Comprehensive Guide to Car Wrap Removal
Introduction
The trends in car wraps are always shifting and evolving into the next badass look. And unlike paint jobs, car wraps are practical to remove allowing you to rather easily stay up to date with the current looks. That being said, car wraps need to be properly removed; bad removal practices can lead to exterior damages to your vehicle. Are you going to be the person who damaged their car through car wrap removal? Read on to get the important tidbits that will help you safely and securely remove your car wrap.Enter to Win a Free Wrap for your Vehicle!
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Understanding Car Wraps
Car wraps themselves are essentially an adhesive film that can coat the outside of a vehicle. Material-wise, there are generally two options:
- Carbon fiber
- Vinyl
These films come in a litany of colors and patterns, which gives you the ultimate power to customize your vehicle’s aesthetic all while protecting the exterior shell of your car. Car wraps not only make your car look good short term, but your car will also depreciate significantly slower when outfitted with a wrap.
Identifying When Your Car Wrap Needs Removal
Even if you absolutely adore your car wrap design, there will come a time years down the road when you’ll need to replace it. When you start to see any peeling, or especially any cracks in your car wrap, it’s likely time to remove that wrap and start fresh. Not only does a damaged car wrap make your vehicle look older and crusty, but old wraps also become harder to remove and open up the potential to cause damage to the paint underneath.
Carbon Fiber
Carbon fiber wraps are known for being stronger and more durable than the vinyl competition. The nature of carbon fibers themselves gives this style of wrapping these properties. However, these same strong fibers can be harder to work with and can be more problematic for repairs and removal.
Vinyl Wraps
Vinyl wraps, on the other hand, will still protect your vehicle, but generally falls second in raw durability to carbon fiber. However, vinyl is easier to work, repair, remove, and replace.
Scratches
Scratches are a natural part of driving your vehicle. Other cars and debris on the road are seemingly always looking to knick what you have. A vinyl wrap not only protects your car from these scratches, but also can be easily addressed on your vinyl without needing full replacement. A skilled vinyl artist can attack your scratch and replace the area to have your car looking good as new!
Fading
As sun damage begins to accumulate, any vinyl wrap or paint job will begin to fade. This means that designs and lettering will become harder to distinguish by people passing by and is typically a sign that you wrap needs to be replaced. A faded wrap is a wrap well-lived, but now would be the time to replace it with a new wrap to keep eyes on your vehicle.
Stained
Uncleaned contaminants on your vehicle’s wrap will eventually lead to stains if not treated soon enough. Like stains on a shirt, vinyl stains take away from the clean image that vinyl usually offers. With enough stains, we recommend replacing that wrap and starting over with something new.
Bubbling
Bubbling is not uncommon to see on vinyl wraps, but is usually an easy fix. When there isn’t total adhesion between wrap and car, bubbling occurs. Using additional heat and squeegee practices can be a quick fix for some instances. Bring your car to an experienced vinyl wrapper to allow them to quickly fix any bubbling, no replacement required.
Peeling
Peeling is inevitable with a vinyl wrap, but with proper care, you shouldn’t expect to see any peeling for years to come. Peeling occurs overtime or as uncleaned dirt and debris work their way under the wrap damaging the seal between your vehicle and the wrap. For small peel jobs, cleaning and reapplying in that area can be a quick fix, but for larger sections peeling, complete replacement is the best approach.
Can I repair or do I need full removal?
Depending on the type of damage, the extent of damage, and where the damage is located will all factor into whether you can repair your wrap or need full replacement. Bringing your car to a vinyl professional is the best practice in this regard as they can quickly determine the extent of the damage and potentially even fix your issue on the spot.
Assembling Your Car Wrap Removal Toolkit
When removing a car wrap, there are some essential tools to quickly and safely perform the job. This includes:
- Heat gun
- Plastic scraper
- Cleaning solution
- Adhesive residue remover
- Spray bottle
- Goggles and gloves (PPE)
- Cloth
Safety for you and your car are of the utmost importance throughout this process. Be aware of the heat gun and heated materials, especially with carbon fiber, which generally has to be hotter. Your plastic scraper should not be sharp, this not only poses a threat to the holder, but to the car underneath. Gloves can protect you from any chemicals being used and goggles are always recommended to battle dust and debris that will be present.
