{"id":7502,"date":"2020-04-13T16:17:28","date_gmt":"2020-04-13T23:17:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spl-speed-projects-laboratory.wp-premium-hosting.com\/performance\/?p=7502"},"modified":"2020-04-14T10:40:10","modified_gmt":"2020-04-14T17:40:10","slug":"what-is-paint-protection-film","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/speedprojectslab.com\/performance\/2020\/04\/what-is-paint-protection-film\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Paint Protection Film?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In today\u2019s market, paint protection film (PPF), or often referred as “Clear Bra” has become a popular technology that protects painted surfaces of a new or used vehicle.\u00a0 Many films in the market are thermoplastic urethane and feature a \u201cself-healing\u201d effect which are used to prevent rock chips, bug splatters, tree saps, and most importantly minor scratches and swirl marks.\u00a0 PPF is typically installed on surfaces labelled as high impact areas, such as the front bumper, hood, fenders and side mirror caps.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

PPF is a clear film that is installed on painted surfaces to provide physical protection, but still allowing the high gloss finish from the paint to be seen.\u00a0 Not only does PPF prevents and reduces of paint damages from physical contact, but it is also resistant to acidic contacts, corrosion, and the reduction of oxidation from UV (Ultraviolet) light-rays from the sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A sample piece of XPEL Ultimate Plus Self Healing Paint Protection Film used as demo to show how durable it is against a key.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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How is PFF installed?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Cutting the Film to the exact fit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As each panel on every vehicle is different, it is important to get the exact fitment for a flush installation. Many film manufacturers provide digital designs for most new vehicles, which will be translated into a digital plotter for the exact cut. This method is often referred as the \u201cPre-Cut Install\u201d. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The alternative method is to lay a bulk roll of film onto the surface, and hand trim the edges accordingly.\u00a0 This method requires extreme accuracy during the trim for a \u201cperfect\u201d install. There is also certain risks involved with the \u201cbulk\u201d install method as the installer is putting a knife on the vehicle to make every cut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is an image of a Pre-Cut Kit for a Tesla Model 3’s full hood, fenders, and mirrors kit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Preparing the Vehicle for Film Application<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In order to achieve a satisfactory installation, a deep\nthorough clean of the vehicle is mandatory. \nThe painted surfaces will have to be free of any road tar, adhesive,\ntree saps, bugs, and any other residues prior to install.  Any remaining debris will cause issues during\nthe installation process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aligning the Film onto the Painted Surfaces<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A soap mixed water based solution commonly known as \u201cslip\u201d\nis used as a wet application for PPF installation.  The solution is applied between the film and\nthe paint to allow the film to freely move. \nThis allows the installer to easily position the film on the surface for\nan accurate install.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Securing the Film <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After the film has been positioned correctly, the installer\nwill use a \u201ctact solution\u201d to lock the film into place.  The \u201ctact solution\u201d is an isopropyl alcohol\nmixed water based solution that activates the adhesive under the PPF.  An applicator squeegee is used to squeeze out\nany liquids and air pockets between the paint and the film, which will allow\nthe adhesive to bond to the paint.  Heat\nis typically applied with an industrial heat gun to the edges to ensure 100%\nbonding.  For curved edges and\n\u201cwrap-around\u201d edges, an adhesive primer is often used to promote adhesion to\nensure the film does not lift over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maintenance for PPF<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After installation, car washes should be avoided for\napproximately two weeks to ensure that the PPF adheres to the paint\nsurfaces.  Any water along the edges\nbefore the adhesive fully cured may cause the film to lift, which would be\ncostly to repair (if not a full replacement). \nProfessional installers would very often recommended using pH neutral\ncar shampoo to ensure the longevity of the PPF. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professional Installers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is a lot of automotive products on the market that are\navailable as an DIY option, but PPF installs would not fall under that category\nas it requires a lot of specialized techniques and experiences.  The top tier PPF manufacturers will provide a\nlist of authorized dealers to ensure their products are installed to the\nhighest level of standards.  Also, most\nwarranties provided by the manufacturers are only warranted if their products\nare installed by a recognized partner of theirs.  To ensure you pay for what you purchase,\nalways ensure the installer you are working with is an authorized outlet and\ninstaller of the PPF you are buying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Speed Projects Laboratory<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

At Speed Projects Lab, our PPF installers are factory certified by the film manufacturer XPEL<\/a>. We are equipped with a computer plotter to plot out exact designs from XPEL\u2019s design program called DAP for your vehicle. Unless the bulking method will yield better results, all installs are done using the Pre-Cut method to ensure we minimize knife use on the vehicle. For more information, feel free to head over to our dedicated \u201cXPEL Paint Protection<\/a>\u201d page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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