Carbon wrap film has been one of the most popular types of vinyl wrap in the market. Its stylish appearance makes a vehicle stand out on the road uniquely. However, to claim that beauty, you need to spend a bit more effort installing to some extent. Otherwise, you might ruin the finish only because you do not know it well enough.

 

Here are some tips about wrapping with a carbon film that can assist you in achieving a perfect finish:

 

Textured and directional

A carbon vinyl wrap is textured, and its surface is not completely flat and smooth. Instead, there are patterns made of peaks and valleys. Thus, it is crucial to keep the finish uniform when wrapping.

 

Sensitive surface

This type of material has a sensitive surface. For this reason, it is best to use a soft squeegee when applying, which can prevent scratching during the process. If you use a medium-hard or hard squeegee, its corners can create scratches, especially when dealing with a raised area. The buffer you use can scratch as well. So make sure you use a brand-new one when installing.

 

Squeegee with just enough pressure

As mentioned above, a carbon film has a sensitive surface. Thus, when squeegeeing, do not press too hard. Also, do it at a low angle because peaking can cause scratches. Usually, there is no lamination on a textured film like carbon. So if there is a scratch, there is no going back.

 

Not suitable for overlay

A carbon wrap film has very low surface energy and is unsuitable for creating overlays on top. If you have to do it, you might have to spend extra effort prepping it to get the best result.

 

Self-heal may be possible

Wrinkles or overstretching can occur during the application. In these cases, you can pick the material up and apply heat. Once the memory effect is triggered, the film can self-heal in most cases, and you can re-apply it.

 

Use minimum heat

When heat is needed, use a heat gun instead of a propane torch. The latter can overheat the finish, while a heat gun produces softer heat. Using minimum heat during wrapping is essential to maintain a uniform pattern.

 

No thick tape

If you need to use a cutting tape when installing, choose a thin one. Your cut can come up unevenly because of the textured surface. For this reason, the thinner your tape is, the higher chance you can get a clean cut.

 

Easy to tear

As mentioned above, a carbon vinyl film has low surface energy. Thus, it can easily split or tear. When you pick the material up, do not do it too quickly, or it might tear. And when making relief cuts, you should make an enclosed one to prevent splitting. You can learn more about the safe method in our previous article: Safe relief cut for all vinyl wrap films.

 

Post-heat

Like most cases, anywhere that is stretched over 10% should get post-heat. However, for materials like carbon that is easy to split, you should take control when applying heat. After pulling, the valleys on the textured surface become thinner. And it will split if you apply too much heat.

 

This is an overview of the carbon finish. Hopefully, it might inspire you a little bit for a better application experience. Visit teckwrap.com for more wrap tips.