Vinyl vehicle wraps can remain in good condition for many years, especially if you take care to use the correct polishes and waxes, and avoid damaging the joins, edges and corners.

But one of the joys of vinyl vehicle wraps is that you can easily remove them for any number of reasons:

• To restore the original paintwork underneath
• To change the design e.g. update branding and contact details
• To give the vehicle a new look purely due to personal taste
• To remove a vinyl wrap that has been damaged or has faded

When customers come to us for vehicle wrap removal, we often finld that the vinyl wrap is still in very good condition – the materials can give at least 5-7 years of service if looked after, and it is often the logo or other information that has changed in the meantime.

How to remove a vehicle wrap

Removing a vinyl wrap is quite easy with a few simple tools. You may want to heat the vinyl first to melt the adhesive, especially on a cold day, and a quick pass of a blowtorch can be enough to achieve this.

It’s best to use a flat plastic implement to get under the edges of the vinyl wrap and start to lift it away from the body work.

Plastic typically will not damage the original paintwork underneath – for obvious reasons, you don’t want to try removing vinyl vehicle wraps using highly abrasive tools like sanders or screwdrivers!

Work methodically and discard each vinyl panel as it is removed. Don’t worry too much about adhesive residue – it’s best to keep this to a minimum, but it can be polished away at the end.

Do’s and don’ts of vinyl wrap removal

Remember these basic do’s and don’ts of vinyl wrap removal and you’ll be off to a good start:

• Do start from an edge and loosen the wrap carefully from there.
• Don’t use abrasive tools to lift the edge – a plastic spatula or squeegee should do.
• Do heat the vinyl gently to relax the adhesive and make it easier to peel off.
• Don’t overheat it – this can leave adhesive residue and/or damage paintwork.
• Do peel carefully and methodically to remove the vinyl in a single piece.
• Don’t panic if it tears, just continue from a loose edge and reheat if needed.

Be gentle on your vehicle’s original bodywork and you can expect to reveal undamaged paintwork. If in doubt, take your time, or alternatively…

Leave it to the experts!

We will happily remove old vinyl vehicle wraps if you don’t feel confident about doing it yourself, just give us a call if you have a vehicle wrap you want to remove.

If you want to re-wrap a vehicle that already has an existing vinyl wrap on its bodywork, we can also make sure the old wrap is properly removed, including any adhesive residue, before the new one is applied.

With the modern materials and adhesives used on present-day vinyl vehicle wraps, you can get years of good service and still fully restore the original paintwork in a matter of minutes, or with one visit to the helpful team at The Vehicle Wrapping Centre.