Paint protective film is gaining more and more popularity as a way to protect valuable paint jobs against road debris and other hazards. Many professional installers are available to do the job and are often the best option for many people. But for those of a more do it yourself nature, the film can be applied with great success by anyone with patience and a little common sense. Here is the basic procedure.
Paint protective film is a thermoplastic urethane laminate that generally comes in rolls. The film adheres to the vehicle's surface by means of a pressure sensitive, acrylic adhesive. Anyone who has worked with window tinting film will immediately recognize the similarities between tinting and paint protective film. In fact, the two are virtually identical other than paint protective film being transparent.
The first step in the application process is to gather the paint protection film supplies. The required items are the film, application solution, squeegee, and exacto knife.
The next step is to measure and cut the film. Several manufacturers offer custom designed kits that come with the film pre-cut to fit a particular model car. This is the recommended option since the pieces must be cut very exactly in order for the film to be applied correctly. However, hand cutting is possible and many professionals do all their work by hand. Anyone choosing this route should be patient and expect to make some errors in the beginning.
Now comes the car preparation. The paint must be spotless. Any dirt or debris left on the paint will be trapped under the film and impossible to remove. It is recommended that the procedure be performed inside a garage or other enclosed space to prevent contamination after the vehicle is clean. Also, any paint imperfections should be repaired using touch up paint at this time.
Now it is time to apply the film. Use the application solution to thoroughly wet the area the film will be applied to. Begin to remove the backing from the film and position it in the desired location. Spraying the film as you remove the backing also helps. An assistant will greatly simplify this process and is highly recommended. As you apply the film, be careful not to apply pressure to it since the adhesive is pressure sensitive. Once the film is perfectly in place, begin to use the squeegee to remove the water and bubbles from under the film. Work from the center outward.
Paint protective film is a thermoplastic urethane laminate that generally comes in rolls. The film adheres to the vehicle's surface by means of a pressure sensitive, acrylic adhesive. Anyone who has worked with window tinting film will immediately recognize the similarities between tinting and paint protective film. In fact, the two are virtually identical other than paint protective film being transparent.
The first step in the application process is to gather the paint protection film supplies. The required items are the film, application solution, squeegee, and exacto knife.
The next step is to measure and cut the film. Several manufacturers offer custom designed kits that come with the film pre-cut to fit a particular model car. This is the recommended option since the pieces must be cut very exactly in order for the film to be applied correctly. However, hand cutting is possible and many professionals do all their work by hand. Anyone choosing this route should be patient and expect to make some errors in the beginning.
Now comes the car preparation. The paint must be spotless. Any dirt or debris left on the paint will be trapped under the film and impossible to remove. It is recommended that the procedure be performed inside a garage or other enclosed space to prevent contamination after the vehicle is clean. Also, any paint imperfections should be repaired using touch up paint at this time.
Now it is time to apply the film. Use the application solution to thoroughly wet the area the film will be applied to. Begin to remove the backing from the film and position it in the desired location. Spraying the film as you remove the backing also helps. An assistant will greatly simplify this process and is highly recommended. As you apply the film, be careful not to apply pressure to it since the adhesive is pressure sensitive. Once the film is perfectly in place, begin to use the squeegee to remove the water and bubbles from under the film. Work from the center outward.
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