New look in a few hours - wrapping the vehicle!

Reading time 11 Min.

Recently updated on August 31, 2022 at 09:40 am

Would you like to change the color of your car because you want something new? Or should the factory paint simply be protected from stone chips and other weather influences? You don't necessarily have to spend money on an elaborate paint job, the car can also be wrapped in foil and then shines in a new shine and in the desired color. We clarify all questions about car wrapping for you.

new look with chic foiling

The following is an overview of the various sections in this article. They are clickable Jump labels:

1. Car foiling: the different options.
2. The foiling: how does it work?
3. Cost: What does the car wrapping cost?
4. How much time does it take to wrap a car?
5. Can every car be wrapped in film?
6. Is it possible to wrap a car yourself?
7. Can you also wrap motorbikes?
8. Which car foils are there?
9. How do you recognize a high-quality car film?
10. Can you also wrap car windows?
11. Full vehicle wrapping a permanent solution?
12. What are the disadvantages of foiling?
13. Wrong foiling equals fine?
14. How is the foiled car cleaned?
15. Tutorials / instructions for wrapping (including additional articles)
16. This is how a vehicle wrap is removed!

the cheap alternative to expensive painting

If someone wants to change the exterior of their car, they don't have to have an expensive, new paint job done right away. The alternative is foiling, the so-called "Car wrapping". The car is covered with a specially developed film. This can be done completely or only partially. And such a film can be removed again at any time. Well-known film manufacturers usually give a 5-7 year guarantee on the product. This also includes peeling or fading of the film. Wrapping a car has a number of advantages over painting: Lower costs and Protection of the original paint e.g. from stone chips and scratches. More information about this is available in our article on Steinschlagschutzfolierung. When you sell your vehicle, you have a good chance of getting a better price if the paintwork is intact. Foiling helps! Foiling can make your own car unique and you can let your imagination run wild with almost no limits. You can use a company car for example traveling advertising poster remodel if you rely on a car wrapping with appropriate information about your company.

Car foils: the different possibilities.

• The car wrapping: With car wrapping, a plastic film is applied to a large area of ​​the vehicle. The special film is self-adhesive and also particularly elastic. A 3D bond on the vehicle ensures high elasticity. Digital printing enables car wrapping films to be individually printed according to customer requirements.
• The partial foiling: With partial foiling, the vehicle is only partially glued. For example, a film is only applied to the bonnet, the sides, the exterior mirrors or the roof. Official vehicles like ambulance or Police vehicles is identified by a corresponding partial film.
• The branding: Branding is the lettering of the vehicle. It can be used on vehicles that have already been foiled or completely re-applied.
• The paint protection film: The paint protection film is selected if you want to protect your car from scratches and stone chips, for example. Often you only cover the front area with the protective film. This film is up to 3 times thicker than the simple car wrapping film, so it is more resistant. The film is available in two versions, matt and glossy transparent. This paint protection film can be applied as loading sill protection and on entrances. (Back to overview)

The foiling: how does it work?

Wrapping a vehicle is basically carried out in four steps. In principle, almost all vehicles or just individual components and countless interior components can be foiled.

1. Step: Before foiling, the vehicle must be washed, without polishing or wax, so that the film adheres well.
2. Step: The car is cleaned again with the film so that the film does not come off later. This professional cleaning takes about 2 hours. Then the smaller body parts are dismantled, such as taillights, door handles, bumpers and, if possible, other components such as the doors, the bonnet or the tailgate. In this way, the film can be glued more precisely and areas that are difficult to access, such as the entrances, can easily be covered with film.
3. Step: The vehicle is measured and the film is roughly cut. First, details such as the recesses for the fog lights or the air inlets are processed. The film is then placed on the surface to be glued and then smoothed onto the vehicle using a squeegee. It is important that the formation of bubbles is avoided. Meanwhile, the film is heated to approx. 70 to 85 degrees with a hot air dryer. That makes it more flexible and so it can be optimally adapted to the car.
4. Step: Any protruding film residues are then precisely cut off with a cutter knife. Then you put them over the edges and work them into small cracks. Finally, the slide sealed and the vehicle is polished to a shine using a special agent. Caution: The vehicle that has just been foiled must not be cleaned in the car wash for 2 to 3 weeks, as the foil can peel off again. (Back to overview)

Cost: What does the car wrapping cost?

Wrapping the car saves you a lot of money compared to repainting. The full car wrap costs from 2500 to 5000 euros, a paint job, however, costs 6000 - 8000 euros. The price depends in any case on the selected workshop, the vehicle model, the customer's wishes and the film or paint.
It is advisable to drive to the workshop, where a film wrapper will look at the vehicle, assess the condition of its paintwork and determine whether preparatory work such as removing scratches is necessary. The price is determined after the personal consultation. (Back to overview)

How much time does the wrapping take?

The foiling lasts from a few hours up to 5 days. Of course, this always depends on the vehicle, the effort and the special request for the foiling. After the film has been applied, the vehicle is left to stand for one night so that the adhesive receives its full adhesive strength. (Back to overview)

Can every car be wrapped in film?

Basically, any vehicle can be foiled. With this procedure, almost everything is possible, starting with full wrapping up to partial wrapping. However, in the case of a vehicle with a rare or old paint (oldtimer), it is important to note that the foiling is carried out on an inconspicuous place for the test. This can prevent undesirable reactions between the paint and the adhesive in the film. You can also test the removal of the film and check whether the paint can withstand the procedure at all. And if you want, you can also wrap the interior parts of a car, such as the center console or parts of the dashboard (trim strips, etc.). Even small changes to the vehicle can be made for a small amount! Attention: Some interior materials cannot be wrapped in foil well. A coated plastic is such an example. It is possible that the film simply does not adhere to it. Ask a professional whether the gluing can be done inside the car. (Back to overview)

Is it possible to wrap a car yourself?

When wrapping larger components or even a complete vehicle, you should trust the professionals. The employees in the specialist workshops know how to handle the car film very well. You also have the very important rooms that are dust-free. This ensures that air inclusions and errors due to excessive dust exposure can be prevented. A room in which a car is covered with foil should also be 16-25 ° C. When removing the film, you should also trust experienced, well-trained film operators. If you still want to wrap your vehicle yourself, you should have a helper at your side. Make sure to avoid the following mistakes:

• Do not let the film get too hot, because then there may be unsightly shiny or faded areas.
• Always cut out the foil generously.
• Assemble body parts such as exterior mirrors, door handles and others that interfere with a film.
• Test the gluing of the film in advance!
• Only use suitable tools such as a squeegee, knifeless tape, adhesive paper tape etc.
• Choose a high quality film because it lasts longer and is easier to work with. (Back to overview)

Can you also wrap motorbikes?

Of course, motorcycles can also be foiled. Here, too, it is important to dismantle as many parts as possible and wrap them individually. Usually this should be easier than on a car. Due to the design, however, a motorcycle has smaller surfaces with more curves, beads and edges. Wrapping a motorcycle is therefore usually more complicated. Here you should consider whether painting might not be the better choice. (Back to overview)

Which vehicle foils are there anyway?

You can choose between extruded and calendered film. Both have plastisols as their starting material. These are solid granules. This contains pigments, additives and plasticizers as additives. The calendered films are soft films that have been developed for short-term use, such as for promotional campaigns. The advantage of calendered films is that they are very thick. They are particularly suitable for 2D bonding. The production costs for this are rather low. One of the disadvantages of these foils is that they are very difficult to pull over beads or around edges. Due to the heavy loss of plasticizer, this film quickly becomes brittle. It therefore tears quickly.

The starting material for cast films are liquid organosols that are added as additives in the manufacturing process. The advantage of cast films is that such a film is particularly thin. The layer thickness of this film is also uniform and it has a high degree of flexibility. The cast film is therefore very well suited for 3D foiling. The disadvantage is their expensive manufacturing process. (Back to overview)

How do I recognize a high-quality car film?

In order to recognize a high quality film, you have to look pretty carefully. If the used film is unsuitable, the film begins to shrink and this on your vehicle or it wrinkles. In the worst case, it becomes detached from your vehicle. For this reason, you should take a very close look at the following places on your vehicle:

• The body gaps on the doors
• The body gaps on the trunk
• The body gaps on the bonnet
• The body gaps on the exterior mirrors
• The body gaps on the wheel arches / fenders
• The body gaps on the license plate indentations

You should also take a closer look at individually printed foils. The printed image is often distorted and out of focus on inferior foils if the foil is unevenly stretched. With a matt film, it is important that it has a homogeneous gloss level. If a film is stretched and overheated, shiny areas are created. The matt foiling must not look polished. (Back to overview)

Can you also wrap car windows?

