Vehicle Wraps

What is a Vehicle Wrap?

It is a design, or layout, provided by the customer or designed in house which is then printed on one of our 54″ wide format Roland eco-solvent inkjet printers using nothing but the best air release vinyl from an array of great manufacturers.

After the printing is done it rests for up to 24 hours to ensure the ink has properly set then we laminate the print using a UV coated laminate. This prevents the vehicle wrap from fading while in the sun all day improving is longevity.

After thoroughly cleaning the vehicle to assure proper adhesion the wrap is directly applied to the vehicle. Years ago this process was often mistaken as a custom paint job, and it still is even today.

  • Full Vehicle Wrap

    A Full Vehicle Wrap sometimes excludes the roof and hood due to lack of longevity, other times it’s required especially when changing the color of the vehicle to another color.

    Full Vehicle Wrap Diagram

  • Partial Vehicle Wrap

    A cheaper alternative to a full vehicle wrap is a partial vehicle wrap. It usually consists of, but not limited to, wrapping the sides and rear of a vehicle. Yet still draws attention of potential customers!

    Partial Vehicle Wrap Diagram

  • Spot Graphics

    Is a great way to showcase your company logo & services. They can be applied directly to the vehicle or on magnetic material making it easy for you to remove at the end of the day or on the weekend.

    Spot Vehicle Graphics

There’s a Frequently Asked Questions section down the page a little further.

What is a Color Change Vehicle Wrap?

An alternative to a printed vehicle wrap is utilizing a special type of vinyl that comes in a wide range of colors and designs, also on quality air release vinyl, with a protective laminate on top. These are typically used to change the color of a vehicle to another color while preserving and protecting the original paint job. While this process is cheaper than professional vehicle painting, especially if you’re looking for a matte finish, it does not reduce the value of your vehicle but does protect it!

Below you can see our shop truck which is a two tone color change wrap, originally a silver Dodge, now with “pearl” orange and white with a carbon fiber stripe.

Color Change Vehicle Wrap

Here are some Vehicle Wraps we’ve done over the years

Below these examples you’ll find a section for frequently asked questions along with answers to them. If they don’t help answer your questions, please contact us either by phone or our contact form, we’ll be more than happy to talk to you regarding vehicle wraps or any other sign work you may need. We’re here to help and enjoy what we do!

  • Car Wraps

  • Truck Wraps

  • Van Wraps

  • Other Wraps

Vehicle Wraps Frequently Asked Questions

How do I take care of my vehicle wrap?

The quick answer is to hand wash your vehicle and not use drive throughs or a power washer. However, we have another article with more detailed information on taking care of your vehicle wrap here (coming soon…).

How long will the vehicle wrap last?

You can expect the wrap to last for 1 – 2 years on horizontal surfaces and 3 – 5 years for vertical surfaces. The time can be extended depending on where your vehicle is parked, during the day, while not in use. If it’s covered parking then it could last even longer but the elements and how long the vehicle is exposed to them does take it’s effect over time.

Will you wrap a leased vehicle?

Most definitely as there are no restrictions against doing so since it does not damage the original paint job and offers protection against flying debris which may chip the paint thus lowering the value of the vehicle if returned to the dealership. Of course this all depends on proper removal of the vehicle wrap.

Does the vehicle wrap have a guarantee?

To a certain extent, yes, but varies depending on the vehicle condition, whether or not it had a recent paint job, etc. all of which we’ll discuss with you before the design process.

A vehicle wrap with undamaged paint, which was properly cleaned, will carry a guarantee of 3 years and could very well last 5 years. At which point we recommend removing or removal and wrapped again, sooner the better. However, since vinyl manufacturers do not offer warranties on horizontal surfaces (i.e. hood, roof, top of trunk) we can not offer a guarantee on those surfaces. Manufacturers are working at changing that, when they do, so will we.

If the vehicle wrap starts to fail within the first few weeks, that’s a sign of improper application (which we have yet to do), and will be fixed free of charge.

Can a wrap be removed and will it damage my paint?

Yes a wrap can be removed and no it will not damage your paint if properly removed (in fact it actually protects your paint from debris while out on the road). While we are best equipped to remove the wrap ourselves, it can be accomplished by you using a heat gun and some elbow grease.

