Can you install a vehicle wrap outdoors? This is a question we hear often. Although you can, and we have, we don’t recommend it for nonprofessional installers. Even as 3M Certified installers, with years of experience, we prefer indoor installation. While installing a vinyl decal on your vehicle outdoors might be acceptable, inside application is the best answer for a vehicle wrap installation. So, can you install a vehicle wrap outdoors?
Can You install a Vehicle Wrap Outdoors?
Here’s our 4 reasons why installing vehicle graphics wraps indoors, in a controlled environment, is best.
Temperature
Graphic vinyl reacts to temperature. Too hot, and it stretches, too cold, and it shrinks. Either way, it’s difficult to get it to fit the vehicle and to stick. Here’s what adhesive vinyl manufacturer, 3M, had to say about what temperature is best for proper installation of adhesive vinyl graphics.
“For the best success with the films recommended for vehicle graphics, always apply the graphics when the air and vehicle surface are both above 60°F (16°C).”
The primary wrap surfaces for vehicle graphics, retain temperature, so if it’s above 70° F, the vehicle should be stored inside until the surface temperature is below 70° F. It’s the same with cold. The adhesive will not adhere properly if the surface isn’t at proper installation temperature minimums.
If the surface of the car or truck is below temperature minimums you might be able to heat the surface before installation. According to application instructions provided by Avery Dennison, “If the substrate surface temperature is below minimum requirements, the substrate must be heated until minimum application temperature has been achieved. During cold temperature months, it is recommended to use a weed burner on the surface of the substrate before and after application. This will increase the surface temperature of the substrate and accelerate the ultimate adhesion of the film.”
Cleanliness
The vehicle’s surface must be spotless before installing vinyl graphics or they will not adhere properly. “People often want to skip the most basic step,” says Nathan Franzblau, founder of the Professional Decal Application Association, an association of independent certified vinyl installation companies. “If it is a trailer, then some people don’t want to take the time to clean it. If it is raining, then some people don’t want to take the time to dry off the raindrops. But that is a mistake. The materials are designed to work, but only under the correct specifications.” — signindustry.com — Preparing the surface.
The problem is that attempting to install outdoors makes it challenging to keep the surface clean and dust-free. If there’s any wind, it can lift dust and debris to the surface. “All substrates must be considered contaminated. Clean the substrate immediately before applying the film. Dust and other contaminants can collect quickly on the substrate and prevent the film from adhering properly.” — 3M surface Preparation
Weather
Weather isn’t only about the temperature; it includes precipitation, wind, and sun. A surface has to be spotlessly clean, and for most installations of adhesive vinyl graphics, it must be dry.
“Moisture prevents the adhesive from adhering correctly, can cause bubbles, and can freeze in cold environments. Any moisture trapped beneath the graphic will cause the graphic to fail prematurely. — 3M Application Techniques
“A clean, dry application surface is absolutely necessary to facilitate the proper bonding of an adhesive to the application surface.”— Avery Dennison Application Instructions
Logistics & Downtime
Timing the delivery of the vehicles, installers, tools, and materials to be at the same place simultaneously and ready for installation is difficult enough without the interference of an outdoor environment—too hot, too cold, too much wind, or rain and snow. All the preparation and planning cannot prepare for mother nature’s unpredictable circumstances. Any of the above can delay the installation, which can be costly in labor, material, quality, and the added time your company vehicles are off the roads and out of service.
One of the hidden costs of fleet graphics is logistics. Logistics can be a huge drain on resources. Think about it…when your fleet vehicles are out of service, they’re not making a profit, but instead losing money.
According to Fleet Maintenance.com, “For many company fleets, downtime is tangible and can be translated into dollars. In fact, downtime costs a fleet an average of $448 to $760 a day, per vehicle, and those figures add up fast.”
It’s not only the downtime of the vehicles but the time for the drivers, installers, and any other employees involved in the project. Time is money.
Can You Install a Vehicle Wrap Outdoors?
To answer your question, can you install a vehicle wrap outdoors? The answer is yes, but we prefer not to install outdoors. There’s just too many unknown factors that may affect the outcome and quality of your vehicle wrap when installing outdoors. However, in all transparency, we have installed vinyl graphics outdoors, but only when the conditions were good and the graphics were installed by our team of professional installers.
We’ve also attempted to complete an installation outdoors but were stopped by poor conditions, which is hard on everyone. Can you install a vehicle wrap outdoors? Yes, you can, but our best advice is to find an indoor location.
How Can We Help You?
If you’d like vehicle graphics on your commercial fleet that are designed to capture attention, printed on state-of-the-art equipment, using the best materials, and installed by expert 3M 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 is a national fleet graphics and vehicle wraps company. Since 1985, we’ve been helping businesses, large and small, brand their fleet of tractor-trailers, service trucks and company vehicles with our full-service solutions including print production, design, graphics installation, removal, project management, and inventory fulfillment. We employ the largest 3M™ Certified installation crew in the country. Our graphics installers, along with our established national UASG network of professional installers, allows us to brand any size fleet, anywhere!
As a result of our high standards in quality products and production, we are proud to be certified by 3M™ and able to offer the 3M™ MCS™ Warranty, the gold standard in graphics warranties. This warranty demonstrates our commitment to excellence and gives customers a greater peace of mind.
Whether you have a fleet of a few or thousands of vehicles, we are here to lead you through the process. To get started, contact us today for a free quote.
