Paint Protection Film (PPF)

Paint Protection Film (PPF) is a polyurethane layer applied to your car’s paintwork. It is entirely transparent so it wont change the way your vehicle looks. This technology is also know as a ‘clear bra’ as it can prevent cosmetic damage incurred from road debris. Minor scratches and dings will be a thing of the past. However, you should keep in mind that the PPF won’t protect your car from serious damage. PPF also keeps your car safe from the elements. It stands up to rain, snow, hail, and the suns harmful UV rays. These kinds of things all affect the integrity of your paint.

The PPF can be applied to virtually all painted surfaces of your vehicle. This includes the bonnet, the roof, and your fenders. When you install PPF, you will want to cover the high-impact areas like the front & rear fenders, the bonnet, side view mirror housings, and the side panels. These are the area’s most susceptible to road debris. You can also cover the headlights with PPF to stop them being damaged.

In many cases, paint protection film will last five to ten years if installed properly.

There are a variety of factors that determine how long the installation will last. If your car is stored in a garage, away from harmful UV rays, dust, and rain, the paint protection film will last longer than if the car is parked out on the street.

Most importantly, having a professional install PPF will give you the best results. Anything less might result in peeling, yellowing, or air bubbles.

The total cost of applying PPF depends on several variables. Expect to pay anywhere from $1000 at the low end and up to up to $8000 on the higher end.

As with anything car-related, the costs can vary quite dramatically. If your car is exposed to the elements instead of tucked away inside a garage, the cost of PPF will be worth it if you go to trade in or sell your vehicle. If you’re looking to just get a basic level of protection against paint damage and aren’t worried as much about stain resistance and UV exposure, you can get away with a more cost-effective option.

There are several factors that play into the cost of paint protection films:

If you decide to wrap the entire car or just apply a clear bra to the front. The level of experience of the detailer applying PPF. The brand and quality of paint protection film. Keeping new cars looking new isn’t always cheap, and spending more money on a PPF installation is typically a better choice than going for the lowest quote you can find.

PPF can be removed without damaging the existing paintwork. The process is simple but labour intensive. For best results, that the car to a PPF detailer to have the work done professionally.

You may have heard PPF referred to as a ‘self-healing’ film. If a scratch is not deep enough to fully penetrate the film, it will return to its original state. This happens at a microscopic level when the PPF is exposed to heat. The PPF has elastic qualities and heat caused the particles that compose it to return to their lowest energy state. In the case of PPF products, it is flat and smooth.

You should absolutely continue to wash your vehicle after PPF installation, but, you’ll have to keep a few key things in mind. PPF takes about a week to fully cure so you will want to wait at least tha long before washing your car. If you don’t, you run the risk of ruining the application.

At one point in time, this myth held water. Older PVC-based films tended to fall victim to discolouration and premature aging. Fortunately, modern TPU-based films are much better at withstanding the sun’s harsh rays. The films we use at Paint Protection WA have been stress tested to the max so we can ensure longevity and toughness.

PPF should be considered along the same lines as any vehicle modification or detailing procedure; it is a skill that requires focus, attention, and above all practice. For a professional installer with training and experience, it is relatively simple to perfectly install PPF on any vehicle.

This myth requires us to break down the properties of film adhesion. High-quality PPF will stick to your car no matter what, but that doesn’t mean that it is impossible to remove. Certainly, if someone tried to peel off a layer of our PPF the same way you peel a sticker off of an apple there would be problems. Improperly removed PPF can leave glue residue and destroy automotive paint. Fortunately, it is incredible easy for professionals to safely and completely remove PPF.

A film is a film, right? Nope. There are lots of low-cost low-quality films on the market that won’t provide your vehicle with adequate protection. PPF is an invisible layer of armour that should protect your car’s paint from acidic bird droppings, flying road debris, road salt, and precipitation. When investing in an armour that needs to ward off the endless chemical and physical assailants faced by your vehicle, it makes sense to get the best. At Paint Protection WA, we take time with each customer to ensure that the film they buy and the application areas they select are right for them.

A common claim by providers of PPF is that it protects your car’s paint from UV rays. However, many manufacturers are unclear about the mechanism behind this effect. Your car’s paint will be bleached by UV rays, but the clear coat that is already on your car does a great job of blocking UVA and UVB rays. If the clear coat was scratched or damaged your paint would become vulnerable to solar damage. PPF protects the clear coat, therefore protecting your paint.

Many people confuse PPF with aesthetic vinyl car wraps – the ones used to make a car look matte, metallic, or chrome. While those other types of wraps generally shouldn’t be waxed, PPF can be waxed with any natural or synthetic wax, polish, or sealant.