#3m vinyl wrap for car how to
#3m vinyl wrap for car full
#3m vinyl wrap for car professional

Practice on a piece of scrap to get a feel for how much heat you can apply. To eliminate it, pull the film taut by sticking it to another part of the car (top of the bumper bar in this case), then run over the edge with a heat gun and the film’s memory will make the gather disappear. This would transfer to the underside if not smoothed out. Note the gathered film under the front lip of the bonnet. Once the surface is fully contacted, run over it with the heat gun this promotes adhesion and causes any trapped air to pop up as visible bubbles. It is possible to squeegee it out with the applicator but this risks creasing the film, which is harder to remove. The trick is to progressively tap it out with your fingertip. To show how big a bubble can be removed, the boys deliberately created this huge blister. Getting the material as smooth as possible before starting to work it simplifies the job. Here, working forwards would be problematic but working from the top of the ridge towards the edge is quite effective. When doing this, keep in mind where and how the film will ‘gather’. The film’s natural stretch allows it to be easily worked into recesses like this. Notice how the wrap bridges this recess in the bonnet.

#3m vinyl wrap for car full

It doesn’t take full hold until pressed on firmly, at which point it should not be re-lifted. Even when lightly tacked down it can be pulled up repeatedly without issues. It also has ‘slip’ - lay it on the panel and it will slide over the surface. It has minute release channels that allow you to remove air bubbles trapped under the film. 3M knows sticky stuff and the adhesive backing is extremely high-tech. Always check the sheet size is adequate and determine the correct orientation prior to peeling off the backing. On the SS’s bonnet, Alex and Nathan stretched the film taut as they laid it down. The better you initially lay the film down, the easier it is to achieve a wrinkle and bubble-free finish. Big panels can be done on the car but smaller pieces should be removed for wrapping. The wrap becomes electrostatic once the backing is peeled off, so floating debris will be attracted to the sticky side of the film, which will result in unsightly bumps in the finished job. Work indoors to get the panel warm (not hot) and so the wind doesn’t blow the lightweight film about. An additional set of hands helps on small jobs but bigger tasks are definitely two, three or even four-man operations. Both retail packs include an instruction sheet, snap-blade knife and a plastic applicator with a felt-padded edge. The Accessory Pack is for smaller jobs and contains one 0.5x1.52m sheet, while the Panel Pack contains a larger 1.8x1.52m sheet, which is generally big enough to cover a bonnet, boot, turret, etc.

#3m vinyl wrap for car professional

As well as bulk rolls for professional use, 3M offers two retail packs for enthusiasts and beginners. Stonechips, huge scratches and blemishes will all show through the wrap but being 100 per cent water-sealed, the film can be applied directly over freshly repaired, unpainted surfaces. Give it a thorough wash, then meticulously clean it with wax and grease remover, followed by isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) on a microfibre towel. The surface must be scrupulously clean, including under the edges.

#3m vinyl wrap for car how to

If in doubt on how to remove any trim pieces, hit the internet as there’s a wealth of good ‘how to’ videos out there. For this installation, the SS’s boot spoiler, roof aerial and roof gutter moulds were removed.

However, the more you strip, the better the result will be, especially in areas with high-contrast colours where any little gap will be obvious. Wrapping can be undertaken with zero disassembly.