should be within 50-70 o C. This is done to activate the adhesive layer. Try not to overheat the film surface. The hairdryer should be held at an angle of 45° and no closer than 20 cm from the surface of the film.
• Trim the edges of the film, leaving a margin of 5 mm, coat them with primer and, bending them, glue them to the end surface of the part, smoothing them with a plastic squeegee.
• Wipe the pasted surface with a dry cloth and leave the car to dry at the same temperature for 24 hours.

For final adhesion of the film it will take another 4-10 days. During this period, you should not drive the car quickly or wash it.

3M plastic squeegee with felt strip for car film

How to properly glue film to a car using the dry method

The technology of dry car vinyl wrapping differs from the wet method only in that the film, after removing the backing, is applied to the dry surface of the body elements.

brand-detail-img-title">Dry car wrapping technology

This work is best done with an assistant, and when working, adhere to the following recommendations:

• for more accurate application of the film, you need to carefully mark the material and cut with a small margin;
• without removing the backing, try on the pattern, marking its edges on the body with masking tape;
• remove the backing only on a flat surface, avoiding its gluing;
• Start applying the film from a section of the part that has a smaller radius of curvature, so that during further operations you can slightly stretch the material;
• In case of inaccurate application, slightly warm up the film and, removing it from the surface to be pasted, perform the operation more accurately.

Removing vinyl film from car

Applying film coatings to a car body is a popular type of styling, the popularity of which is also explained by the fact that at any time, the film can be easily removed without damaging the paintwork, returning the car to its previous state, or pasting it with another material.

To remove car vinyl you need:

• warm up the car in a warm room or in the sun;
• heating the surface with a technical hairdryer to 70-80 o C, pry the film from one of the edges and begin to slowly pull it up at an acute angle, moving towards the center of the coating;
• Having reached the middle, repeat the procedure, starting from the other edge;
• You need to be especially careful when removing film from plastic parts so as not to overheat them and deform them;
• If, after removing the film, traces of the adhesive layer remain on the surface of the paintwork, remove them with a solvent or alcohol.

If all technological requirements are met, removing car vinyl from a car, as well as wrapping the body, can be done with your own hands, without resorting to the services of specialized services.

When comparing two options, we will rely on a group of determining factors: the price of turnkey work in one region; service life of the “coating”; labor intensity of the work (requirements for the overall quality and professionalism of the master in particular); Let's take into account the pitfalls; dividends and possible losses. And as a result, we will determine which option is preferable for the specific goals and expectations of the owner.

Armor film

The market offers two main types of film: armor (polyurethane) and vinyl (PVC). The first is a separate topic. Armor film is used to protect the body of new or. It can be transparent or matte transparent. This film has a very long service life (from 5 to 10 years) and provides good protection from external mechanical influence. The thickness of the polyurethane layer is about 200 microns. For comparison, the thickness of the factory paint coating on a modern car is about 120–150 microns. The work of covering with such a film is expensive, on average 160–180 thousand rubles in Moscow per car. In addition, installing such a film is more labor-intensive compared to gluing vinyl. This requires special professionalism.

Vinyl film

Vinyl film (PVC) was once invented for advertising on cars. Under no circumstances should it be taken as a protective agent. This is not its purpose, although the thickness of high-quality types of vinyl reaches 90 microns. True, when wrapping a car, it inevitably stretches and in difficult places it can become thinner by about 40%. At best, it will protect the body from sandblasting, road reagents and, for example, light scratches from branches, but no more. On the other hand, such a film has a huge range of colors and textures, giving absolute freedom of action to car styling enthusiasts. In addition, during the life of the vinyl, you can forget about caring for the paintwork of the car, which means considerable expenses - for example, on. The average price tag for high-quality vinyl wrapping of an entire body in Moscow is 80–100 thousand rubles.

The plastic nature of PVC imposes a major limitation on the service life of such a film (on average 3–5 years). Over time, due to prolonged exposure to the sun, this material will heat shrink. In this case, in some places the film can warp, crack, peel off and rise on the edges of the body panels. PVC also does not tolerate temperature changes well. If you go to the car wash in severe frost, the film may crack during bath procedures. In addition, the plastic cover gets scratched quite quickly. This film does not absorb impacts from stones and breaks through.

What is the service life of the film?

The limited service life of vinyl is also due to the effect of the adhesive on the paintwork. After three to four years, it begins to actively eat into the top layer of varnish. This is especially pronounced on horizontal body panels (roof and hood), which are often located on. If you remove such a film after five years, then even with a professional approach it can come off in pieces, leaving noticeable marks on the varnish. The body will probably have to be polished.

