A car wrap is a removable layer of cast vinyl film applied panel-by-panel over your factory paint. Done correctly, it lasts five to seven years outdoors, looks closer to a paint job than to a graphic, and peels off cleanly when you're done with it, leaving the original colour intact. Done poorly, it lifts at the edges within a season and pulls clear-coat with it on removal. The difference is materials and install time. We have opinions on both.
What we install
A "car wrap" can mean several different jobs. The four we quote most often:
- Full colour change: every exterior painted panel gets new film. Includes hood, roof, doors, fenders, bumpers, mirrors, and visible edges of the door jambs. This is what people mean when they say "wrap my car."
- Partial wrap: hood, roof, trunk, or a quarter panel for a two-tone effect or to bring a mismatched panel back to a uniform colour. Most partials run $500–$2,000.
- Chrome delete: factory chrome trim around windows, badges, door handles, and grilles replaced with matte black, gloss black, or a colour-matched film. The single highest-impact tweak for cars under five years old. Typically $800–$1,500.
- Accent and stripe work: racing stripes, roof skin, hood scoop overlays, mirror caps. Quick turnarounds, $250–$800 depending on layout.
We don't do colour-shift or chrome-effect films as a discount option; when you spec one of those, the cost reflects the material.
Materials we install
We carry a range of cast-vinyl lines. Cast films are the ones with the durability and conformability you want on a daily driver. Calendared films (the cheaper category) cannot wrap compound curves like fender flares or front bumpers without distorting, and they fail at the edges in two to three winters.
- Catalog standard: available in over 100 finishes including gloss, satin, matte, brushed, and textured. What we reach for when a customer wants something specific from a colour swatch book.
- Premium pearls and metallics: strong colour vibrancy, easy to handle on tight contours.
- Specialty finishes: colour-shift, iridescent, and matte metallics, for the widest range of unusual colours.
- Value tier: still cast, still 5–7 year durability, with a narrower colour range for when budget matters more than catalog breadth.
Every line carries a manufacturer-grade material warranty when installed correctly. We do not stock or install calendared wraps for full-vehicle work; they're the wrong tool for that job.
How a full wrap actually goes
The four-day timeline is real. We block out 32 hours of bay time per full wrap and it's not slack.
- Day one, prep. Wash, decontaminate (iron remover, clay bar where needed), inspect for paint chips and rust, masking-tape any exclusions. Headlights, badges, mirrors, and door handles come off so the film can tuck underneath. The car spends six to eight hours on this day not getting any vinyl on it. This is the day cheap installers skip.
- Day two, main body. Hood, roof, fenders, doors, and quarter panels go on. The big curves get wrapped first while the installer is freshest. Each panel is heated, stretched into shape, post-heated to set the adhesive, and squeegeed for any trapped air.
- Day three, extremities. Bumpers (front and rear), mirrors, door jambs, the inside lips of door openings, and any tight trim work. This is the day that separates a wrap that lasts five years from one that lifts in twelve months.
- Day four, reassembly and walkaround. Trim and parts go back on. We inspect every edge and seam in good light, fix anything that doesn't sit right, and walk the customer around the car before keys go back.
A four-door SUV with a longer wheelbase or extra body curvature can push to five days. A two-door coupe sometimes finishes in three and a half. The estimate we give you on quote day is what we hold.
Pricing in Edmonton
These ranges are what we've quoted in 2026, with cast film and our install process. Add 10–15% for specialty finishes (colour-shift, satin metallics, textures), since the film cost itself is higher.
| Vehicle | Full wrap |
|---|---|
| Small coupe (Civic, GR86, Miata) | $3,500–$4,000 |
| Sedan (Camry, Accord, Model 3) | $3,500–$4,200 |
| Sport / muscle (Mustang, Charger, Corvette) | $4,000–$4,800 |
| SUV / luxury (RAV4, X5, Tahoe, AMG) | $4,300–$5,500 |
| Truck (F-150, RAM, Silverado) | $4,500–$5,500 |
| Specialty / supercar | $5,500–$7,000+ |
Partial wraps, chrome deletes, and accent work are quoted by panel; text or email us a few photos and we'll come back with a real number.
Care, washing, and longevity
A cast wrap installed correctly should give you five to seven years of outdoor durability in Edmonton, including the freeze-thaw cycle. To get there:
- Hand-wash only for the first week to let the adhesive fully cure. After that, touchless car washes are fine. Brush washes will eventually catch and lift an edge, so skip them.
- No pressure washing within six inches of seams, edges, or door jambs.
- Tar, sap, and bird droppings come off promptly. Vinyl is more sensitive than clear-coat to acidic spotting. Plain water and isopropyl handle it.
- Indoor or covered parking extends colour life, especially for reds, blacks, and matte finishes.
Every wrap we install includes our warranty, which covers lifting, adhesive failure, and colour issues for the material's full rated life when the install is ours and the care follows the above.
Related work
- See colour and finish options for the full vinyl catalog
- Wrap a truck or fleet vehicle instead of a car
- Consider paint protection film if the goal is protection more than aesthetics
Common questions
How long does a car wrap last?
Five to seven years outdoors on a vehicle that's washed correctly and not parked under direct sun 24/7. Indoor-stored cars routinely go eight to ten before the install team recommends replacing.
Will a wrap damage my paint?
Not when the original paint was healthy at install. Cast vinyl removes cleanly within its rated life. The exceptions: paint that was already failing (peeling clear-coat, rust under the surface), poor quality repaints, or vinyl left on past 10 years. We inspect for these on day one and tell you before we start.
Can I wrap over a damaged or repainted area?
Yes for cosmetic damage: small scratches, faded paint, minor stone chips. No for rust, lifting clear-coat, or fresh paint that hasn't fully cured (we want 30 days minimum after a repaint).
Can I go through a car wash?
Touchless, yes. Brush washes, no; eventually a brush will catch and lift an edge. Hand-wash is best, especially for the first week post-install.
How is a wrap different from a paint job?
A wrap is removable, takes a quarter of the time of a quality respray, and gives you finish options paint cannot (satin, matte, colour-shift, brushed metal, carbon-fibre texture). A paint job is permanent, locks in resale colour, and is harder to fix on a single panel. For lease vehicles or anyone planning a change in two to five years, a wrap wins. For a forever-keeper in a single classic colour, paint may be the call.
Do I lose my factory warranty?
No. Vinyl wrap is non-destructive; Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards don't recognize it as a modification that voids OEM warranty coverage. The wrap itself is warrantied separately by us and the material manufacturer.
Can you wrap just part of my car?
Yes. Partial wraps, chrome deletes, and accent work are about half our volume. Send photos for a quote.
What about damage repair after I wrap?
If you take a stone chip, scratch, or panel damage to the wrap, we can usually patch it with a colour-matched piece without redoing the whole panel. Most patches run $150–$400.