1. Use suitable materials
You should always choose to use cast-grade PVC film to ensure long-lasting good results, and to avoid the phenomenon of bouncing or detaching from the surface of the car body, especially on deep concave surfaces and complex curved surfaces.
2. Screen dry removal
(Note: This step is not necessary when pasting pigmented polyvinyl chloride color film.)
Before pasting, make sure that there is no residual ink solvent on the printed screen. If the picture is not properly dried, it will cause the PVC film to shrink along the edges, detach from the concave surface, and cause degumming. The full-color printing screen film should be dried 72 hours before pasting. After printing, the screen must be hung vertically or loosely wound and the roll is slightly lifted off the ground for drying, allowing the solvent to drip and volatilize to separate from the film roll. If there is a strong solvent odor, or the film feels softer than the unprinted film, the drying process has not been completed and further drying is required. Before applying the protective film, it is very important to ensure that the picture is dry.
3. Substrate preparation
Before attempting to apply any car body film, make sure that the car body is clean and dry and free of contaminants such as polish, grease, asphalt, oil and dust. The following process should be followed to properly clean the car body.
step 1. Use a solution of detergent and water to remove all dust and dirt. Let the car body dry completely before starting to apply the film.
Step 2. Use surface cleaner or isopropyl alcohol to remove grease, oil and wax.
Step 3. Finally, use a surface cleaner or cloth to wipe the vehicle, and wipe it off with a clean, dry cloth before the detergent evaporates. Carefully clean the concave surface, the reverse fold of the panel (such as the inside edge of the door), and any hard-to-reach areas.
4. Suitable tools, good construction environment
You will need:
Felt or felt edge scraper
Tape measure and masking tape for measuring positioning
Film gloves and exhaust tools
A hot air gun to assist in filming, for post-heating
Ensure that the environment is suitable — preferably in a room with controlled airflow and clean, dry, and dust-free conditions. The ideal ambient temperature for the film is between 15°C and 25°C. The environment and substrate temperature must be higher than 10°C. When the temperature is lower than 10°C, the adhesive backing is too low to adhere to the substrate, and the film may be a bit brittle during the lamination process and easily cracked. Working under high temperature conditions (25°C and above) will make it more difficult to stick the film, because the adhesive will become extremely viscous and corrosive, and the film will become very soft and easy to stretch and deform.
The filming is best done by a team of two people. First, position the film with bottom paper on the car body. Check the location of the film to ensure that the picture fits the car body and that important information on the picture (such as phone number) does not cover the door handle or any other film area that will be cut and removed. Use masking tape to mark the position of the picture on the car body, then peel off the bottom paper of the film, stand one person at each end, pull the film tightly to remove wrinkles, and then reposition it to the masking tape mark so that the film lightly falls on the surface of the car body . Use a hard scraper to scrape from the largest and smoothest area of the car body and work from the center to the outside. Depending on the type of adhesive, a person may need to lift the film off the surface of the substrate before applying pressure with a squeegee. Avery Dennison’s Easy Apply™ adhesive can spread the film evenly on the surface of the substrate for scraping and pressing, without the need to lift the film off the surface of the car body. Once the image is pasted on the flat surface, use a heat gun to heat the film across the recessed area to about 35°C to soften it. Don’t overheat the film, and keep moving the heat gun to distribute the heat evenly over the entire area. Using a scraper or gloved hand, carefully press the film into the groove area. After the pasting process is completed, post-heating is required.
5. Trimming
When cutting the film near the edge, be careful not to cut the car paint. Be sure to use a new sharp-edged blade to ensure a straight and sharp cut.
6. Post heating
The film area stretched into the concave surface and along the edge of the panel requires post-heating. The stretched film needs to be heated up to 90°C. Wait at least 30 minutes after the picture is pasted to allow the adhesive to build up and increase the stickiness. Post-heating can relieve the tension of the film after stretching and set the memory of the film to its new shape.
If the post-heating of the film is not performed or the post-heating is insufficient, the film may be detached from the groove surface or concave surface. It is strongly recommended to use an infrared thermometer to control the later heating temperature.
This is the body wrap sticker!
If the correct steps are performed during the filming process, the car body film should fit on the car body like the second skin. Spend a few days to make proper preparations, and you will be rewarded with exquisite body graphics that can last for many years and happy and satisfied customers.