It is also possible that the film will seriously damage the paintwork during dismantling. Most often, this happens when vinyl is glued to body parts that were painted in a service that violated the technology, or when the wrap has been on the car for too long, more than six years.

How to cover a car body with film?

When preparing the body before covering it with vinyl (for example, bitumen stains and traces of plants) large chips are masked. At the same time, hidden pockets of corrosion and other hidden damage to the paintwork may go unnoticed, because the master does not dismantle the body parts before pasting. However, as practice has shown, vinyl film does not accelerate the corrosion process, but does not slow it down either. So the time when it is possible to treat the sores, while escaping with little blood, will still be lost.

In theory, even an ordinary car enthusiast can cover the body of a car with vinyl. The main thing in this process is patience and accuracy. There are plenty of visual training videos on the Internet. The tools you need are the simplest. But, as practice shows, even after getting the hang of it, an amateur is unlikely to be able to do the job as efficiently as professionals do. The difference will be especially noticeable on parts with complex geometry. Most likely, it will not be possible to wrap an element with one piece of vinyl, make do with a minimum number of cuts and properly hide the edges of the film. But by sacrificing some aesthetics, you can save a tidy sum on work.

What if you repaint it?

The price tag for high-quality repainting of the entire car (including openings) in Moscow starts at about 100 thousand rubles. Saving on such serious work is fraught. But the new body enamel will last for many years if properly cared for. If the technology is followed, the service life of the repainted part will be no less than that of the factory coating.

When preparing the body for painting, a lot of attachments are removed from it, such as moldings and. That is, in addition to external defects, hidden damage and pockets of corrosion will certainly be discovered. But their elimination, as a rule, does not greatly affect the final cost of the work.

When done properly, the thickness of a new paint layer is always greater than the factory thickness. If there were no dents on the body, but only scratches and other cosmetic damage, then the layer of fresh enamel is on average 200–250 microns. A thicker paint “sandwich” does not bring with it any dividends or losses when operating the machine. The service coating will age and wear similar to the factory coating. Perhaps the only noticeable plus is that a thicker layer of varnish will allow you to make several additional approaches to abrasively polishing the body when necessary.

Painting work requires high qualifications and appropriate equipment. If you are not a professional, then don't even try to do it yourself. Not only do you need to be able to paint well, you also need to properly prepare the body. Even experienced craftsmen who perfectly know all the nuances sometimes have misfires, this is inevitable. Soil subsidence, debris ingress, visible boundaries of the repair zone on a body element, varnish rejection, reappearance of internal rust - this is not a complete list of possible problems.

What to choose?

When choosing between wrapping your car with vinyl film and painting, you should be guided by two simple facts.

Vinyl was originally invented as an element of exterior car styling. This is only a temporary wrap with a very limited lifespan. It only hides the tired paintwork. On the other hand, this solution allows you to give the iron horse the desired look and experiment with it cheaply. After all, if you wish, you can try to learn how to wrap a car on your own and not pay huge amounts of money to services. However, problems with the paintwork will still have to be resolved later or the price will increase when selling the car.

Repainting a car is an expensive and long-lasting investment. This solution will allow you to refresh the body for a long time, as well as treat emerging sores in a timely manner. The new paintwork will last no less than the factory one. The current owner is unlikely to have to invest in the appearance of the car, and when selling it, a refreshed body will be a good competitive advantage. And styling lovers can always choose a new color or even use several options.

Thus, body painting initially has a significant advantage compared to vinyl. And considering that the price of covering with film (provided you turn to professionals) is comparable to painting, the conclusion is obvious: a new paint coating is much more profitable than film.

We would like to thank ATDetailing and SunTek PRO detailing centers for their assistance in preparing the material.

In most cases, such work is carried out by professionals, since the process requires certain skills and experience, and is also quite labor-intensive. However, you can apply vinyl to a car yourself. To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the features of working with film, study the sequence of actions when gluing, and also purchase all the necessary materials.

Car vinyl - types, advantages and disadvantages

Auto vinyl is a polymer film that is applied to a car for decoration purposes. In addition to its aesthetic function, the film additionally protects the car from possible mechanical damage, burnout and corrosion.

There are several types of vinyl films:

• Colorless. Used mainly to protect the car from scratches and corrosion;
• Color films with a glossy or matte effect, which are an alternative to paint;
• Reflective. They create a pattern with an additional effect that will reflect light from the headlights at night;
• Light-accumulating. As the name suggests, such films accumulate light and allow the design to glow at night. This option is especially popular among racers and taxi drivers.
• Carbon film with a texture for the design of individual parts of the body and interior.
• Alcantara. Used primarily for decorating car interiors.

