Planning to brand your vehicle with a vinyl wrap? There are several options to choose from! You can pick a partial wrap, a full wrap, or go with simple graphics like a logo or strapline. But that begs the question, 'which is right for me?'. Once you’ve read this guide, you’ll know for sure. We explain what makes a half wrap different from a full wrap, and which we’d recommend based on your budget and needs. Also known as a ‘half wrap’, this type of vinyl wrap only covers smaller, targeted areas of the vehicle. This is in contrast to a full wrap, which covers the car or van entirely, sometimes including the bumpers and wing mirrors. A half vehicle wrap uses less material than a full wrap but has fewer limitations than simple graphics like signwriting.What is a partial vehicle wrap?
What's better for design - a full or half wrap?
A full van wrap offers the most flexibility. The whole vehicle will be styled exactly how you want, whether it’s in a single, classic colour or a bespoke, multi-colour design. Fewer limitations mean you can let your imagination run wild.
Partial car wraps and van wraps can look great too, especially if they play into the vehicle’s original colour scheme. And if the base paint colour matches your ideal wrap colour anyway, then a half van wrap with additional signage could provide the effect you want at a reduced cost.
Do you need a full vehicle wrap to make a big impression?
Full car wraps are usually the most impactful, usually because they're more eye-catching. A fully wrapped vehicle driving each day through a built-up area can be seen over 18 million times, and for some businesses, this makes a full vehicle wrap the obvious choice.
However, there’s no hard data to suggest you’ll get significantly fewer leads with a partial wrap.
Is a full or half wrap better for the vehicle?
Vehicle wrapping provides a ‘second skin’ that protects the bodywork from dirt and minor scuffs and scratches. Once it’s removed, your paintwork will be just as good as the day it was wrapped. This helps preserve your vehicle’s value for when it’s time to sell up or hand it back to the dealership.
A full wrap provides better coverage, so it’ll protect more of the paintwork. However, some protection is better than none, so partial wraps can still help to minimize very minor issues.
Is a full or partial wrap the most cost-effective?
When it comes to the initial cost, full wraps will always be more expensive. A full van wrap priced around £2,760 will cost about £1,800 to partially wrap. That’s a saving of almost £1,000. The price of the wrap depends on the amount of vinyl used, so naturally, the cost of both a full and partial wrap will rise or fall based on the size of your vehicle. So, if you have a large vehicle but a tight budget, then a half vehicle wrap may prove ideal.
However, you also have to think about the return on your investment. Full vehicle wraps offer a superb ROI, turning your car or van into a mobile billboard but without the rolling costs. That’s why it’s sometimes better to think about what you could gain from a full wrap, as opposed to the initial saving you’d get with a partial wrap.
See the cost of your full or half vehicle wrap today!
Want to know what you’ll pay before choosing a full or half wrap? Our two pricing calculators can generate an instant quote for you.
Click the link that describes your project: One is for vehicle branding for businesses, and the other is for individuals wanting to give their vehicles a new lease of life.
You’ll be able to select your exact vehicle, choose from a full or partial wrap, and get an instant quote that can be sent to your inbox.
It’s all done in seconds, so go ahead and discover how much you’ll pay for your wrap.
Written by Richard Clark
Founder of Raccoon, a graphics company launched in 1992. Still working hard to help businesses and brands connect with their target market!
