What the job actually is
- Prep. Decontamination wash, clay, inspection under lights. Any defect gets sealed under the film forever, so the paint has to be right first.
- Disassembly. Badges, mirror caps, sensors and trim come off where the car allows so film goes under them instead of around them.
- Cutting. Patterns are cut to the car, then adjusted by hand for wrapped edges. Generic pre-cut kits stop short of the edge and leave a visible line.
- Laying. The panel and the film are wet with slip solution. The film is positioned, then squeegeed out from the center, stretched only where the curve demands it. Too much stretch shows as marks and lifts later.
- Edges. Wrapped around the panel and sealed. This is the step that separates shops.
- Cure. Heat to set the edges, then the car sits inside while the adhesive bonds.
Time
Partial Front {PF_TF}. Full Front {FF_TF}. Full Body {FB_TF}. The car stays in the climate-controlled bay the whole time.
DIY kits
They work on a flat hood on a mild day. They do not work on a bumper, a mirror or a fender edge, and any dust in a garage ends up under the film. Most DIY film we see is removed and redone within the year.
