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:
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:
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:
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
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
