Wrapping a mirror in one piece of vinyl film can be easy or challenging, depending on what kind of mirror you have. The one on a BMW M2 is definitely something you should pay more attention.
On the backside of the M2 mirror, there is a sharp upper corner and a severe compound curve right below it. The tension of the vinyl wrap film tends to build up there. And the material can bounce back easily over time.
But with the proper approach, you can avoid this failure and achieve a high-quality finish without stress. Here are some tips:
Relax the vinyl film
When applying, you can release the liner and put the film onto the mirror straight away. Approach from the outside tip of the mirror and slightly tack the material. Then, use heat to warm the wrap with your heat gun. This is crucial, especially if you are using a multi-layered film. Doing this can relax the vinyl wrap film uniformly so that you can stretch the material evenly.
Tackle the challenge first
Once you feel the material is ready, pick the film back up from the outside tip, and pull it down towards the backside, where the sharp corner is. And because there is a sharp corner and severe compound curve, you should finish this in one pull.
There might be tiny wrinkles on the top edge. Add light heat to relax the material and flatten them out. Then, tackle the severe compound curve on the backside first. Gently pull the film near the curve and add heat to relax it.
Instead of forming the wrinkles away, you can form them into the section a little bit. Heat and use your finger to form the film to the backside edge. Doing this can help you glass out the vinyl at the bottom so there is no tension.
At this point, there can be wrinkles on the backside near the compound curve. You can slightly pick the material back up from the sharp corner at the top, hook it, and add heat to relax the film. As the film is relaxed, you can pull the vinyl into the curvy area without overstretching it.
Form the film around. As soon as everything is set, use heat to activate the adhesive, and double-check if there is any tension on the film. Once it is good to go, you can sharpen your blade and cut away the excess.
When cutting, cut on the molding side at a 90-degree angle, which can give you extra material to wrap around the gap for full coverage. Remember to seal all edges when you finish.
You shall then have an M2 mirror well wrapped with high quality and durability. Learn more wrap tips at teckwrap.com