Before you get acquainted with the features of how to stick vinyl on a car, you need to understand the choice of high-quality vinyl film, which is determined by the following parameters:

• Manufacturer. One of the most important factors when choosing vinyl. Choosing film from manufacturers who use modern high-tech equipment in production and have a good reputation will save you from wasting time, money, and, importantly, nerves;
• Indicators of strength and elasticity of materials;
• Actual width. The wider the film, the fewer joints there will be on the surface of the car;
• Material thickness. The thinner the material, the more vulnerable it is to mechanical stress;
• Features of the adhesive layer and its type;
• Vinyl lifespan.

Car vinyl has become quite widespread, which is explained by its positive qualities:

• a relatively simple technology in which vinyl film is glued. You can do this with your own hands by familiarizing yourself with the specifics of the process and acquiring the necessary materials;
• changing the “appearance” of cars in a relatively short period of time;
• The vinyl covering is easy to remove if the end result does not live up to expectations. In this case, the surface of the car is not damaged;
• the opportunity to stand out from the “gray” mass;
• cheaper, and again, reversible result in comparison with airbrushing with a similar effect;
• the presence of additional protection for the surface of the car;
• a good option to hide minor errors on the surface - scratches, poor painting, etc.;
• high resistance to different weather conditions in case of proper gluing;
• Ultimately, the machine adds to the cost, because the film and the work itself are by no means free.

However, the coating also has disadvantages:

• low quality vinyl. The cheap Chinese calendered version does not adhere well, is easily scratched and does not last long;
• the difficulty of cleaning some types of film, especially those that have a certain embossed texture;
• if the car was not completely covered with vinyl, then after removing the film there will be a noticeable difference between the areas that were under the vinyl and the areas that were faded in the sun.

Methods for gluing vinyl

As for how to properly stick vinyl film, it directly depends on the chosen method of applying the film - wet and dry.

The first option is simpler. To do this, you should follow several sequential steps:

1. clean and completely degrease the required surface and measure out the required amount of film;
2. Next, you need to apply the prepared soap solution to the surface and to the inside of the film, having previously separated it from the paper;
3. Next, you should carefully apply the film to the surface and, using a spatula, remove any remaining water from under the film;
4. Next, the surface should be dried with a hairdryer and smoothed again using a squeegee.
5. The edges must be lubricated with primer, wait until it dries, after which you should fold the film heated with a hairdryer under the edges towards the primer.
6. Use a sharp knife to remove unnecessary parts of the film, and the car itself is left in a warm place for 12-24 hours.

You can stick vinyl on a car with your own hands using the dry method. This option is more effective, however, and more labor-intensive and time-consuming. To apply dry vinyl, you will need to do the following:

1. prepare in advance a dry room with a temperature of at least 22 degrees;
2. thoroughly wash and clean the car so that there are no traces of rust, deep scratches, etc. on its surface, and also degrease the surface using white spirit or another similar substance;
3. prepare in advance a sharp knife, a powerful hair dryer, preferably construction soap, soap solution, magnets or tape;
4. first you need to cut the required amount of film, separate the paper part from it and carefully fix the film on the surface;
5. Using a squeegee, it is necessary to smooth the lash from the center to the edges, avoiding the formation of wrinkles on the surface. If there are errors in the work, the film should be peeled off and repeated all over again;
6. Using a hairdryer, you need to evenly heat the surface of the film, avoiding overheating, and then smooth the surface again using a squeegee. You should not heat the film too much, it may simply melt and all the work will be in vain;
7. process the edges using a primer, as when gluing in the previous way;
8. After finishing the work, unnecessary parts of the film are carefully removed with a sharp knife, and the car remains indoors for 4-6 hours.

Important: after applying vinyl, the car should not be washed using rags and brushes for 2-5 days, and in a car wash for 7-10 days.

As for how to glue vinyl to a car, regardless of the method chosen, you should adhere to certain safety measures:

• since the process involves the use of chemically active substances, all work should be carried out only in well-ventilated areas;
• the room in which the work will be carried out must be dry and clean, but if the work is carried out in the fresh air, then this can only be done in calm weather, so that various debris does not get under the film;
• It is not advisable to apply gluing during rainfall; there is a high chance that the film will simply peel off.

The service life of the film depends on many factors: the quality of the material itself, proper care, etc. On average, taking into account our climate zone, the material can last 2-5 years or even more.

Pasting a car with vinyl is a real art that requires creativity, certain knowledge and skills, the necessary tools and materials, as well as patience. The process is quite labor-intensive, but quality work done will please not only the eye, but also the self-esteem.