If any adhesive is left behind we sell a strong eco friendly orange based cleaner (coming soon…) and recommend against trying any other chemicals as that could potentially damage your vehicle’s paint. You can purchase our cleaner here (coming soon…).

What if my company information changes, can the wrap be changed?

If we created the design… We sure can! We’ll update the vehicle wrap layout we have on file with whatever has changed (address, logo, name, phone number, etc.) then print that section which, after proper cleaning, can be applied on top of the existing wrap.

If we did not create the design, then it comes down to having whatever company whom originally did the design work send it to you. If they will not do so and the design is complex, then we will probably not be able to help change the company information.

Are the vehicle windows wrapped?

Typically we’ll print a section of the design, where the windows are, on special perforated vinyl that allows the driver and passengers to see through. In some cases, where legally allowed, we’ll apply the print to the rear windows (never the driver or passenger window and windshield, even if it’s perforated).

Where do you wrap the vehicle?

Linson Signs has a 3400 square foot facility located at 3621 Sacramento Drive, Unit 1, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. Since the environment, such as wind blowing dirt around, can make a vehicle wrap have issues down the road we will only wrap a vehicle within our facility.

If you really need us to wrap your vehicle on site, long as you have an enclosed facility in San Luis Obispo county, we might be able to accommodate you by wrapping it there.

How do you wrap a vehicle?

Prior to wrapping your vehicle(s) we thoroughly clean the vehicle to ensure all road grime, brake dust, dirt, etc. has been properly cleaned off to ensure proper adhesion of the vinyl. Once we are done cleaning we layout the printed panels of vinyl, holding them in place with magnets, so we can make sure the seams all line up.

When we have them lined up we begin applying the vinyl; typically middle to top then middle to bottom, for each panel. When finished with any given side, we trim and tuck where needed then, prior to proceeding to the next side, we post heat the vinyl to ensure a good bond with the adhesive.

How is a vehicle wrap printed?

Once the vehicle wrap design process is completed we print the design on one of our two 54″ wide format Roland eco-solvent inkjet printers using nothing but the best air release vinyl, ideal for vehicle wraps, from an array of great manufactures (for example, 3M and Avery).

How is a vehicle wrap designed?

Sometimes provided to us by the customer, other times we work with you throughout the entire process making sure that the design reflects your company, product or yourself. Either way the design is created, we always like having the chance to view the vehicle in person (either at your location or ours) so that we can take measurements and ensure the design will properly cover the area to be wrapped.

How effective are vehicle wraps?

This section is still being worked on however most of the information provided is accurate.

They have become one of the most effective forms of advertising these days as a single car can generate, for example, between ### and ### views in a single day.

Vehicle wraps have the lowest cost per impression (CPM) rate compared to any other form of advertising and are also affordable for small and medium sized businesses. This “always on” form of advertising can’t be shut off, fast forwarded through or skipped by changing radio stations, it’s displaying your message and providing advertising 24 hours a day , 7 days a week.

A vehicle wrap has more benefits than traditional media advertising plus the fact it is less expensive as well. See below for some information.

  • Reach more potential customers at a lower cost per impression than any other form of outdoor advertising making it the most effective and efficient form of outdoor advertising.
  • Upwards of 90% of people are reached by media targeting vehicle wraps.
  • The average person in America drives 230 miles per week.
  • One vehicle wrap can generate between ### and ### impressions daily.

Then you have fleet vehicle wraps which have been growing year after year as it boosts name recognition greater than any other form of advertising. Take The Berry Man fleet, have you seen their trucks around San Luis Obispo County (and Santa Barbara)?

Image goes here

You’ve probably seen a few of them around the areas.

How long does it take to wrap a vehicle?

Depending on the size of the vehicle and how intricate it may be, the usual turn around time is 1 to 2 days after lamination. We’ll give you an estimated time of completion when we’re able to see the vehicle in person or prior to application of your vehicle wrap.

What else can you wrap?

We’ve wrapped boats, tables, auto trims and grille parts, etc. Please feel free to contact us if you have something you would like wrapped, more often than not we can wrap it!