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Can Vinyl Wrap Be Applied to a Car With Rust?

People commonly see vehicle wraps as a solution for unsightly problems. If you have rust spots or a poorly executed paint job, it seems that covering the offending coat is the easiest solution. Is this you?

December 21, 2022

People commonly see vehicle wraps as a solution for unsightly problems. If you have rust spots or a poorly executed paint job, it seems that covering the offending coat is the easiest solution. Is this you?

If your car has imperfections in the exterior like rust holes or peeling paint, then vinyl vehicle wraps should not be your solution. Covering these damages wouldn’t be a solution at all. At Team Acme, we’ve seen many different techniques used to try and hide rust. In reality, though, you’re going to want to genuinely address the underlying condition instead of just trying to hide it outright.

Sand, Prime, And Paint- Or Wrap!

The only solution is to repair the damage before moving further. The first step is to sand away the offending rust and blemishes. Once the source of the rust is gone, apply a primer to the spots. After the primer dries, you can decide if you would prefer to wrap or paint the vehicle. The difference in price depends on the kind of paint you want to use, but no matter what, a wrap is not permanent, so it could act as a ‘temporary tattoo’ for your car color. Read more about the difference here.

How Does A Car Get Rusted?

That being said, there’s no reason to suggest that cars ever need to get rusty in the first place. There are three primary reasons that they get rusty, and reducing this from happening can help to dramatically cut down on the overall risk that you’re ever going to have to mess around with rust removal. After all, preventing something from happening is even better than doing a great job fixing it.

Rain

While cars that are kept exclusively in the Las Vegas metro aren’t known to get rained on a whole lot, when the sky does break open it can be a real issue. The problem is probably bigger for those who drive their cars back and forth from, say, Carson City or Reno and run into rainy weather during their trips. Make sure to dry your vehicle off if you’re taking it in from the rain.

Salt

Salt, whether from road dust or a trip all the way out to the coast in California, is not going to do your vehicle a favor one bit. Road salt that’s actually applied to the streets in the mountains or in other states is going to increase the chances of metal oxidizing, which contributes to the rust problem.

Neglect

Perhaps the biggest problem, as well as the underlying cause of these two other issues, is actually neglect. Make sure that you’re not leaving your car in places such as an extremely humid garage.

Is It Possible To Remove Rust From A Car?

Rusted Car

Should a car get rusty, there’s a good chance that something could be done to remove it. You do need to take it somewhere that’s going to take the right kind of care of it, however. Make sure to only work with professionals who are experienced in this field.

Bring Your Car To A Professional

If you are not sure if your car can be vinyl wrapped, then don’t hesitate to bring it to Team Acme Inc. Located in Henderson, Nevada, we will be able to let you know if wrapping is a suitable solution for your vehicle. If not, we can provide the care your car needs before wrapping.

Now, don’t get us wrong. Vinyl can successfully cover rust. However, at Team Acme, we avoid vinyl wrapping rusted vehicles. Vinyl wrapping is not a long-term solution for repairing rust. Not only will it exacerbate the rust problem, but repair costs will be much higher than before the vinyl was applied. For these reasons, we advise customers to repair the rust before applying a vinyl wrap to their vehicle.

Why You Should Never Apply Vinyl Over Rust

Rust on a car is similar to a hole in a wall. You can cover the hole with paint or wall-hangings, but there is still a hole in the wall. The damage jeopardizes the structural integrity of the wall, even if it isn’t visible.

As with the wall, rust can jeopardize the structural integrity of your car, especially if the rust is severe. Even if the rust is not advanced, then by covering it with a vinyl wrap, some moisture will be trapped inside, and the rust will spread. And while this may hide the damage for a moment, it won’t last. Vinyl wraps adhere to the paint on a vehicle. Without a secured adhesion, the vinyl will peel or bubble, leaving the rust visible again.

Vinyl Won’t Work Over Rust

When you apply a vinyl automotive wrap, you have to make sure that it’s going to adhere to the underlying structure of the car. The seal has to be extremely tight to keep it on, which is why it works best after a vehicle has been cleaned and dried. Rust makes the exterior of an automobile much less slick, which increases the surface area by adding little nodules to the shell. If you’ve ever taken a close-up look at rust, then you know just how knobby it is.

Rusty Car

Putting a vinyl wrap over a rusty body isn’t going to work. However, you can have the rust removed and then treated first before a wrap is then installed to cover the new bodywork. Our group of pros at Team Acme has dealt with this kind of issue in the past. Keep in mind that it’s still much easier to prevent the growth of rust than it is to remove it later on.

Peruse Professional Wrap Design and Installation From Team Acme

Visit Team Acme’s website today to view examples of our talented crew’s previous work. Our team uses state-of-the-art equipment, including software, to design the unique vinyl wraps we install. We use only the highest quality materials to ensure a long-lasting finish. A wide selection of color options is available, as well.
At Team Acme, we are committed to providing our customers with long-lasting, high-quality vinyl wraps, window tints, and more. For this reason, we use only the best quality materials for every job. Our team is experienced in vinyl wrapping and can ensure a spectacular finish on any vehicle. If you have any questions or comments, let us know! Contact us here and our customer service staff will be happy to help any way they can. You can also feel free to request a free quote online at any time.

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680 Professional Ave, Henderson, NV 89015

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