Vehicle graphics gone bad is sad. It’s a sad event when anyone or anything turns to the dark side. When short cuts are taken instead of projects given the due diligence needed to achieve the best results. When best practices are pushed aside for expediency or experience and know how are down played and ignored; that’s when the dark side looms. That’s vehicle graphics gone bad. It’s where they live, don’t go to the dark side.

OK, I might be a little overdramatic. Maybe. But there are amateurs as well as vehicle graphics providers that live on the dark side. They only thing they provide is disappointment.

7 Ways Vehicle Graphics Gone Bad

Are you experienced? That’s what needs to be determined before anyone touches your vehicle. It takes years to acquire the skills needed to perfectly apply a vinyl car wrap, and even the best installers will have stories of jobs gone wrong. In this article, we examine some of the most common rookie vinyl car wrap mistakes, and how to correct them.” – How to spot and fix bad vinyl wraps.

Dirty, dirty vehicles. Any vehicle that hasn’t been properly prepped and thoroughly  cleaned before adhesive graphics are applied will end up on the dark side.  Surface Preparation for various substrates.

Stressing out. I’m not talking about being stressed, which a bad wrap will do to you. I’m talking about overheating adhesive vinyl material to the point of lost conformity. Overheating can turn your graphics into the nightmare of a fun house mirror.

Settling the score.  Adhesive graphics installers use various knives and cutting tools to trim and align graphics during application. Cutting at the wrong angle or applying too much pressure will score the surface of the vehicle exposing the dark underbelly.

Peeling away the layers. Well, it’s not really peeling away the layers. But I liked the way that sounds. It’s not applying the adhesive vinyl properly around edges, which will eventually—peel away. And that’s not very appealing.

Coming off too bubbly. Bubbly personalities are great, at least after I’ve had my coffee. But bubbles behind adhesive graphic materials are a no no. It’s a witches bubbling cauldron of horror.

Living in the material world.  There are hundreds of types and grades of adhesive vinyl used for different purposes. Using the wrong material for an application is a dance with the devil. And it’s not only the material but the inks, premask, and overlaminate. Why do vehicle graphics fade?

Go to the light!

The key to avoiding vehicle graphics gone bad graphics installation is choosing an experienced vinyl graphics provider. If you want to avoid many of the pitfalls that lead to bad graphics, download this free EBook, The Fleet Managers Guide to Vehicle Graphics.

How Can We Help You? 

If you’d like fleet graphics designed to capture attention, printed on state-of-the-art equipment, and installed by expert certified installers, we’re here to help.

If you’d like further information or advice, be sure to Contact Us. 

Would you like a free estimate for your fleet or vehicle graphics? If so, you can Request A Quote.

TKO Graphix has been a national fleet and vehicle graphics company helping customers since 1985. We provide full-service graphic design, digital printing, screen printing, graphics installation, and removal of large format graphics.

We’re a fleet and vehicle graphics company, and since 1985, we’ve been helping businesses, large and small, brand their fleet of tractor-trailers, service trucks, and company vehicles. Whether you have a fleet of thousands or a few vehicles, we are here to lead you through the vehicle branding process.

TKO Graphix is a Certified 3M™ MCS™ Warranty graphics manufacturer. Our installation crews are 3M Certified and are employees of TKO Graphix, not sub-contractors.

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When it comes to making your graphics a reality — it all begins with our design department services. From a concept on paper to road-worthy advertising for your vehicles, the TKO Graphix design team can help bring your vision to life. Our team specializes in creating fleet and vehicle graphics while keeping your brand consistent across all types of vehicles in your fleet.