How to glue vinyl? Video using the example of a Mitsubisi Lancer bumper:

Do you want to know everything about car painting? Read more useful articles:

• . How to paint it?
• . What does he look like?
• . We apply it ourselves.

Wrapping the car with modern vinyl film will help you change the color of your car and make it bright and stand out in traffic. The cost of such work is significantly less than painting, and the effect produced is at least no worse. Covering with film can be done either with your own hands or in various workshops with the help of experienced craftsmen. This work requires incredible painstakingness and certain skills, so it is better to start with small and least noticeable elements of the car’s design in order to understand the basic principles of the technology and gain professional skills. Car wrapping with film is becoming increasingly popular among car enthusiasts. It makes it quite easy to change the design of a car or turn it from a regular vehicle into a taxi or other special transport. Using multi-colored film or material with pictures and inscriptions, you can achieve unique coloring and design, making your car unusually impressive and attractive.

Key stages of work

Car wrapping, like any other work, requires serious preliminary preparation. Conventionally, all work can be divided into three main stages:

• preparation of material and tools;
• cleaning of surfaces to be pasted;
• covering the car with film.

The more thoroughly the surface of the body and other structural elements on which you plan to stick vinyl is prepared, the better the material will lie on it and it will be easier to cover them with high quality. Some people prefer to visit a car wash before starting work, but you can clean the vehicle yourself. Depending on the degree of contamination of the car, various solvents and soapy water may be needed. To make the surface perfect, you can use abrasive clay. It is necessary to clean not only the outer surfaces of the car, but also the structural areas of the body and interior where the edges of the vinyl film will be wrapped.

Required tools and materials

After the car is prepared, the wrapping begins. It can be done in two ways: on a wet or dry surface. The latter option provides an increased service life of the coating, but is difficult to implement and requires a lot of practical experience.

The dry film instantly sticks to the car and cannot be removed again. Therefore, there is only one attempt to correctly position a piece of material.

Pasting cars with film using a soap solution is easier to perform, and therefore is much more often used when doing work with your own hands. In this case, an incorrectly installed piece of material can be easily moved to the right place.

The disadvantage of this method is the formation of water bubbles between the film and the paintwork of the car, which require removal. This method allows you to stick relatively small pieces of material with high quality, which is ideal for decorating the body or hood with some kind of pattern or inscription. If you need to completely cover the car, you will need to very carefully drive all the water from under the film to the edges and remove it.

To do the work yourself, you will need to stock up on the following materials and tools:

• felt or rubber squeegee;
• scissors;
• scalpel or paper knife with snap-off blades;
• construction hair dryer;
• soft smooth rags;
• spray bottle filled with soap solution.

The result of the work largely depends on the quality of the tool, so the scissors and knife must be perfectly sharpened, and the squeegee must not scratch the film, so its felt or rubber variety will be more preferable. It is more convenient to use two types of tools: a felt squeegee is used for wet work, and a felt squeegee is used for final drying of the coating. Rags, napkins and other consumables used in the work must be clean and not leave marks on the surface to be pasted.

Sequence of actions when gluing the film

To ensure that your car wrapping is carried out efficiently, it is recommended to follow the following sequence of actions:

• the film is placed on the prepared surface of the machine, tried on and the required fragment is cut out of it;
• the protective backing is removed from the material;
• the surface of the car to be pasted is sprayed with a soap solution;
• the material is placed on the area to be decorated, smoothed from the center to the edges with a squeegee while heating with a hairdryer;
• After drying the coating, it is treated with a felt squeegee to expel any remaining air from under the film.

At the final stage, the remaining film is cut off, and the edges, after preheating with a hairdryer, are folded and glued to the internal surfaces of the machine structure. After completion of the work, the pasted car must stand in a warm room for at least a day, after which it is ready for use.

Drying with a hairdryer not only removes excess moisture, but also ensures a perfect fit of the material. For this reason, wrapping a car with film must be accompanied by thorough and uniform heating. During the process, polymerization occurs in the coating material and adhesive composition, which strengthens it, which ensures high-quality adhesion and the necessary hardness of the outer surface layer. However, it is not recommended to wash the car during the first week after the wrap is done.

In the future, when washing the car, you should not use abrasive products that can damage the glossy surface.

If you have any doubts about your ability to do the wrapping yourself, then there are many auto repair shops and showrooms that can carry out this procedure efficiently, selecting the appropriate coating material and developing the vehicle design of interest.

