We offer up three different types of printed vinyl for products you might need. They are:
- Cast vinyl
- Calendared vinyl
- Polymeric vinyl
Let’s break them down, starting with cast vinyl.
Cast Vinyl:
This type of vinyl is considered to be the premium product in the vinyl market. It’s thinner than other vinyl, more durable, has the ability to stretch, and doesn’t shrink much at all. Is it a little costlier? Yes. But the properties that it possesses give you a longer-lasting, vinyl that maintains its color better. It can well be worth the extra dollars, depending on your needs.
Because of its ability to stretch and its lack of thickness, cast vinyl is less than two hundredths of an inch thick. It’s the perfect vinyl for vehicle wrapping. With its thin makeup, it wraps cars so well because it can fit into and stick to the many contours a vehicle presents.
The life of cast vinyl begins in a liquid state, like a thick paint. It is then heated to around 400 degrees, then cooled down, and the liquid subsequently turns into a vinyl sheet. At this point, cast vinyl has a very stable molecular makeup. While that might make you think it’s rigid, it’s actually the opposite. Though stable in its character, it’s very flexible and can actually stretch up to around 150% of itself. The stretching property is why it’s so effective for wrapping vehicles. Giving a car a new look with vinyl is not easy. It takes quite a while to master the skill. When an installer is applying the adhesive side of the vinyl wrap to a vehicle, there will invariably be air bubbles and wrinkles interrupting the job. Cast vinyl’s flexibility allows the wrap technician to be able to pull the vinyl off the car’s surface to get those wrinkles and bubbles out. Its thinness also allows it to conform to surfaces that have rivets, complex curves, and corrugations.
Cast vinyl, as mentioned is less than two hundredths of an inch thick, making it half as thick as other vinyls. While it wouldn’t seem to make sense in its thinness, it actually lasts twice as long as calendared vinyl, which we’ll get into next. Depending on the weather conditions you live in, you can expect a vinyl car wrap to last you 5-10 years.
Calendared Vinyl:
This type of vinyl is great for use on flat surfaces. It is highly economical, and with it, the cost is much less than cast vinyl. It’s not for full car wrapping, but can certainly be used for partial wraps, like putting a logo and contact information on the doors of your vehicle. Calendared vinyl is thicker than cast, which makes it less susceptible to scratches and abrasions.
Calendared vinyl starts in a round ball-like shape. Large, heated steel rollers form it into a thin sheet. The rollers deliver temperatures of around 350 degrees to flatten the calendared “ball” in a process called milling. It then cools and is finally ready for application.
Calendared vinyl won’t stretch like cast vinyl will. That’s the big reason it’s not used for full car wraps. It simply doesn’t have the ability to work itself around corners, edges, rivets, and the like. Again, flat surfaces…it works great. But because it sticks so firmly to an area, if there is a bubble or wrinkle, they’ stay there for its lifetime, which can be between 3-5 years. Your image needs to showcase you as a company that people will seek out. Driving around with those types of imperfections for half a decade will simply not help your brand.
There are several benefits and uses to calendared vinyl. Because it’s thicker and more rigid than cast, it’s quite easy to handle and apply. The fact that it’s thick and rigid makes it great for sticking to doors or the back panel of a business vehicle because it won’t stretch or shift. Calendared vinyl is best utilized for floor signage, window graphics, and on other flat surfaces that you can advertise. This vinyl is the choice for you if you’re looking to save money and don’t require a vinyl to be placed on uneven surfaces.
Polymeric Vinyl:
Polymeric vinyl is in-between cast and calendared vinyl, meaning it’s a mid-grade level of vinyl. It lasts longer than calendared and can be applied to slightly curved surfaces. As you would expect, it costs a little more than calendared but less than cast.
It can handle outdoor heat pretty well. This allows it to be used on vehicles without losing its form or luster for about 5-7 years. Polymeric vinyl is more resistant to shrinking than calendared vinyl and possesses more stable properties. It’s longer lifespan, less disposition to shrinking, and the ability to adhere to some curvatures make polymeric vinyl great to work with.
Pre-Dyed Vinyl:
All of the above are what’s known as printed vinyl. It means that they can have multiple colors printed onto them. There’s another category called pre-dyed vinyl. This is a one-color vinyl that can’t have more colors printed on it. Printed vinyl allows you to get your company name, logo, etc on it, assuming those aren’t all the same color. With pre-dyed, again, it’s only good for one color. This vinyl can still get you an audience. If you’re a startup company that is low on budget, you can have your company name and contact information slapped on your vehicle. A prime example of a business pre-dyed vinyl is made for is a lawn care company.
Good Guys Signs has been in the vinyl biz for over a decade. When you’re ready to wrap a car fully or partially, we are your go-to shop to get the job done right. Call us at (800) 614-8040 or (813) 447-4770.