Step-by-Step Guide to Car Wrap Removal
Preparation
Gather all your tools and safety equipment at the beginning and have everything ready to go. Set aside a good amount of time; this process is detail oriented and shouldn’t be rushed. Clean the exterior of your car. Be sure that if you wash, that you dry your entire vehicle before beginning. A clean exterior will make the removal process easier.
Process of Removing Vinyl Wrap
Start by selecting a corner, especially one that is experiencing peeling, and going over it with your heat gun. As the adhesive gets heated up, the vinyl will begin to separate from the shell of your vehicle. Utilize the plastic scraper to get at the point of adhesion to further help pull off the wrap.
Continue this process across the vehicle. When you’ve heated a section, you can firmly grab the peeled edges and pull to remove. Keep an even tension across the wrap to make the process easier by avoiding any rips. If a section is providing a lot of resistance, try heating it again.
After the wrap is removed, there will certainly be some left over adhesive residue on various places on your car. You can use adhesive removing solution or isopropyl alcohol to remove this residue and any other debris on your car to make it look clean and as good as new.
Process of Removing Carbon Fiber
Removing a carbon fiber is quite similar to the process we just outlined above, however, carbon fiber wraps will be more difficult to work with and will generally take more time to accomplish the same task.
With carbon fiber, take the time to thoroughly heat the wrap to allow for easier removal. Carbon fiber will fight back more and thus, requires more patience to work across the surface area. Utilize the same plastic scraper you use for a vinyl wrap to help pry at the point of adhesion. Don’t forget to remove any leftover debris or residue that remains after the carbon fiber has been removed.
Deciding When to Hire a Profession for Car Wrap Removal
Car wrap removal can sometimes be a DIY kind of job. However, sometimes there is no alternative to professional help. A professional hand is especially important in instances where the car wrap is damaged. If a wrap is sun-baked on and peeling from old age, a professional is the best bet. Damaged wraps can turn into flakes making the removal process for an inexperienced hand very tedious and error prone.
One thing is for sure, with a professional job, you don’t have to worry about any leftover wrap or adhesive residue on your vehicle. They will return your car looking sparkling clean making your life easy: what wrap do you want next?!
For the best removal jobs, seek out places that apply car wraps too. These people will understand the nuances of vinyl wraps and the process surrounding removal. These places will have your car immediately ready for its next aesthetic change!
Taking Care of Your Car After Wrap Removal
Cleaning your car after wrap removal is extra important. Especially, if you’re doing a DIY removal, to make sure there isn’t any debris or adhesive remaining. Understand now too that you’re back without a wrap; like a phone without a case.
But if your car is clean, dry, and recovered, you are ready for a new wrap! If you get professional removal, that place may be able to outfit you with your next wrap. If you did a DIY job, you may have the tools required to toss another wrap on. A totally clean car exterior following removal, though, is the starting place to any new wrap on that car.
FAQ
Absolutely. If done incorrectly, there are opportunities to do damage to the underlying paint of your vehicle. This is why we recommend that those old, pesky car wraps that are difficult work to remove best be left to professionals.
Depending on the brand of wrap you have, how well it was installed, and how well you treat it, the typical lifespan for a car wrap is anywhere between four to seven years before they need to be removed and replaced.
Essentially, yes. Replace isn’t quite the right word, but a professional place can rather quickly remove your wrap and install a new one for you to enjoy. With proper removal, you can continuously change your wrap design.
Conclusion
With the right tools and patience, you can DIY remove a car wrap. However, there are instances, such as extreme old age, where wrap removal is best left to professionals for the sake of your car.
The fact is, vinyl wraps don’t ruin your car’s exterior unless you don’t take the proper care in removal. These same damages that can be caused can further complicate rewrapping your vehicle as well. For best results, professional wrap removal is best.
If you have an old or damaged car wrap on your vehicle right now, what are you waiting for? Get your tools or contact a professional today! An old car wrap does nothing but become more difficult to remove as time goes on. Get rid of that old wrap and get a new one installed to give your car all new life!
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