Many car enthusiasts still consider the wrapping process to be something incredibly complicated and impossible to repeat in their own garage. We decided to debunk this myth and provide you with a short introductory instruction, following which you can stick the car wrap yourself.

Film selection

In fact, the selection process is purely individual and the decisive factor is the idea of ​​the car owner, his idea of ​​what the car should look like after wrapping. Modern films provide a truly extensive range that can satisfy almost any customer’s requirements and wishes. It is worth noting that it will be easiest to work with film that has special air channels. When working with such material, you do not risk leaving air under the film due to inexperience.

The appearance of the film also has some features. Matte surfaces require more careful care, since dust will accumulate in the porous structure of the film surface. Glossy films do not collect dust on their surface, but if dirty, they require gentler cleaning to avoid scratches, which can completely “kill” the shine. Textured car vinyl, imitating various natural materials (for example, leather), in addition to its spectacular appearance, has another interesting property - film thickness. Due to its greater thickness, this film provides better protection of the body from external influences.

How to glue car vinyl

First of all, you need to acquire the necessary tools. We have no doubt that you can use what is at hand, but the likelihood of defects and the complexity of the process in this case will be significantly higher.

Required tools and materials:

• Good knife (stationery, scraper, feather)
• Squeegee, forcing, scraper (rubber spatulas)
• Solution of detergent and water (1:10)
• Good quality masking tape (cheap ones will leave glue on the body)
• Construction hair dryer
• In the case of hard material - stitching roller

The tools are ready, the film has been purchased, all that remains is to decide how we will glue it. There are two options - dry and wet. If you are trying to paste with film for the first time, it is better to start with a wet one, which will allow you to quickly eliminate defects. Professionals choose the dry method.

Wet vinyl wrapping

• All surfaces to be applied must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt and degreased. Even small particles of dirt will prevent the film from completely sticking to the surface in places of contamination, which will subsequently lead to peeling of the film from the body.
• For convenience and accuracy of positioning, we use the simplest method - we apply the vinyl to the body and use masking tape to make marks along the edges.
• We water the surface with the soap solution we prepared. Unlike plain water, such a solution will allow us to move the film if we suddenly miss its position. An important point - you need to carefully check that not a single area remains dry.
• We separate the vinyl from the base and stick it to the surface of the car. If the surface is large, it will be difficult to cope alone. It's better to call an assistant.
• From the center of the film, using a rubber spatula, roll the film out to the edges. When working on curved surfaces, use a hair dryer, slightly heating the material.
• Use forcing to remove air from under the film. In most cases, gluing defects occur at corners and bends. They deserve special attention. If folds appear in the same place and it is not possible to remove them by forcing, warm this area more thoroughly with a hairdryer.
• After the entire film has been applied and smoothed, we give it 15-20 minutes to deform from tension. After this, we take a soft pad on the squeegee (felt, suede) and finally smooth out the coating.
• The final stage is removing excess material using a knife. If possible, do not cut the vinyl directly along the edge, leaving a small space for folding and tucking the edge under the elements.

Dry vinyl wrapping

• There are not many fundamental differences from the wet pasting method. Let us remind you that the dry method requires experience and will not forgive you for mistakes.
• Unlike the wet method, the dry method does not use any solutions, as a result of which you will not be able to change the position of the film. The film is applied to a dry, grease-free surface. All smoothing actions exactly repeat the previous option.
• In the case of air bubbles and folds, peel off the film and smooth it again.
• The edges and bends must be treated with a primer for auto vinyl. The primer will significantly enhance the adhesion of the film and the body.

Caring for a car tuned with auto vinyl

• After pasting the body, care will have its own characteristics, which are important to know about so as not to spoil all the previous work.
• In the first 7 days, it is not recommended to wash the car or drive at a speed of more than 60 km/h. This is due to the process of slow drying of the adhesive layer in an environment isolated from air. By neglecting these tips, you can initiate the process of peeling off the film.
• It is necessary to wash a car covered with film with water whose temperature does not exceed 35 degrees. You should warn about this at the car wash. The ideal option is to wash the car yourself.
• If the car body has been painted or primed, then at least 30 days must pass before it is covered with auto vinyl.
• When applying car vinyl, it is necessary to take into account the temperature and weather conditions (if gluing it outdoors). Minimum temperature +10 degrees. The weather is calm.
• Avoid washing and cleaning with brushes and abrasives. Vinyl categorically does not accept such methods.
• Most importantly, try not to leave your car in direct sunlight for long periods of time. Even the most expensive vinyl will gradually fade and lose color.

If it is difficult for you to understand in text form what and how to do, you can watch a detailed video on how to glue car wrap with your own hands.