Getting pictures put on vans

[John Stumbles]

You see Sky and other vans, and buses, with full colour pictures all over them (even across the bus windows). How do they do it? Is it actual paint or some sort of transfer? I'm particularly intrigued how they deal with ridges and valleys in around panels etc.

And where would one go, and how much would it cost to get a a more modest version done? Not the whole van, just covering a panel on a transit. Though if one could do substantially the whole of a side at not-too-extortionate cost I'd be interested. It would need to be in colour, from an original I'd supply.

[Grunff]

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.

[John Rumm]

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:

[Adrian C]

Searching on "Vehicle Wrapping" I found

[The Medway Handyman]

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.

[Andy Hall]

Does that include the van?

[The Medway Handyman]

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.

[geoff]

In message , The Medway Handyman writes

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

[The Medway Handyman]

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

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

[nightjar]

[nightjar]

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

[John Stumbles]

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.

[Clint Sharp]

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

[nightjar]

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

[The Medway Handyman]

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.

[Owain]

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

[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

100th birthday in 2002

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

Owain

[Chris J Dixon]

Also used on rail vehicles. Have a look at

the franchise changed their identity to c2c, this fleet was all wrapped. Apart from the roof, the only bit of original paintwork is the yellow ends.

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

20m long.

Chris