Creating hinges for vinyl film wrapping

Making hinges is important during vinyl film wrapping, especially when you are working alone. Hinges can help installers secure the vinyl wrap film in the right position so that the wrapper can handle the panel properly and more easily.

There are temporary hinges and permanent hinges. The temporary one is adjustable, which you can reposition the vinyl wrap film before setting it up permanently.

Once you set it up for the permanent one, you are not going to move the material around again but starting to really apply the film onto the section.

There are several tools and ways that you can set up a temporary hinge before finding the right approach to install the vinyl wrap film. Here are several methods for your reference:

Magnets

Using magnets is a very straightforward way to create temporary hinges. All you need is to place them on the vinyl wrap film and lock it in place. The strength of magnets varies. You can choose according to your need.

Masking tape

For certain areas on a vehicle, magnets are not suitable. And masking tape becomes another great option. When you need to make hinges for vinyl cut letters on a (wrapped) vehicle, masking tape is particularly helpful.

Creating small half-circles

As you hold the vinyl wrap film up on the section, you can tear a few pieces of the backing paper off in a half-circle shape and tack the film in place. As soon as the material sticks to the surface with these spots, you have a solid temporary hinge that is good enough for you to work around.

Cutting a strip of backing paper away

This method is handy if you are wrapping a section like the hood alone. Before applying the material, flip the panel over to the backside. Use a paperback cutting to cut out a strip in the middle that is four to six inches wide. Then, flip the panel back and set it onto the surface. You now have a strong hinge, and you can work from one side to another on the hood with no stress.

For the last two methods, remember to check the quality of the backing paper before tempting. Otherwise, if the quality of the backing paper is not good enough, it might lead to a frustrating result.

Once the temporary hinge is created correctly, a great starting point is set, you can release the backing paper and start the actual application. Visit teckwrap.com for more wrap tips.