What vehicle prep is required before a wrap install.

A wrap that fails early almost always fails for one reason: the vinyl never bonded to the surface in the first place. The single most controllable variable in wrap longevity is the prep work that happens before installation begins. Here's what proper prep looks like, what we handle in our shop, and what we expect from the vehicle owner.

Decontamination wash

Standard car-wash clean isn't enough. Adhesive vinyl needs a surface free of road tar, brake dust, tree sap, bird droppings, wax, polish residue, and the accumulated film of months of driving. Our standard pre-install protocol:

• Pressure wash at moderate distance to remove loose dirt and surface contamination.
• Two-bucket hand wash with automotive-specific soap (not dish detergent — the surfactants leave residue).
• Iron and tar remover as a chemical decontamination step. Brake dust embedded in clearcoat won't come off with soap alone.
• Clay bar treatment on panels with significant contamination. Removes embedded particles soap can't reach.
• Final isopropyl alcohol wipe-down on every panel to be wrapped, immediately before vinyl application. This is the step that actually preps the surface for adhesion.

Pre-install inspection

Before any vinyl gets cut, we inspect every panel that will be wrapped. We're looking for:

Paint integrity

Failing clearcoat, peeling paint, or rust spots are showstoppers. Wrap installed over a failing surface pulls the surface with it — either when the wrap fails early or at end-of-life removal. We document any pre-existing paint damage with photos before install and discuss the remediation path with the owner.

Body damage

Dents, deep scratches, and body-line damage telegraph through wrap. Wraps don't hide damage; they conform to it. Minor damage we can work around with placement; significant damage needs body repair before wrap install.

Aftermarket additions

Roof racks, ladder racks, side steps, mounted equipment — we either remove these for install (and reinstall after) or wrap around them. Wrap up to mounted equipment looks intentional; wrap that bunches around equipment looks amateur. Plan for removal time in the schedule.

Recent body work

Fresh paint (less than 30 days old) hasn't fully cured. Wrap installed on uncured paint pulls the paint off when it's eventually removed. We won't wrap freshly-painted panels — the body shop or vehicle owner needs to give the paint full cure time before we touch it.

Application temperature

Vinyl manufacturers specify install temperature ranges — typically 50°F to 90°F for both substrate (the vehicle panel) and ambient air. Outside that range, the adhesive doesn't fully wet to the surface and you get edge lift within months.

We install in a climate-controlled bay specifically because of this. A cold vehicle pulled into a warm shop can't be wrapped immediately — the panel temperature has to equilibrate first. Same for a vehicle parked in summer sun before bringing into the shop. Plan for 30-60 minutes of temperature equilibration before install starts on cold or hot days.

What we ask of you

A clean, accessible vehicle delivered with reasonable lead time makes for a smooth install. Specifically:

• Deliver the vehicle washed. We re-wash before install regardless, but starting from a clean vehicle saves time.
• Empty the vehicle of equipment that needs to be removed for install. If we need to remove a roof rack, having it cleared of accessories first is faster.
• Disclose pre-existing damage upfront. Surprises during inspection slow things down. We can plan around known damage.
• Allow the full quoted install time. Rush installs cut corners on prep, and prep is what determines longevity. We don't do same-day full wraps for this reason.
• Plan for vehicle pickup the day after install completion. Adhesive needs 24 hours of cure time before driving. Driving a freshly-wrapped vehicle in cold or wet conditions can cause edge lift before the adhesive sets.