How Not to Install Vehicle Graphics Part Two

How not to install vehicle graphics is complicated. So, is it because I’ve been around vehicle graphics installers for eight years that I notice a lot of poorly wrapped vehicles on the road, or do you see them too? Some are private cars and trucks, but many are corporate vehicles. Whether it’s a person’s vehicle or organizations, a bad wrap is worse than no wrap at all. The difference is for the company it sends a negative message about the business. If you’re dead set on DIY, don’t make these mistakes. Here are five ways not to install vehicle graphics. If you want to be sure your vehicle graphics are applied correctly, Request a Quote from an expert.

How Not to Install Vehicle Graphics

Improper preparation – The surface must be completely clean and dry. It can’t have any grease, oil, or chemicals. Some solvents may be unseen by the naked eye yet will adversely affect how the adhesive vinyl sticks to the substrate. Surface damage should be repaired before applying graphics. Graphics don’t hide dents or adhere to rust.

Over stretching the vinyl – It’s easy to overstretch the adhesive vinyl especially around body lines such as wheel wells. It’s more complicated than simply knowing the process because there are hundreds of materials with different stretching limitations.

Not following up – Follow up includes proper wipe down and clean up, but it also includes activities such as casting. If you don’t know what casting is, you may want to reconsider doing this yourself. Casting is reheating vinyl that has been manipulated to reset its memory.

Not following proper cutting procedures – I asked the advice of Bill Moss, TKO Graphix Director of Installation Operations. Here’s what he said, “For example, if you’re cutting the hood or fender seam, there are sides of the seam where you make the cut and there are angles the blade has to be during the cut.”

Using the wrong material – This one happens a lot. We frequently get calls about product failure from other providers and most often it goes back to one of two reasons—improper application or using the wrong material for the job.

It may look easy…

Experienced installers know how to install vehicle graphics. They make it look easy but it’s not. Not when it’s done right the first time.  Adhesive vinyl graphic installation is a science and an art. If you’re not a vinyl graphics scientist or an application artist, put the pros to work for you. Call us at 1-888-544-8051. We’ll help you create a work of art. We know how to install 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 that know how to install vehicle graphics, 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’ve been helping businesses, large and small, brand their fleet of tractor-trailers, service trucks, and company vehicles for more than 35 years.

Whether you have a fleet of thousands or a few vehicles, we are here to lead you through the vehicle branding process. We’ve been helping businesses, large and small, brand their fleet of tractor-trailers, work trucks, and company vehicles for more than 35 years.

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.

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.