What Is a Vinyl Wrap?

Vinyl has emerged as a favorite material for car enthusiasts who wish to customize the look of their vehicle inside and out. Vinyl is durable, flexible and easy to work with, and there are as many different color and finish options as the vinyl film manufacturers can dream up. When properly applied, vinyl film can produce a finished vehicle that looks every bit as good as a quality paint job, while protecting the car’s value in the process.

Applying vinyl film to the outside of your car is known as wrapping, and it provides two main benefits. The first is protection for your car’s painted surfaces, and the second is the ability to work with colors and finishes that car manufacturers would never be able to offer. Metallic, matte, carbon fiber and even chrome finish options can be combined with any color on the spectrum, and you have complete control over how much of your car you cover with it.

Vinyl film is easy to care for as well. It requires just soap and water to clean it when it’s dirty. Additionally, because the vinyl itself is the protective coating, there is no need to apply clear coat or wax. It is also quite resilient, but if a vinyl panel does sustain damage, that piece of film can simply be removed and replaced much more quickly and cheaply than you could ever fix a paint job.

Applying a vinyl wrap to your car is also less expensive and less labor-intensive than a full paint job. A seasoned professional can apply a high-quality vinyl wrap in about a day, with a bit of prep work beforehand. Once the job is done, there is no drying time required, so you’ll be able to drive your car home right away.

What Are the Different Types of Sign Vinyl?

Banner vinyl is not a type of vinyl by itself. Instead, think of it as an overarching category of vinyl that includes many smaller types of vinyl. All of these sub-types fit the bill of sign vinyl, and all of them bring a little something different to the table. Anytime you’re planning a signage project where you’re going to use vinyl, you should always take the time to choose just the right type of vinyl.

Your most common choices will be:

Opaque cast film: When a film is opaque, this means it’s colored solidly enough that it isn’t see-through. The term “cast” refers to vinyl that’s a bit more durable, flexible and adept at maintaining its color, as opposed to the alternative, which is calendered vinyl. This makes opaque cast film an excellent choice for long-term settings where durability, longevity and maintained appearance over time are important factors.
Opaque calendered film: This film is also opaque, meaning it’s not transparent. However, this vinyl is calendered, meaning that while it isn’t as long-lasting as cast film, it’s incredibly cost-effective. Vinyl such as this will be best for short-term applications where longevity won’t be a major concern.
Metalized film: These are metallic polyester films designed to mimic the look of Chrome, Engine Turn and Diamond Plate. Not only is this vinyl extremely durable, but it also offers fantastic ease of use with a cutting machine.
Translucent film: Translucent vinyl is typically intended for use with backlit signs. They’re designed to be more transparent than other vinyl, allowing light to show through them and give a glowing effect. This film is equipped with a matte finish to prevent the back-lighting from showing any imperfections or hot spots.
Transparent film: Like translucent vinyl, these films are designed to be a bit more see-through than the average vinyl. This is because transparent films come in a variety of shades and are usually used to layer over metalized films to give them a colored tint. These films are commonly used on both vehicle and storefront windows for amazing graphics and decals.

What Can You Do With Sign Vinyl?

As the name suggests, sign vinyl is best used for creating show-stopping signs, decals, and lettering. It’s extremely easy to do, and with just a bit of practice, you can soon be creating beautiful graphics and sticking them onto your surface of choices, such as a wall, a glass window, or a vehicle. A few of the common locations where people might choose to install their vinyl lettering are: