Wrap artists giving vinyl the edge on paint jobs

Painting a car is expensive, you’re graphically limited and, well, your decision to proceed is pretty irreversible. These are three key reasons why vinyl is gaining popularity.

Whether for advertising or for nothing more than personal preference, Bernie Michaud, president of Incolor, Inc. (incolor.ca), explains that vinyl wraps are quickly becoming the design option of choice for business and vehicle owners who crave visibility, with some flexibility.

“Instead of paying for an $8,000 paint job, you can do a wrap for about half of that,” said Michaud. “And if you decide after a few years you want a different style, it’s easy to remove [the wrap] and change it out.”

Through advanced computer design and printing, the typical car owner can add an intricate pattern, a personalized portrait or a scenic look to their vehicle that would be nearly impossible to paint or outrageously expensive to try.

Colours? Chrome, carbon fibre, lime-green, camouflage; feel free to use the imagination.

A flat or glossy paint look, a combination of the two? Again, there are no boundaries to these designs.

“It’s mind-boggling the things you can do now with all the creative options the vinyl wraps offer,” Michaud says. “There are tons of advantages going this route, and it’s becoming more popular all the time.”

Michaud said that the improving technology and durability for these vinyl vehicle wraps hasn’t stopped moving in the eight years his shop has offered the service.

From more-durable vinyl, to a growing catalog of vehicle templates, to longer-lasting ink, Michaud called the wrap business a “canvas on wheels” and a “rolling billboard.”

But what if you’re not a designer? Vehicle wrapping has become so sophisticated, do-ityourself websites such as custom-car-wraps.com offer the creative freedom to design a personalized look through a list of drop-down menus with colour and pattern choices.

And while customization is a great touch to individual styling, Michaud says that the greatest advantage to the vehicle wrap over the traditional paint job, believe it or not, is defence against the elements.

“It gives protection from UV rays, acid rain, light scratches … These give you great paint protection. It protects your investment and helps the vehicle hold its resale value.”

If done professionally, the wrapping process is relatively simple. There are basically two methods: partial and full body.

A partial wrap will “decorate” only a specific area of the vehicle, such as the hood and/or the doors. This cost-cutting approach is typically used for advertising with company logos, graphics and colors with the vehicle’s existing paintjob as the colour background.

Full-body wraps are just that; a bumper-to-bumper design that covers the entire body of the vehicle and gives it an entirely new look.

Wraps are also being used more on back windows with a special kind of perforated vinyl that allows the driver to see out, but shows only the design from the outside looking in.

“This is a fast-growing business and I truly don’t see any negatives,” Michaud said.