How Paint Protection Film Works

How paint protection film works may seem unimportant when you buy a new car. But that new car will soon start to look a little old due to scratches, rain and dirt. At that point, you have to paint your car over and over again, which is costly. However, if you protect your vehicle with paint protection film, you won’t have a problem.

Protecting the paint of your car may seem a little extravagant when you consider other car maintenance costs. But, while many other parts of your vehicle need maintenance, it doesn’t mean you should drive a car with old, faded paint. And the truth is, no matter how careful you are with your vehicle, scratches and bumps will still happen.

How paint protection film works isn’t a complex process. All you’re doing is protecting your car paint from scratches by adding an invisible layer.

It may seem straightforward, but only a professional can guarantee the top-notch application of paint protection film. Here, we’ll discuss the procedure for applying paint protection film and what you can expect with it on your car.

What is a Paint Protection Film?

Paint protection is an invisible layer that aims to preserve your car’s paint. Of course, you can try to keep your car paint fresh by painting it regularly. In the long run, frequent paint touch-ups are more expensive than a one-time application of paint protection film.

A paint protection film is a layer of protective material that you apply to the external surface of your car. You can use it all around your vehicle or take your time to select some parts of your vehicle. For instance, let’s assume the door of your car is prone to scratches. As opposed to the whole car, you can apply paint protection film to the door and the surrounding area.

However, if you can’t pinpoint a particular part of your vehicle that needs extra protection, it’s better to protect all parts of your car. The complete protection will cost more because you’re using more material.

The base material of paint protection film is either a polymer or polyurethane. For the layman, it means paint protection film material has similar features to plastic.

History of Paint Protection Film

Of all the advantages of paint protection film, durability stands tall. When you apply paint protection film to your car, you’re sure your vehicle will retain its beauty and sheen. But, while paint film protection is now an excellent car care procedure, it didn’t start from there.

If you trace the history of paint protection film, you’ll end up in the Vietnam war. At that time, soldiers applied a protection layer to their helicopter blades. These blades were always working, and as such, were prone to damage at any time.

With a paint protection film layer on the blades, they would hardly suffer damage. Consequently, the protection layer increased the lifetime of helicopter blades used during the Vietnam war.

The short history lesson explains why many mistake paint protection film for helicopter tape. The protection layer used during the Vietnam war had a tape-like appearance and was a little thick.

How Paint Protection Film Works: The Advantages

Apart from maintaining your vehicle’s paint quality, protection film can also increase your car’s value. Before we look into the advantages, here’s a little recap of the idea of paint protection film. When you apply a paint protection film to your car, here’s how it works;

The material sits on the external surface of the car but not visibly.
When any scratch hits the car, the paint protection layer takes the scratch.
The paint on your car maintains its brand new colour.

Some advantages of these protection include;

Car protection

We have been hammering on this point since the beginning of this blog. Paint protection film helps your car repel the adverse effects of dirt, dust and the elements.

It’s almost impossible for you to protect your car’s paint from natural factors like rain, UV rays, dirt and dust. Your best chance of doing so is when you use paint protection film.

Cost-Effective

Scratches on your vehicle can come from anywhere. Over time, blemishes can spread around your car and destroy the beauty. At this point, you may consider changing the car or repainting the vehicle.

These two options are great, but they’re not cost-effective. Buying a car may not be the wisest option if you’re short on funds. If you decide to paint the car, the new sheen will only last for a while. It’s only a matter of time before the car scratches again.

However, if you prevent any scratch from the start, you’ll have almost no need to worry. So let’s breakdown how paint protection film works to save you a fortune:

The cost to apply a paint protection film that works on your car is cheaper than buying a new one. Also, it can be more affordable than repainting the car.
Paint protection film lasts longer than regular car paints.

Adds value to your vehicle

In Vaughan, there are different types of paint protection film for your car. So you have options based on your choice and the available packages at your preferred auto shop.

Professional paint protection film application allows you to change the look of your vehicle. In contrast, some won’t even show visibly on your car.

Regardless of the choice you make, paint protection film always adds value to your car. If you’re still wondering how paint protection film works to increase the value of your car, let’s discuss a good scenario.

A car is a commodity that loses value with time. Let’s assume you bought a car worth $20,000 ten years ago. Also, let’s also assume the car’s value should reduce by 50% after ten years.

However, when you apply paint protection film, the story is different. All you need to do is to remove the protective layer, and you’ll have the car looking new again. That way, the value of the car increases from what it should be after ten years. More so, if the paint protection film adds more beauty to your car, it increases the value.

What is The Procedure for Paint Protection Film?

It’s always better if you opt for a professional paint protection film application. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t apply paint protection to your car by yourself.

If you have some experience working on cars, the procedure may come easy for you. But if you don’t, you should follow the steps that we’ll discuss. A tiny mistake during application may cause more harm than good to your car. Here’s the procedure for paint protection film application:

Clean your car’s exterior

Remember, you’re about to protect the external parts of your car. So, you need the vehicle to be at its best look before applying paint protection film. If you use paint protection film on a dirty car, you’ll have an uneven layer.

So what you want to do is to make sure you clean your car properly. A thorough wash will ensure little or no dirt between the film and your car’s surface.

Get materials ready

While applying paint protection film, you need a bit of speed and dexterity. Therefore, as much as possible, make sure you have all the materials ready. Materials you’ll need for the application include the film itself, solutions for mixing, a buffer cloth, squeegee and a flat work table.

Wear a glove and wet your hands

Paint protection film works with adhesives; that’s how it sticks. So, it’s wise to wear a glove that’s wet to prevent adhesives from sticking on your hands.

Apply the film

Mix all the components you need on the work table and apply them to the car. To make your work faster, apply the protective film in layers. You can use a squeegee to flatten the film and apply it at proper places.

Inspect and leave to dry

No one is perfect! After you apply the paint protection film, check properly for mistakes. Mistakes while applying paint protection film can come in the form of blisters on your car. When you check and find these blisters, you can correct them immediately.

Before driving the car, allow the protection film to dry. You can’t apply paint protection film on your car and start driving the next day. Let the film dry for about three days before you start moving the vehicle.

Paint Protection Film Offers 24/7 Protection

How paint protection film works for car protection and maintenance is entirely fabulous. You can protect the value and beauty of your car with this singular protective step. If you need a step-by-step guide to applying the film, you can read the article above. However, it’s always better to contract the services of an expert.

Regardless of your experience with car-related issues, you can’t apply paint protection film perfectly. To get perfect results from paint protection film, you need decent technical skills and experience. At Autoboss Vaughan, not only do we have experts that’ll give your car the perfect touch, we have the experience to avoid mistakes. Call our auto shop for the best paint protection film services in Vaughan.

What is a Paint Protection Film?

History of Paint Protection Film