Can Car Interior Be Wrapped? – Tips and Tricks plus All The Equipment You Need

Vinyl wrapping is a great and affordable way to transform the appearance of your vehicle. Whether you’re trying to hide cosmetic blemishes or are simply looking for a fresh look, wrapping is a relatively simple solution. You’ve probably seen this done on the exterior of a vehicle many times, but what about the inside?

A car’s interior can be wrapped. You won’t be able to wrap every interior component, but essentially, any removable non-porous feature is wrappable using vinyl.

Wrapping the interior of a vehicle is a growing trend, but doing so is sometimes more of a challenge. I’ll go over more details in the rest of the article and provide a quick how-to in case you want to try wrapping your car yourself. 

Can You Wrap Car Interior?

For whatever reason, you may want to wrap your car’s interior. Doing so requires minimal supplies and doesn’t take too long.

You can wrap your car’s interior. Wrapping the vehicle’s interior is similar to wrapping the exterior, but given that you’re working with smaller parts, the execution is sometimes tricky. 

On the other hand, the fact that you’re working with smaller parts means that wrapping your car’s interior works well as a DIY project. 

While the process is sometimes challenging, it doesn’t necessarily require tremendous skill. With enough time and patience, anybody could transform the look of their vehicle with a simple vinyl wrap. 

How Do You Wrap the Interior of a Car?

Wrapping the interior of your car is sometimes an elaborate process, but it’s one that benefits from a steady, careful pace. 

To wrap the interior of a car, you’ll have to remove the pieces you want to wrap. After properly prepping the pieces, you’ll apply the wrap with a heat gun and reinstall the parts to their spot inside the car. 

I’ll break down the wrapping process down below:

Supplies Needed To Wrap a Car’s Interior

The supplies you’ll need to wrap the interior of your car don’t differ much from those needed for the exterior. 

The basics include:

  • Vinyl wrapping material
  • Heat gun
  • Precise cutting blade
  • Squeegee 
  • Scissors
  • Cleaning solution
  • Cloth 
  • Gloves 

Additional supplies may vary. Sometimes you’ll need an adhesive to help the wrapping material stick, particularly around the edges. If you don’t have an actual heat gun, a hairdryer often works just as well. 

You might also need some additional tools to safely remove the parts from the interior of your vehicle. 

How To Wrap Your Car’s Interior

There aren’t too many steps involved with wrapping the interior of your vehicle, and once you’ve gathered your supplies, you’re ready to get started. 

To wrap your car’s interior, follow these steps:

  • Establish a clean work area.
  • Remove the interior piece you want to wrap.
  • Roll out and cut enough vinyl wrap to cover said piece.
  • Properly clean the interior piece with an alcohol solution, ensuring that any dirt has been removed so that the vinyl can adhere firmly to the material.
  • Remove protective film from vinyl wrap.
  • Place the car piece face down on the stick side of the wrap.
  • Carefully wrap the material around the edges of the piece.
  • Cut off excess, leaving enough to wrap around to the underside.
  • Use squeegee to get rid of air bubbles.
  • Apply a heat gun (or hairdryer) from a distance to help the material stick.
  • Apply adhesive to the underside and wrap the material around.
  • Cut off any remaining material. 

These are the basic steps, and granted, it’s a pretty simplified version. This YouTube video by Justin Buice breaks it down further:

Executing the steps mentioned above can be tricky, and it’s a process that is very easy to mess up. I would suggest watching several different videos, and it might also help to practice on items that you aren’t worried about getting perfect. 

Tips for Wrapping Interior Car Parts

Plenty of things can go wrong when you’re wrapping interior car parts, but here are some tips you can use to avoid common mistakes: 

  • Remove all the pieces you want to wrap. It’s important that you’re able to wrap the vinyl around to the underside of the pieces. This hides the seams and ensures the material doesn’t unwrap inside the car. It’s also just easier to wrap pieces when they’re uninstalled. 
  • Keep a clean work area. When attempting to wrap in a dirty area, you risk getting the car parts and the vinyl wrap dirty. The dirt and dust might make it difficult for the vinyl to stick, and they might also hurt the quality of the finished product. 
  • Take your time. If you have multiple pieces that need to be wrapped, expect to take a couple of days or however long it takes to get it right. Attempting to rush the process is likely to lead to poor results. 
  • Pay the higher prices. If you can afford to, it’s generally best not to buy the cheapest products when doing something like this. The quality of the products you buy will greatly impact the finished result. 
  • Trim the material carefully. You don’t want to cut off too much at one time. It’s always better to cut off not enough than to cut off too much. 
  • Apply heat carefully. It is possible to burn, melt, or warp the vinyl with the heat gun. Make sure you are keeping it at a safe distance and aren’t getting the material too hot. 

