Getting pictures put on vans

The full colour prints are done with PVC decals. You get the decal printed to your requirements, then it is applied to the (well cleaned) panel, very carefully.

Most modern vehicle sign writers have the facilities to do this.

Vinyl transfers usually. The ones over windows are printed using a halftone dot pattern so that there are gaps between all the pixels. The reverse side being black and hence non reflective. So they act as a one way sign. You can see out from inside, but not the other way around.

Not a recommendation since I found them from a web search the other day when someone asked a similar question, but these people look like they do the right sort of stuff:

Searching on "Vehicle Wrapping" I found

Its called 'wrapping' and its done with one very large vinyl sticker for eash side of the vehicle

My local signwriter does it, IIRC he mentioned a Trabsit sized van being £1500 - £2000.

Does that include the van?

There was an episode of Wheeler Dealers on the other night where they renovated an old VW van - sort of turned it into a camper. Rather than respray it they spent £1000 on having it wrapped. My signwriter bloke reckoned that was cheap.

Apparently some vans are now being designed to be easily wrapped - VW Caddy being one.

In message , The Medway Handyman writes

Is that an East German van made out of compressed paper ?

Well spotted Geoff. Correct. The little known East German Trabsit Van.

Apparently you can get a Ford Transit wrapped for about the same price :-)

That sounds horrendously expensive, considering I was recently quoted £269 for fairly comprehensive colour signwriting of Renault Master LWB High roof van from my jpeg images.

Colin Bignell

On Sat, 12 Apr 2008 18:58:11 +0100, "nightjar" That sounds horrendously expensive, considering I was recently quoted

How would that be done? Having someone hand-paint it from an image would surely cost more in labour alone.

I always wanted a ford escort fully painted to look like fish scales so I could call it an RS Turbot...

I would be surprised if anyone does hand painted signwriting these days. My quote was to transfer the designs to vinyl, which would be computer cut and applied with a hairdryer, which is much the way the photo images are done.

Colin Bignell

My vinyl bloke started that way & still does the odd pub sign with a brush.

I get the impression from him that wrapping the complete sides of a vehicle is a much harder job than applying cut vinyl. It is literally a single sticker the length & height of the van. Must be a bugger to do + a huge printer to get the width.

Probably thats why its so expensive.

Apparently the resale value is enhanced because you don't get the unfaded-paint-where-the-letters-were effect when the sign is removed, which often necessitates a respray.

Owain

nightjar I would be surprised if anyone does hand painted signwriting these days.

My former neighbour does, she did the gilding on the big crest in the council chambers, she does hand painted lettering on school honours boards, and she also engraved the shell fired from the One O'clock Gun at Edinburgh Castle on Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother?s

She can also do vehicle wrapping up to full lorry curtainsides.

Owain

Also used on rail vehicles. Have a look at

They do need to use several sheets, not least because a coach is

Chris