As vehicles vary, license plate areas are different from one another as well. When wrapping this area with vinyl wrap film, there are several kinds of approaches depending on the type of license plate area you have. Thus, it is critical to check up on the section and work accordingly.
Generally, there are two types of license plate area: one is narrow and deep, where the angles are very steep, and the other is the opposite. For the former case, you can check out the previous article Wrap up Steep License Plate Area with Vinyl Film to have more insights. As for the latter, it is going to be the main focus here.
With a license plate area that is wide and mellow, where the angle is not too steep, you need to bridge the vinyl wrap film over the whole section and work from the outside towards the inside. The trick is to settle the surrounding area well first. It might sound not as tricky as working around a steep license plate area, but it does require proper technique.
The Triangle technique is what you need here. Pull the vinyl wrap film at a 45-degree angle from just above the plate area to the left, then do the same again to the right, which will help you reduce the chance of the film bunching up in the middle. Create glass as you pull, and give it a stroke with your squeegee at each bottom corner to lock the film in place.
Mostly, the section in the middle should be flat. If not, work it around with our squeegee and form it well. You can pick the vinyl film back up and re-do it again if needed. When everything is ready, use your squeegee to shift the material around the plate area left to right back and forth, make the film even, and squeegee the film down to the section around.
When squeegee, do it with a 45-degree angle stroke and away from the wrinkles. As you do it, use your free hand to pull and create glass. Do not use heat at all these stages, as you might overstretch the film. Wrap it cold will help you achieve long-term durability.
Once this is done, you can now wrap the inside of the license plate area. First, use your finger to go along the inside edge. Make sure the whole area is now flat. And have your heat gun ready on one hand, then put on your application glove on the other hand, soak it with a good deal of soap and water so that your hand can glide smoothly on the surface.
As the area is not deep and the angles are not steep, you do not have to handle the corners first. Thus, you can work from the outside in with your hand evenly. Glide on the surface and squeegee down the material with your fingers while giving just enough heat to soften the film with the heat gun on your other hand. Form the film evenly.
When everything is done, do a thorough checking to see if there are any bubbles. If so, pop it. And if not, you should be able to have a nicely wrapped plate area. For more wrap tips, visit teckwrap.com
