Vinyl wraps are basically a thin colored sticker that is applied to your vehicle.
The colors are printed onto the surface on the vinyl, and most do not come with any kind of topcoat. Leaving it completely exposed to the elements. Vinyl is designed to be a temporary addition to a vehicle. To either add stripes or change the color. Though most people who spend the money on a full car color change wrap don’t want to remove it after 6 months to a year.
Often what we see is vinyl wraps damaged from the elements and UV rays. Either rusting, spotting, swirled, or faded. It can take as little as a few weeks for an outdoors only vinyl wrapped vehicle to go bad. A well maintained and garage kept vehicle with vinyl will last longer.
View our Vinyl FAQ
Paint Protection Film
The best option you’re going to come across is wrapping paint protection film over the vinyl if possible. This will add a layer of protection not just from rock chips and swirls, but also for elemental and UV damage. It will preserve the vinyl wrap for as long as it covers it.
This is also going to be the most expensive option. Paint protection film is not a cheap product and requires a skilled installer. It’s a good option if you want the vinyl to be a more permanent thing. The top clear bra’s come with a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty, offering long-term protection. Learn more about Paint Protection Film.
Ceramic Coating
One of the newer options on the market is ceramic coatings designed specifically to be applied to vinyl wraps or clear bras. This coating is effectively adding a clear coat to the vinyl wrap.
Ceramic coatings are about 10x stronger than an automotive clear coat. They also offer UV resistance, and hydrophobic properties to bead water off the surface. While this is less tested it will still offer some protection to the vinyl wrap, and certainly more than nothing will offer.
It is also a less expensive option, and probably the least expensive option available. It isn’t permanent though. The coating will need to be reapplied every 3-4 years depending on how the vehicle is maintained.
Learn more about Ceramic Coating.
Over-Laminates
When ordering vinyl from manufacturer’s you can have an over-laminate applied to it as well. The issue we have seen with this is large pieces of debris stuck between the two layers. Once there is debris in-between the layers there is nothing that can be done.
In theory, the additional layer should help to protect the vinyl film. Though this option does not offer UV protection and is not as resistant to the elements as ceramic coatings or clear bras are.
New on Market: Black Paint Protection Film
For years the only options for colored wraps was Vinyl. Now we are starting to see colored Paint Protection Film options.
Comments
I like that you explained how a lot of these methods should be done by a professional if you want it to look nice. My son just bought a sports car that he wants to wrap in a new design. I’ll share your article with him so that he learns more about how to properly wrap the vehicle so it looks good and lasts a long time.
Great post. Mostly people do not know how to take care of the vinyl wraps. This post is really worth reading.
Is your ceramic coating a spray on coating? Can I purchase to install myself?
Hi. True ceramic coating is not a spray, it is a liquid applied with a special applicator to the paint. It is not recommended to install it yourself unless you are very comfortable with detailing the vehicle yourself or familiar with the coating. It does have a short flash time to work with.
There are spray on coatings. However those do not last as long as ceramic coatings and do not offer the same level of protection.