After a couple of years of taking a huge amount of advice and help from members of this forum I thought I'd try to offer something in return. I can't see any other posts covering this but apologies if I'm I have missed something & am repeating stuff.
I have spent my whole career in the graphics industry and the last 14 yrs as an account manager for a couple of big graphics companies so I have gained a bit of knowledge. I know you're unlikely to print or cut your own vinyls but at least I can offer advice to help you know what you should be looking for.
Self-adhesive vinyl (SAV) could be the subject of a forum in itself, the range of different types of vinyl and adhesive is huge but I'll stick to the basics that you may want for your vans.
There are basically two types of vinyl: cast and calendared.
Cast vinyl starts life as a liquid and is poured into a thin sheet. It is very conformable & doesn't noticeably shrink. It is also very expensive
Calendared vinyl starts life as a lump of plastic and put through a big pasta machine to get the thin vinyl. It is cheaper than cast but for a reason. Calendared vinyl comes in two types: polymeric which is not as good as cast but would be suitable for medium term flat panel graphics or cut vinyl sign writing, and monomeric which you should steer well clear of. Even cut vinyl text in monomeric will shrink back, crack or peel off within a reasonably short period of time.
They all come in coloured for cut vinyl letters or white printable with a corresponding seal/laminate.
If you want a full, half van or bonnet wrap (anything that needs to go around curves) then insist on cast vinyl. As a guide, a 50m roll with laminate would cost us about £800 plus VAT before we take it out of the box. If someone is offering cheap wraps then ask yourself why. A good quality printed full wrap of a MWB van including roof & windows should cost you around £1.5 - £2k fitted.
For even the most basic sign writing make sure you are being sold at least calendared polymeric vinyl which should last you a good amount of time but if you are fitting to the side panels and the graphics go over the inner curves (where windows would be on a minibus) then consider calendared to ensure it stays adhered to those inner curves over time.
Avoid monomeric vinyl even for flat panels.
Make sure you choose a good company who that know their stuff. Most cast vinyl has to be heated to a specific temperature to allow it to "lose its memory" and stay in the shape it is formed to when applied they then has to be heated again once applied. Each manufacturer will have different spec. Basic cut vinyl appication isn't too hard but vehicle wrapping is a fine art. Plus chose carefully the person you want near your van with a knife and heat gun! I have seen melted trim and scratched paintwork!
I hope this will be of help to someone and I'm always happy to offer further advice on PM if you want. I may even be able to recommend companies local to you.
And remember - buy cheap, buy twice!
Mike
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