Cart wraps are one of the best choices for companies that use commercial vehicles as a crucial part of their business operations. Generally, for the food businesses in NYC or any of the busiest cities in the world, a huge part of the operation involves traveling to different locations or placing the cart in a crowded spot. Therefore, having your cart wrapped with custom eye-catchy graphics from professional food cart wraps NYC experts will help you to stand out.
However, people are mostly worried about thinking how long these wraps will last even though it’s considered a wise investment. The good news is your food cart wraps can be repaired. On top, the process is super fast and easy. Keep on reading this article to discover more about how your damaged commercial vehicle wrap can be repaired.
Factors That Decide Your Wrap’s Longevity
Ideally, the wraps are designed and built to bear a certain extent of vehicle damage. So, if it is installed by professional cart wrappers, it’s likely to last between three to six years. Sometimes, it can last even longer than this time frame. However, the longevity of your wrap entirely depends on your maintenance.
Here are the few factors that will affect your wrap’s longevity,
Timely Washing
The damage in a vehicle wrap usually occurs due to wear and tear. Since, businesses mostly operate in different weather conditions including snow, rain, wind, and heat it makes the wraps undergo a huge stress level.
Therefore, if you allow the road dust and dirt to sit on the vehicle, it will cause the wraps to wear out quickly. But, you can maintain the good condition of your wraps by using soft cloths and gentle cleansers to wash the dirt, dust, and grime to prevent further scratches.
In addition, there are various types of materials used for making these wraps and each of them is different. So, you may have to avoid using waxes and pressure washing to prevent damage.
Extreme Sun Exposure
Businesses operate in all types of climate conditions to provide the best service to their customers. Hence, extreme sun exposure can cause a lot of damage to your vehicle wraps. The UV rays lead these wraps to fade prematurely.
Further, it can damage your food cart wrap printing, and text clarity and affect the overall design of the wraps. To avoid your food cart signage being damaged, it’s important to take some basic measures such as parking your cart while not in use, using areas with less exposure to sunlight, etc. This can increase the longevity of your wraps.
How to Repair a Damaged Vehicle Wrap?
The repair process of vehicle wraps largely depends on the type of damage that occurred to them. Usually, the wraps suffer from wear and tear. However, sometimes, the damage could occur from accidents that dent or scratch the entire body of your commercial vehicle.
So, here are the few steps that professional cart wrap installers follow to repair a damaged wrap,
Cleaning The Damaged Area
The primary steps to repair a damaged wrap are to clean the area using soap and water and then wipe it with microfibre towels. It removes the debris, greases, and waxes before performing any further bodywork. If you don’t follow the primary step of cleaning, this can affect the adherence of vinyl patches to the vehicle.
Removing the Damaged Section
In the majority of the wrap damage conditions, there’s no reason to panic as most of them are localized and can easily be repaired with just a patch. Since a lot of businesses choose vinyl as a material for their wraps, sometimes the vinyl patches need a replacement due to major accidents.
In such cases, professional car-wrappers remove the damaged section of the vinyl patches using a sanding block. Only light pressure is applied on the block and the sand horizontally to gently remove the vinyl section. This step is crucial to proceed further.
Re-applying The Vinyl Patches
The best part of using truck wraps is that you won’t need to replace the entire section for a small scratch. Rather, you can apply the patches to the damaged section and avoid redoing the entire vehicle. However, it’s important to measure the size of the vinyl patches so that they could cover the entire damage and overlap with the previous wrap.
Once you get the ideal size of the vinyl patch, you have to remove its backing and start applying the vinyl to the damaged area. Still, professional supervision is needed in this case to avoid any air bubbles. Else, the wrap won’t last long. You can also consider using a heat gun to make the wrap easier to stretch. Using the heat gun also helps to keep the patch adhered to the vehicle.
Can You Repair the Wrap Yourself?
The wrap installation is a precise process. Without having the right knowledge and equipment, the installation can turn out to be a complete mess reducing the overall lifespan of your wrap. Therefore, a DIY repair isn’t always a great idea especially if you want to avoid further damage.
There are a few reasons why you must avoid repairing the wrap yourself,
- You can place the wrap incorrectly which will increase further expenses to repair it.
- You may not have the right equipment to apply the patches properly on the vehicle.
- You could end up damaging the original paint of the vehicle causing more damage in the future.
Cost of Commercial Vehicle Wrap Repairs
The cost of wrap repairs is likely to depend on the size of the damage. If you need a full wrap replacement, then it could be more expensive. But, sometimes, it can be a wise option to choose if your wrap is a few years old.
Moreover, the repair process is the best choice and is cost-effective rather than repainting your vehicle. In addition, if you’re in a food business and you have a fleet of commercial food trucks, you can easily consult with a professional to perform the wrap replacement within your budget.
Want Your Commercial Vehicle Wrap Repaired?
Being one of the top-tier food truck wrap NYC companies, Signs NYC uses the best wrap technology to protect your commercial vehicle from any damage. In case it occurs, you can consult our experts to partially or entirely replace the wrap to make sure your vehicle always stays in the best condition.
