Removing a Vinyl Wrap

Using too much heat and pulling at the wrong angle are the most common mistakes made when removing vinyl. This can cause the adhesive to delaminate leaving hard to clean residue behind or cause the vinyl to tear and come off in small pieces.

We suggest heating the vinyl to no more than 50°C (120°F), a temperature often reached simply by leaving the vehicle in the sun. Using a torch is a popular choice, but hot spots will lead to delamination, which leaves adhesive behind.

Pulling the vinyl at about a 15° – 20° angle gives you the best result. Spread your fingers out putting even tension across the vinyl. Pull down with your second hand to add leverage as the area you are removing becomes bigger. 

As the edges of the heated area cool, stop pulling and begin the heating process again. Using a heat gun allows you to heat a large area evenly. Door jams and sharp contours in the metal may require more heat as there are often support struts welded to the body in these areas.

Try to remove each panel in one piece by working methodically from top to bottom, bottom to top or side-to-side. This will help your removal job to go much quicker.