Hire Somebody To Wrap Your Car’s Interior

Alternatively, you can always hire somebody to wrap the interior of your car. There are many places that offer this kind of service, and while this would be a more costly route, you would save yourself a lot of stress. You could also be confident that the final result will be high quality. 

The Pros of Wrapping Car Interiors

There are many good reasons to wrap the interior of your vehicle, many of which apply to the exterior as well:

You Can Hide Cuts, Fading Paint, and Other Blemishes

Vinyl wraps allow you to spruce up a vehicle that’s beginning to show signs of wear. Interior trim that has lost its sheen or has been severely scratched can be covered in an attractive vinyl wrapping that not only hides the blemishes but also offers a fresh, new look. 

This is often a more cost-effective option, considering the alternatives of replacing pieces or buying a new car. 

Car Wraps Offer a Lot of Potential for Personalization

Interior car wraps are available in all sorts of colors, patterns, and textures. You’ll be able to choose from a long list of options to give your car the exact look that you want. In many cases, you’ll have options that simply aren’t available through other means. This means that you can choose something simple or something less conventional. 

Car Wraps Are Not Permanent

Vinyl car wraps, even on the interior, are completely removable. When you grow tired of one color or design, you can change it to something else without a ton of work involved. 

If you don’t like how the wrap turned out at all, you can simply remove it, and if you do it yourself, removing the wrap doesn’t cost anything. 

The Cons of Wrapping Car Interiors

There aren’t many major drawbacks to wrapping the interior of your car. Since these wraps can be removed without damaging the underlying material, there isn’t a lot of risk involved. 

Damaged Vinyl Wraps Don’t Look Good

These wraps are made of thin material that is sometimes easily damaged. Depending on the color or material, scratches are often very obvious, and they can ruin the look. If the scratches are deep enough, the original color or material might show through, which might also be an eyesore. 

Wrapping Sometimes Doesn’t Stick Well to Plastic

In some cases, the wrapping material may not stick well to plastic car parts. This is one reason why using an adhesive is often necessary. This is also partially dependent on the quality of wrap that you use, but as long as you take your time and apply the wrap correctly, you shouldn’t have major issues. 

Quality of Vinyl Wraps Can Vary Dramatically

The quality of the finished wrap depends greatly on the quality of materials used, as well as the time spent installing the wrap. Poorly-installed vinyl wraps can peel very quickly, and they may also appear loose or contain noticeable air bubbles. 

Given that you’ll be looking at these wraps for many years, it’s important that you take your time so that you like what you’re looking at. These wraps are removable, so the risk is low, but the more time you spend in the beginning, the less work you’ll have to do in the future. 

How Long Do Interior Car Wraps Last?

Interior car wraps aren’t a permanent solution, but they are definitely effective for the short term. 

Interior car wraps last around six years under perfect conditions. You can maximize the life of your wraps by installing them properly and taking the necessary measures to protect them as time goes on. 

Key Takeaways

  • Vinyl wrapping works well for car interiors.
  • They can transform the look of your vehicle.
  • Car wraps require careful installation.
  • Wraps can last six years. 

Sources

Reddit: DIY: How to Wrap Interior Panels or Trim

Eastwood Garage: Vinyl Wrapping Old Interior Trim

Holtz Auto: Everything You Need to Know About Car Wrapping

Instructables: How to Wrap Your Interior Trim with 3M Carbon Fiber Vinyl

Wrap Works: How to Care for Your Vehicle Wrap

Jan-Lucas Ganssauge
Jan-Lucas Ganssauge