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Can You Wrap a Car with Peeling Paint?

5 Mar 2020 Vinyl Wraps

Knowing if you can wrap a car with peeling paint will provide you with insights into whether or not a vinyl car wrap will work for your vehicle. At Wrap Guys, they understand how important it is for your car wrap to have a smooth, flawless finish. That is why all of their vinyl wraps are installed by our highly trained and experienced technicians.

Can You Vinyl Wrap a Car if the Paint is Peeling?

In the event that the paint on your vehicle has started to peel, having a vinyl car wrap installed may no longer be a viable option. This is because the vinyl may not be able to stick to the peeling paint and, if it does stick, the paint edges will create air pockets, ridges, and crinkles in the wrap. In general, it is recommended that car wraps are only installed on factory painted vehicles; however, if you decide that you still want to have your car wrapped even though the paint is peeling, the paint will need to be feathered or sanded by a body shop first in order to ensure a smooth installation and to prevent the paint from peeling in the future.

Paint Conditions that Cannot be Wrapped

Some of the other paint conditions that vinyl wraps cannot be applied to include:

Paint with Deep Scratches

Any deep scratches, chips, or other obvious defects in your vehicle’s paint will only become magnified once the vinyl wrap is installed. It is also important to note that removing a vinyl wrap from damaged paint may cause the paint surrounding the damaged area to be pulled off with the wrap.

Paint with an Orange Peel Texture

Bad aftermarket paint jobs with excess paint can often have an orange peel texture that cannot be hidden with a vinyl wrap. In the event that your car has an orange peel texture, you will need to have the paint professionally repaired and allow for the proper cure time before a vinyl wrap can be applied.

Rusted Sheet Metal

If your vehicle has been exposed to rust or oxidation, a vinyl wrap will not be able to bond with the surface of the car. This is because the rust particles will stick to the film, resulting in the wrap to lose its adhesive grip.

If you would like to learn more about whether or not you can wrap a car with peeling paint, or if you are interested in one of their car wrap services, please contact Wrap Guys at 604-996-6389 or by filling out a contact form on their website.