Vinyl FAQ's

We thought we would help answer some of the most commonly mis-consception's in the graphics industry as well answer some very popular questions that we get, we hope it helps you understand more about the products that you will be receiving.

1. Not all vinyl is the same! Yes you can get things off EBay for super cheap; however there is a reason why it is so cheap. There are two ''main'' types of vinyl that you will find at a sign shop, you can either use Cast or Calendered. Calendered vinyl is the cheaper option, it has a significantly shorter lifespan and should really only be used for flat surface installation or temporary vehicle decals. Cast is the more expensive option, this film is what will be used for long term vehicle decals and can be installed on more of a curved surface. The difference is in how the vinyl is manufactured, Cast vinyl is poured into flat molds under very little tension as compared to Calendered which is extruded and put through rollers to form its final shape which leads to the finished product prematurely shrinking over time. Calendered vinyl is also thicker and more brittle.


2. One brand of wrap vinyl is better than all the rest isn't it? The answer to this question is usually a preference of the shop or even the preference of each installer. Some installers swear only by 3M and others prefer other industry films like Vivvid, Avery, Hexis, and Teckwrap... the list can go on and on. Main thing we tell our customers is do your research, each brand has their ''hits'' and their ''misses'', not one brand has everything. Some are more expensive such as 3M & Hexis, some have nicer finishes, and some are slightly thicker. At the end of the day it comes down to the color you want, price and what you want out of the film that will be installed on your vehicle.


3. How long will my wrap last? Plenty of factors are involved when it comes to this very popular question. Obviously we would all love vinyl to last forever but that is simply unrealistic, the vinyl is only as strong as the surface it is applied to. If you have a brand new car with factory paint you will have the most success of you wrap lasting up to 5 years and even further with proper maintenance (Depends on which vinyl finish you decide to use). Avery has a vertical durability of 10 years for their basic color vinyl's but if you go with a metallic that changes to 5 years (Numbers based on the car being in Zone 1 which is Canada). Any horizontal installs, for example Roofs, Hoods & top of trunks will fade quicker than the vertically installed panels like your doors. If you have an older vehicle that has rock chips, rust or any other wear and tear on the exterior will limit the lifespan for your wrap. Paint has a tendency to dry-out and become more brittle/flaky over time which can cause the wrap to prematurely lift.


4. I can have my vehicle wrapped for $2000 right? Wrong, sorry if you may have been misinformed by something you may have seen online. We get this a lot so you're not the only person who has been told this or heard this before. Wrapping a vehicle is definitely cheaper than painting your vehicle but like painting there is a lot of labor involved with wrapping your vehicle ''properly''. Like everything else in life, ''you get what you pay for'' We use nothing but the highest quality vinyl's in the industry to give our customers the best experience possible when it comes to not just our wrap vinyl's but all vinyl's we use. Each vehicle & what brand/color/finish of vinyl that you decide to go with changes what the cost will be. Shoot us a message and we will do a free quote for you!


5. There are a lot of companies that offer the same services as you do, so why choose Spartan Wraps & Graphics? We have over 12 years' experience within the signage & decals industry and have been professionally trained in both paint protection and vehicle wraps. We are a complete mobile shop where we take the hassle out of your day and we come directly to you' for that we have less overhead costs which in turn means better prices for you the customer! We cut absolutely ''No'' corners when it comes to the quality of our jobs. At Spartan it's not just a job, we eat, breathe and sleep what we do and being able to share our passion and skill with our community is everything for us. We are always trying to elevate the graphics industry in Central Alberta by always being up to date with all the newest trends.

We hope that we have helped answer some of the questions that you might have, if there's anything else that you would like us to answer for you please send us a message.

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