Vehicle Wrap FAQ’s

Frequently Asked Questions about vehicle wraps:

a. What is a vehicle wrap?
A vehicle wrap consists of a design created to promote your business. The design is printed out using advanced printers and ink systems onto a roll of specially designed vinyl. The printed vinyl is then laminated, trimmed and installed onto your vehicle using highly skilled techniques.

b. Will the vehicle wrap damage my paint?
A car wrap, when applied and removed correctly, does not damage your car’s OEM paint. In fact, it protects it.

c. Will a vehicle wrap stand up to weather?
Yes, we laminate our vehicle wrap  prints with a high gloss lamination that contains a UV protective coating.

d. Are vehicle wraps removable?
Yes, the vehicle wrap material that we use contains a removable backing adhesive and will not damage the vehicle’s OEM paint.

e. How do you wrap a vehicle?
Our installers are highly skilled technicians in the wrap industry for a long time. We lay the graphic panels out on the vehicle according to the image map and begin applying one at a time. The wrap process is precise and takes years of practice to master.

f. Can I add layers of vinyl to a print that has already been applied?
Yes, you can add regular die-cut vinyl and graphics to the printed material. However, if you plan on changing stickers but leaving the digital graphics, it’s best to speak with our designers to help navigate through this to find the best solution. Die-cut vinyl on digital printed materiasl have a strong bond and when removed may lift off the lamination from the print.

g. Can you cover the vehicle’s windows?
Yes, but for legal reasons, only the back passenger and rear windows. Window wraps are printed on a special perforated vinyl that allows the driver to see through the rear and side rear windows.

h. Can we communicate and work strictly online?
With the convenience of high-speed connections, it is possible to communicate strictly through email. We have done complete jobs for clients that we never met up until the time they drop off their vehicle at our shop.

i. Why are some vehicle wrap companies more expensive than others?
When gathering prices from various companies you will notice that you get a range of prices. Be cautious of the lower end prices, companies charging too little for wraps do so for a reason. Here at Vehicle Wraps San Diego, we don’t cut corners to cut costs. Your vehicle image is our image.

j. Is there a warranty with a vehicle wrap?
Yes, 3m Controltac Plus Graphic Film carries a 3 year limited warranty.

 

The Vehicle Wrap Design Process:

a. Concept: It is best to have a general or focused idea of what you’re looking to accomplish on the vehicle. Our designers are here to help with all your design needs, but can not predict your target audience or “look and feel” of your company/project  without some guidance.

b. Pictures and Files: We will need clean straight views of your vehicle to use as templates for your designs. Digital images of the front, back, sides, etc., design vehicles specifications and body styling. We will also need any applicable files to be used such as logos, pictures, and/or designs.

c. Rendering: Once our designers know your concept and have all pictures and files in hand, you will be provided with all proof rendering of the vehicle for final approval. This is where any changes or alteration can be made to the design to best suit your liking.

d. Building the files to actual size: Our design staff will take your approved rendering and build the files to the final output size. Another rendering me be given for approval as some elements may scale out differently when blown up to life size scale. This applies for client provided pictures or artwork that may become pixelated when scaled up.

e. Printing: After the files are scaled accordingly and built to size, the printing begins. Printing time varies on how big the final output is, such as buses that are longer then cars, etc.  Also, if there are any proof samples or color matching, the print process can be lengthy.

f. Installation: The design staff will have scheduled an installation time based on your project timeline. Installation time varies on size and type of vehicle.

 

Printing Guide Lines:

Understanding Vector vs. Bitmap Graphics:

a. Vector Graphics are graphics that can be re-sized with no pixelation or asset loss.
Common vector programs are Adobe Illustrator, AutoCAD, and Corel Draw.

b. Bitmap Graphics are pictures that lose assets and become pixelated when blown up in scale.
Common bitmap programs are Adobe Photoshop, In Design, and Paint Shop Pro.


Printing and File Specifications:

a. Printing Color Specifications: CMKY/RGB swap 2 profiles and imbedded and ICC profiles work for best results. Pantone matching and proofing services are available.

b. File Output  Specifications: Flatten File Photoshop .psd, Acrobat .pdf,  Encapsulated post Script .eps, Tiff high Resolution picture .tiff.

c. Digital File Specifications:  File should be actual size minimum 72dpi. For best results files should be actual size at 300 dpi.

d. Transfer of Files: Either MAC or PC files, burned Cd’s or DVD’s ftp server available upon request.