Carbon vinyl wrap film has been very popular in the market throughout the time. But how well do you know about it? Check out these properties below and see if you recognize them all because they will help you get a better chance to achieve a perfect carbon finish if you keep them in mind.
Textured and directional
Carbon vinyl wrap film is textured and directional, which is the most obvious of all its properties. Thus, there are peaks and valleys on its surface. Also, when applying, the wrapper must match the pattern up piece by piece to keep it uniform.
Sensitive surface
The surface of a carbon vinyl wrap film is extremely sensitive. So you should use a soft squeegee with a new buffer when wrapping. And make sure you hold it low and flat. If you hold your squeegee at a high angle and approach the film, it is very likely you will scratch it. There is no going back if this happens, as there is no lamination layer on a textured vinyl wrap film like carbon, so scratches cannot seal-heal
Low surface energy
With a textured surface, carbon wrap film has low surface energy. So you would not want to put any overlaying pieces on top of it because they will not stick well. (But if somehow you really have to, you can check out our previous article Adjust surface energy on vinyl wrap film accordingly to help, although it is not a good idea to put an overlay on top of a carbon film…).
Seal-heal overstretch and wrinkles
If you overstretch a carbon vinyl wrap film, you will see an apparent distortion on its patterns, and its color might become lighter as well. When this happens, you can simply pick the film back up, use gentle heat to trigger its memory, and the material will go back in shape. You can apply the same to wrinkles as well.
Uneven cut tends to occur
When you need to use a cutting tape to cut a carbon wrap, choose a thin one, as it tends to cut unevenly on a textured surface. So the thinner the tape is, the higher the chance you can achieve a clean cut.
Easy to split and tear
A carbon vinyl wrap film can easily split and tear because of its textured surface. So make sure you pick it back up slowly when it needs. Also, avoid making standard relief cuts as you might accidentally tear the film when doing it. Make enclosed relief cuts when you have to.
Light heat for post-heat
You have to be extra careful when you post-heat a carbon wrap, especially when it comes to a curvy section where the material was stretch over 10%. For those areas, the textured pattern has become thinner because of the pulling. And if you apply intense heat there, the material can split easily. Thus, do not forget to refer to the manual and add heat at the minimum recommended temperature.
So these are the basic properties of a carbon wrap film. Did you get them all right now? Get your favorite carbon wrap film at teckwrap.com to check out. Bear these tips in mind, and you will be able to achieve a professional carbon finish with high-quality and long-term durability.
