Wrap removal techniques

[gabagoo]

I have a customer who purchased a used 16' cube van and it is wrapped. he wants me to remove it...I politely declined and said I would research the best ways for him remove the graphic as we are far too busy and I don't have the time to deal with it.... The cube van is fiberglass. I have not seen it and I am not sure if it is a 2ml product or a cheap calendered product. Would a pressure washer be the fastest way to remove this? your input is appreciated.

 

[SightLine]

Without know exactly what material is on it and when it was installed its a crap shoot. Only way to know for sure how its going to go is going to be to test a small area. If its laminated 3M and not horrifyingly aged then it will not be too bad to just get at it and peel it off. We just did one in a similar scenario (a 40 foot coach) with a full wrap. On doing a small test we determined that the existing wrap was laminated 3M so we knew what we were getting in to. A big weed torch and a full day and it was all off. If its a nightmare though - I've had to tell people the cost for us to remove it would be more than the cost for both the materials and install of the new wrap. In that scenario there is not simple silver bullet other than maybe a 4000+ PSI HOT STEAM pressure washer. However on fiberglass you might also risk blowing a hole through the fiberglass with that method. It very much depends on the condition of the existing material and how easy it comes off.

 

[papabud]

we remove a lot of well aged vinyl, wraps and cut vinyl.
What works best for us is heat and elbow grease. there is really no safe magic bullet. some tools do exist that help some of the time. but when it comes down to it, time and effort is whats needed the most.

 

[DougWestwood]

wrap remove

In the past, I have used one of the "jet engine" heaters you can rent.
Just point it at the side of the truck, and let it blow heat.
Peel off a corner and keep going. Job goes pretty quickly.

- Doug
Vancouver

 

[Jester1167]

No mater how old or how new heat is your friend (somewhere between warm and really hot) Your best bet is to use the summer sun an work on the sunny side. Unless its 100 degrees you may need to add some heat. I usually use a weed burner on aluminum and fiberglass trailers. The fiberglass trailers don't hold heat as well and you have to heat smaller areas and work faster. Using an open flame is similar to painting. If you stop on the ends you get hot spots (too much paint and runs). Try using an infinity sign motion. The top of the trailer on the passenger side is usually the worst area because that area rubs on tree branches is the neighborhoods.

If you stretch the vinyl as your pulling it off at a 45 deg angle you get less adhesive residue. Newer vinyl like 3M you can pull at 135 degrees. Sometimes if it is pulling really hard you can get the top started then slice the removed vinyl into 18" widths and it will tear in smaller strips.

 

[decalman]

I take into account the condition of the vinyl.
Maybe it responds to heat guns ? If not, then time for step 2.

step 2,. Fiberglass is good for the razorblade tool. I have a special gadget.
Heat and scrape, it plows off like shoveling snow.
If you really want to loosen up the vinyl, then get some vinyloff. It actually penetrates the vinyl right to the glue, and as long as the wrap isn't in too bad shape, you can peel it right off.