How Much Wrap to Wrap a Car? Proven Expert Guide
Nowadays, wrapping your car with vinyl is an increasingly popular way to customize your ride’s appearance. But before buying the vinyl, and tools, it is important to know how much Wrap to Wrap a Car will be required and how much does this project really cost?
As an auto enthusiast who wrapped several of my own vehicles, I’ll walk through everything you need to know to wrap a car yourself or get it professionally done. Follow along for details on materials, cost calculations, and tips to make your wrap look amazing!
How Much Wrap to Wrap a Car? Measure Vehicle Dimensions
- Length – bumper to bumper
- Width – side to side at widest point
- Height – ground to roof at tallest point
Multiply length x width x height to get total surface area.
Account for Complexity
- Simple sedans and coupes: Add 10% more vinyl
- Curved surfaces like sports cars: Add 15% more
- Intricate shapes like off-road vehicles: Add 20% more
Factor in Overlap for Seams
- Doors, hood, roof, trunk all require extra overlap (usually 4-6 inches)
Determine Roll Width Needed
- Common options are 5ft (60in) or 1.5m rolls
- For larger vehicles like trucks, wider vinyl rolls are required
Estimate Total Yardage Required
- Formula: Length x Width x # of sides + extras = total yards
- Round up to next whole yardage roll size available
Some typical vinyl yardage needs:
- Small cars: 50-55 ft
- Midsize sedans: 60-65 ft
- Full-size sedans/SUVs: 65-75 ft
- Large trucks/vans: 75-100 ft
While calculating How Much Vinyl Wrap You Need When figuring out how much it will cost to wrap your car, the biggest factor is how much vinyl you’ll need to purchase. Here are the key steps:
- Measure the total surface area of your vehicle in square feet. For accuracy, take measurements of the hood, roof, trunk, doors, etc.
- Account for an extra 10-20% to allow for mistakes, overlaps and trimming during the installation.
- Most quality cast vinyl runs $4-$8 per square foot. So multiply your total square footage by the vinyl price to estimate the material cost.
For example, wrapping a medium sedan requires around 50 square feet of vinyl. At $5 per square foot, the vinyl would cost $250. With 20% extra, you’d want to buy 60 square feet totaling $300.
Factor in other supplies like heat guns, squeegees, and wrap gloves, and your total material costs will likely run $500-$1000 depending on the vehicle size and vinyl type.
DIY vs Professional Wrap Installation
Installing the vinyl wrap yourself costs less but requires patience and practice. Watch online tutorials to learn the key techniques like heating the material, stretching it over curves, and avoiding wrinkles.
On the other side, hiring a professional wrap shop speeds up installation, and gives flawless results. But it will also increase your budget. As per my experience, custom car wrapping prices typically start around $2000 and go up based on complexity, color changes, and design.
Additionally, Vinyl Wrap Colors and Finishes Matte, gloss, chrome, and satin wraps all cost about the same per square foot. However, more exotic finishes like color shift or glow-in-the-dark vinyl cost more.
As per my experience, simple solid color wraps tend to run slightly less than complex multi-color or printed designs. Therefore, I would suggest you to use simple solid color wraps as they will last longer and you won’t need to change your wrap more often.
I also suggest that when calculating how much material you need, remember that certain colors like white are more transparent and may require an extra layer.
Make Your Wrap Last Longer with Proper Care
A quality vinyl car wrap can last 4-7 years outdoors. Keep it looking pristine by:
- Washing gently by hand
- Applying wrap protectant every 6 months
- Avoiding scrapes against bushes or curbs
- Touching up any nicks along edges immediately
