Ready to try your hand at vehicle wrapping? It’s not as simple as sticking a vinyl sheet and calling it a day. It takes the right skills and lasting materials to get results, otherwise you could just be wasting your time and money. So, if you’re unsure if you should wrap your car or van yourself, read on!
This guide looks at when it’s okay to attempt car wrap DIY, the challenges you might face, and when to rely on the professionals.
Wrapping takes a robust skillset and the right materials. Some wrapping companies sell vinyl sheets from premium brands like 3M and Oracal, but they won’t teach you how to install them. If you’ve wrapped a car before and feel confident you can do it yourself, car wrapping DIY can save on the cost of installation.
If you just want to wrap small sections of your vehicle, like a bumper or wing mirrors, then you may be able to do this yourself. The Raccoon branding store provides custom stickers, decals, vinyls and more – all designed, printed and delivered for you.
Vehicle wrapping demands time, patience, and equipment like a heat gun and cutting tools to get right. You’ll also need a clean, dust-free environment where you can apply the wrap and leave it to adhere overnight. This should be an indoor space that keeps it safe from the rain and cold temperatures.
You’ll have to remove any major dents or scratches, then clean your vehicle the day before it’s wrapped. Our guide on vehicle preparation explains this in more detail.
Once your car’s been washed and dried, you’ll need good-quality vinyl that can be measured and cut to the panel. It’ll then be contoured and bonded with a heat gun.
Wrapping your vehicle isn’t for everyone. You can find out if car wrap DIY is right for you by seeing the challenges below. If you’re not confident you can avoid them, we recommend using a reliable installer.
The top wrapping companies know to wrap vehicles indoors where it’s warm, clean, and safe from the elements. You don’t want to leave a freshly wrapped vehicle outside in the cold where it might rain, as this can reduce its lifespan. Use a clean garage where you can do the work or choose a company that has the right space to get the results you deserve.
Do you have cutting tools, a heat gun, and an understanding of the best materials on the market? If not, you’re already at a disadvantage. An experienced team will have tools and materials readily available, and the relevant skills to use them effectively. If you try it yourself but do it wrong, you’ll have wasted your time and money, and you might still need an expert to set things right.
A vehicle template allows you to see a 2D plan of your vehicle, so you can tell what it’ll look like with the wrap applied. The installer will then use this template during the installation process. Unless you’re a pro with Adobe Illustrator, you’ll need a graphic designer to do it for you.
Raccoon can give you a price for your wrap and provide a free 30-minute design session. We’ll even show you a 3D render. So why not visit our bespoke wrapping calculator and book your free consult today?
Air pockets and creases can form during the vinyl application. While a professional will know exactly how to deal with these, most amateurs don’t have their expertise. This leads to another issue; companies typically have more than one installer on site, so they can work together to provide you with the perfect finish. If your DIY vehicle wrap has issues, you’ll have to fix it yourself or pay to get expert help.
A professional installer will likely have wrapped hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles before – and many will have been similar to yours. If you’re trying your hand at a DIY car wrap or van wrap, be prepared to put the hours in to get the results you really want.
Want to know more? See our guide on the most common wrapping mistakes and their solutions.
If you have the equipment, setting, time and skills to get the job done to a high standard, then go for it! If you choose a high-quality material from the likes of 3M and Avery Dennison, you’ll have the product warranty to fall back on.
However, the workmanship won’t be guaranteed like it would be with an installer. That’s one reason it might be better to choose a wrap company instead of having a go at car wrapping DIY – even when you know what you're doing.
Changing the colour of your car without expert help is a big risk. You might think you’re saving money, but you might just pay more in the long run if something goes wrong.
You want your wrap to last as long as possible, right? If that’s true, don’t spend hours trying your hand at DIY vehicle wrapping.
Click below to see our bespoke car wrapping services, and get the design help, high-quality installation work, guarantees and expert help you need from start to finish. You can even get an on-screen quote to help you budget effectively.