whats the best way to go about wrapping a van?

[Robert Lambie]

quote :

Has anyone got any advice on the best way to go about this or does anyone know of any good web-sites that explain it?

the demo area on this site has enough info to give you a good start to doing a vehicle wrap.

vehicle wrapping is considered hard by some, only because they dont like applying vinyl dry. other than a dry application, they think that all it intails is to heat and stretch the vinyl into a valley/recess. this, i can tell you is not tha case.
vehicle wraps can have all sorts of come backs if not applied properly, proper vinyl being used etc etc.
i have shown as much as much of the theory side of things as i can in a still picture demo. other than that its a very hands on, trial and error progress thing.

[Andy Gorman]

First thing, you will struggle on your own. A full van wrap takes at least 2 people. If you’ve never attempted a wrap before you will struggle unless you get some practice first. Do you know anyone who has done this before who can show you some of the techniques? Another thing is the material you are going to use, I have only used Kpmf (VWS) and found it very easy to use. But some people use regular cast vinyl which I imagine is a lot more difficult.

Also allow yourself plenty of time, a full wrap on something like a transit sized van will take you 2 days if it is your first attempt.

I must repeat this: you need to practice before attempting a full vehicle. It isn’t difficult but the techniques are a little different to regular vinyl application.

Whereabouts are you?

[Robert Lambie]

some good advice mate…

vinyl is important. cast will apply like a wrap but i dont think it distorts, stretches etc like wrap vinyl. it also has better memory than wrap!

quote :

It isn’t difficult but the techniques are a little different to regular vinyl application.

I wouldn’t say that mate. Car wings, back corners of vans matching up with sides, roofs, weird shaped bonnets/boots. All very tricky and not something i bet most general vinyl applicators will have experienced.

some of the new vans on the road these days are pretty flat, but corners wings, bubbled bonnets etc can be a nightmare! 😮

😮 😮

[Andy Gorman]

I agree, my experience is mainly using unprinted VWS. Therefore I haven’t had to worry too much about alignment issues. I’ve never used anything other than the KPMF material and I must say you can get away with almost anything; curved wings are a doddle, even the recesses and curves on bumpers can be done. When using cast vinyl can it be pulled back and reapplied or do you only get one go at it?

Also, using printed material, how important is the order you apply the pieces in? Would you start in the centre and work outwards?

[Mark Candlin]

You can usually break down the job into bits to make it easier for yourself.
Depending on the vehicle look for natuaral breaks like doors and panel creases etc and design accordingly. That way you only have to do a small part at a time.
When designing the art work give about 2″ – 3 ” overlap on each panel to allow for mistakes and alignment.

Use the best materials, you dont want to re-do a wrap 6 months down the line…..all that vinyl to take off!! yuch.

Its easier with 2 ,but I do wraps on my own all the time.
A good trick when working alone is to support the top of the vinyl with a yard stick. It will keep it flat and taunt so you can concentrate on using you squeege.

Never do wraps wet.
Make sure you clean all those nooks and cranies, any grease and the vinyl will fail.
Get a feel for how much heat to give the vinyl before you start.

Try wraping something challenging before you start, like a football !!

Make sure you clean under the wheel arches to.
Most vinyl failures occur by the whhelarches. I usually rub some clear mastic on the vinyl edge under the wheel arches.

Read Robs excelent demo of wrapping the back of a Toyota pick-up with yellow vinyl, all the info you need is right there.

Good luck and enjoy it.

[Robert Lambie]

some very good advice mark 😉

All the printed and screen printed stuff I have done have never been 100% covered. 85% or less
Having said that, I have applied round all corners, bonnets, wings, roofs etc many times.
Every different type of vehicles is a learning curve.
You’re right about the cast! VWS is easy to apply even without app tape. I expect this is how you applied yours, without tape. It’s a thick feeling vinyl that “like you said” can be pulled back and re-applied even when heated. Cast you could not. Well you could but would stretch it to bits, even snap & leave glue. If I was asked what I would recommend using for the first ever wrap. Ide say the VWS. If I wanted to wrap a vehicle and basically leave it that way for many years to come. Ide go for MACtac. I feel far more convinced its staying put! (I personally feel mactac v-wrap will stretch further) just my opinion…
I’m assuming when you say you applied lots of VWS and it was one colour this would be for the police? All white? (“All white?” not meant in the Michael Barrymore accent)
A big downside for VWS is it only has a small colour range. About 10 I think it also only comes in two widths..
MACtac has about 30 odds & comes in the normal standard widths. .
With regards to digiprints. I think it’s down to how you have the vinyl printed.
In my experience the joins of a panel should land on the seam or the join of a door.
“Showing no joins” so if panel 1 is for the wing then that’s were it goes. And so on..
The panels should also have about 3 inches of overlap so you have something to pull on/hold. Having said that.. The telewest order we did was on 3M controltac it was both digi print and screen. The joins landed smack in the middle of a panel. (Horrible)
The graphics were applied were the drawing showed they should be applied exactly.
When doing this. I applied from the rear section wrapping around to the back.
The back didn’t need to meet exactly so lining up was never a big issue.
If applied from the middle out but centring the largest section on the panel. Cut away at joins then apply the next. Using the large overlap to match up the print exactly.
You have to also take into account “before lifting a finger” how the rear will line up with each side. If the passenger side is 1 inch lower than the driver side then when you apply the rear it will sit squint. Another factor that helps is if the rear quarter panels. (Slim join on the corners at rear) are designed in a fashion to compensate for inaccurate overlapping..) This way if you start in the middle towards the rear then any excess vinyl can be cut away/lost on the bend without it affecting the rears appearance.

Hope this all made sense.. I started to get lost myself there!
😕 😉

[Rod Gray]

Rob,

I`m doing my first ever wrap at the beginning of next week on another of the f****** “Abnormal Load” vans.

I`ve never tried it before but feel confident enough having read some excellent advice on these boards. i`m only doing the read of the van but already i`m dreading these corner contours as the vinyl has to “extend, unbroken, 300mm along the side of the vehicle from the rear”

The colour i need is almost identical to Oracal 751 Signal Yellow so i was wondering if KPMF done a similiar colour in this VWS range.

Also who would be our local supplier here in lanarkshire?.

Cheers

Rod

p.s. Big G if your reading this, are you busy next week? 🙁

[Alan Drury]

Robert Horne/Coxplastic 01604 673434 sent me a cd with a movie on it showing a wrap being done – very informative, bit scary for the first one I would imagine.
Alan

[Rod Gray]

Thanks Alan,

I`m not 100% sure Robert Horne/Cox do KPMF tho, could be wrong tho.

i`ll give them a call and see what they have.

Cheers

Rod

[Andy Gorman]

http://www.kpmfdirect.co.uk/

I think they are in Lichfield.

(Very busy next week, sorry)

[Robert Lambie]

hi rod.. i would say go for mactac v-wrap mate.. for this type of thing. its more difficult to apply but i think it is the better of the two for various reasons. definatley kpmf if its short life.. as in year or two then to be stripped.

with mactac, best tip is a warm room. it basicaly helps in every way.

call amari plastics they are in uddingston. if you need number etc call us and ill tell one of the girls to give you the details.
if you need anything else mate ill try call you back, but you know me.. im never in during the day & late home at night 😕 😉

[Rod Gray]

Hi Rob.

i`ll give amari a call.

Thanks for the reply

Rod