The answer to this question can be found in Section 40 (1) of the StVZO, which reads: "Panes made of safety glass, which are important for the driver's view, must be clear, translucent and free of distortion.“Foiling is allowed on the rear side windows and the rear window. A tint strip approx. 10 cm wide is also allowed. For this, however, you need a corresponding general type approval (§ 22 a StVTO) and this is issued by a testing institute. Stickers on your windshield shouldn't cover more than a quarter of the window surface. We have more information on this in our contribution to window tinting and on the subject Shade at top collected. (Back to overview)

Full vehicle wrapping a permanent solution?

The disadvantage of full vehicle wrapping is its durability. A car film has a very short lifespan compared to classic paint. It can crack and peel off over time. In addition, the surface can become dull and the colors can fade. It is not possible to polish up a film because the surface is softer than that of the paint. Depending on the quality of the film and the stress on the vehicle, the film must be removed after 2 to 10 years. A permanent solution is painting. (Back to overview)

What are the disadvantages of foiling?

If, for example, it is a question of partial foiling, the previously foiled and the non-foiled areas may differ in color after the foil has been removed. The paint under the film was always protected with the film, the open areas, on the other hand, were exposed to the weather. They may look faded after peeling off the film. Even the color can then differ. This difference does not even out in the course of the following years. (Back to overview)

Does wrong foiling cost a fine?

If you do not adhere to the legally stipulated rules for wrapping car windows, you will face a corresponding fine. You face the following penalties:

• Limited view due to tinted car windows - 10 EUR warning fee
• You do not carry the type approval with a - 10 EUR warning fee
• The vehicle was not properly equipped and put into operation - 25 EUR warning fee
• Impairment of road safety by a vehicle that is not properly equipped - 90 EUR fine and 1 point in Flensburg
• Headlights covered with foil - 20 EUR warning fee
  Other road users are at risk - 25 EUR warning fee
• with property damage - 35 EUR fine
• You are traveling without an operating permit - 50 EUR warning fee
• and have endangered traffic safety - 90 EUR fine and 1 point in Flensburg

In our post on the Headlight tuning and on the subject Approval / Part approval we have collected even more information in this regard. Because many do not know that, for example, the so-called Chrome foil is prohibited on the vehicle in this country. Generally the current one delivers Bußgeldkatalog the most important answers to questions about car tuning. (Back to overview)

How is the foiled car cleaned?

With foiled vehicles there are only few differences compared to normal cleaning. However, depending on the type of contamination, the following must be observed:

• Coarse soiling: You should rinse the film with plenty of water. You should only use a commercial high-pressure cleaner with max. Apply 60% of his power.
• A safety distance of approx. 30 - 50 cm from the foil must be observed. You must not point the water jet directly at the edges of the foil.
• Cleaning with hand wash: A lot of water is also important when hand washing. Use mild cleaning agents that are made without additives. It is also important that you do not use wax on matt or texturing foils. Otherwise there is a risk of stains!
• Cleaning in the car wash: only look for a car wash that has textile washing elements. Nylon brushes may leave fine scratches on the surface of the film.
  Important: Do not select washing programs with a hot wax option. It could cause stains that are difficult to remove on matt, structured film surfaces.
• Basically, no major mistakes happen when drying. We recommend drying a car wrapped in foil immediately after washing it. Use a soft, absorbent microfiber cloth for this. This avoids water stains.
• More information about the Cleaning and Care can be found in our article "The correct care of foiled / partially foiled vehicles!“ (Back to overview)

Tutorials / instructions for foiling!

In the following article we will go into more detail about the wrapping of the vehicle or just some components. There is a small one at the bottom of the article Instructions like the foiling in broad trains has to expire and what needs to be considered.

Wrap corners and edges correctly - instructions

Wrap the car yourself

 

This is how the professionals wrap - give the car a new skin!

(Back to overview)

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