Carbon Fiber Vinyl Wraps

Carbon fiber vehicle wraps are all the rage in the DIY vinyl wrap accessory scene today. These vinyl wraps are huge in the DIY car scene due to how versatile, inexpensive, colorful and intricate they are. The wraps can also be used for other projects such as on instruments for enhanced decoration or even on personal devices, like a cellphone. Many reputable brands manufacture carbon fiber vinyl wraps, but there are some differences that anyone looking to purchase the wrap should be aware of.

What Are Carbon Fiber Wraps?

Not to be confused with carbon fiber sheets, carbon fiber vinyl wraps refer to imitation carbon fiber. Generally, you can find carbon fiber vinyl sold in rolls. It typically will have an adhesive backing to ensure that the carbon fiber stays attached to the surface where it's applied. Due to the adhesive qualities of the vinyl, the installation process is similar to placing a sticker on the desired surface.

Regardless of the style or brand of the carbon fiber vinyl film that you select, you can be confident that the vinyl has been manufactured for proper wrapping. What does this mean? Put simply, all of our carbon fiber vinyl wraps are made with some kind of air-release channels in their adhesives and are ultra-conformable, cast films. With these properties, you never have to worry about discoloration or delamination. 

Choosing the Right Brand of Carbon Fiber Wrap

To help you decide between the different brands of carbon fiber wraps, you'll need to be aware of the top brands available. Below you can find find the top four brands of wraps in the industry today:

• 3M™ 1080 Series Vinyl Wrap Films
• Avery Dennison® Supreme Wrapping 900 Carbon Fiber
• ORACAL® 975CA Carbon Premium Cast Wrapping Films
• Rwraps™ Carbon Fiber Wraps

Each brand brings with them their own advantages. The right brand for you will come down to which one meets your needs the best. As you compare different manufacturers, you'll want to have all of the information in front of you. Consider the following advantages and possible drawbacks to each brand:

3M^TM 1080 & 2080 Series Carbon Fiber

3M™ is the unquestionable king of wraps. This premium wrap film is 3.5 mil thick and is perfect for exterior and interior applications. 3M carbon fiber film features Comply™ technology, causing it to wrap around even the tightest of curves easily.

Advantages

The following are some of the major benefits that make these kinds of carbon fiber wraps so popular:

• Dual-cast film: Cast films are largely considered the premium option, as they easily conform to a variety of surfaces, such as rivets, curves and corrugations.
• Five-year lifespan: The long lifespan of this material makes it popular for users who plan to use it for an extended period of time.
• Controltac™ adhesives: These adhesives will attach to a surface, holding the wrap onto whatever surface you need. Due to its construction, you won't have to worry about bubbling, as they have invisible air-channels to prevent them. 

Possible Drawbacks 

There are a couple of possible drawbacks that some companies have when using 3M carbon fiber. The main drawbacks can be found below:

• Limited color portfolio: While there are some different colors offered, such as camouflage green and different shades of black, this kind of wrap doesn't offer a wide variety of colors.
• Single finish: The single matte finish can put some users off who want greater variety.

Avery^TM SW900 Carbon Fiber

Supreme Wrapping 900 Series graphite weave films have all of the great qualities of the SW900 line with the added benefit of a textured weave. To help you decide if it's for you, you'll want to be aware of all the possible advantages and disadvantages associated with this type of carbon fiber wrap:

Advantages

Below you can find the advantages of the Avery^TM SW900 Carbon Fiber:

• Patented Easy Apply RS adhesive technology: For DIY installers, these vinyl wraps are one of the most popular options on the market today.
• Textured, semi-gloss finish: Avery^TM wraps are textured and shiny to carefully mimic the look and feel of authentic carbon fiber. 

Possible Drawbacks

As you consider carbon fiber vinyl wraps, you'll want to be aware of the potential issues with Avery^TM carbon fiber wraps. You can find the drawbacks below:

• Only two colors: Avery^TM only offers carbon fiber vinyl in black and white.
• Thin 3.2 mil wrap film: As a thinner wrap, it may be less durable than other wraps available on the market.

ORACAL® 975CR Premium Structure Cast Carbon

Next to Rwraps™, 975CR films have the largest portfolio in the industry when it comes to colors. In addition, some would even say that ORACAL® 975 Series vinyl wraps are the best-in-class when it comes to being DIY-friendly due to their unequaled 5 to 6 mil thickness.

Advantages

Below you can find some of the top features that ORACAL® carbon fiber offers consumers:

• 5 to 6 mil thickness for easier stretching: As it's a thicker material, you won't need to worry about overstretching the wrap when applying it. 
• Large color palette: There are several color options available for these wraps. 
• RapidAir® air-release adhesives:With these adhesives, you won't get any bubbling when applying the wrap. 

Possible Disadvantages

Below you can find a primary criticism of the wrap:

• Single finish option: One of the possible downsides to using this kind of carbon fiber wrap comes down to it only having one finish option, which can be a problem to those who want greater personalization.

Rwraps^TM Carbon Fiber Vinyl Wraps

Rwraps™ Carbon Fiber Vinyl Wraps add the look of increased horsepower and street cred to even the most questionable rides. In this respect, they're no different from 1080, SW900 and 975CA films. The major difference between Rwraps™ and these other brands comes in the variety of colors and finishes, along with a lower price.

Advantages

The pros of these wraps include:

• More colors than any other brand: Personalization is easy with this brand, as you have a wealth of color options available to you. 
• More finishes than any other brand: Rwraps^TM are available in 3D, 4D, 5D, Gloss and Chameleon finish.
• Lowest price point: Even though they offer the most options in terms of color and finishes, they are also the most affordable of all the wraps.

Possible Disadvantages

Some of the disadvantages related to Rwraps™ can be found below:

• 3.0 mil film: As the thinnest of films offered, it can suffer some durability issues, though it still is quite strong.
• Three-year lifespan: If you're looking for a long term wrap, there are longer lasting wraps on the market, which can turn some buyers off.

Understanding Different Carbon Fiber Wrap Styles

Wrapping your car often serves a couple of purposes. For one, you probably want to protect the exterior of your car from damage, but you also want your car to look good. The great thing about vinyl wraps is that they can do both. 

For those who want their car to meet certain visual standards, there are many carbon fiber vinyl styles available and all will add to the visual appeal of your vehicle. Before breaking down the different carbon fiber wrap styles, it should be noted that styles such as 3D, 4D or 5D do not refer to dimensions but to the generation of carbon fiber wrap.

Though it would be quite an achievement if the wraps we carried transported vehicles to undiscovered dimensions, none of them have quite reached that level. However, they still are impressive in their own right. Below you can explore the different style available today and how they can help:

• 3D: The third generation of carbon fiber vinyl is one of the most basic wraps. Its print uses a twill weave pattern that resembles a staircase. The carbon fiber is very flexible due to its being printed on thin 3.0 mil vinyl. Its stretchability makes it easier for people to install it on the curved surfaces of a vehicle, causing it to be popular among the DIY crowd. It has a matte finish, making it look dry rather than shiny or wet. 
• 4D: This newer version of carbon fiber vinyl also features a twill weave pattern, but it has a high-gloss finish to look even more like the real thing. Additionally, the 4D vinyl has a thickness of 3.1 mil, which is still thin enough for you to apply it to rounded surfaces easily.
• 5D: Similar to the 3D, the 5D carbon fiber has a twill weave pattern that features a cross-hatched, perpendicular design. Unlike the previous generations, this finish features an extra glossy layer that makes the vinyl look shiny and wet. Due to the extra layer of glossy finish, the vinyl's thickness is 3.4 mil, so it's more difficult to apply to a rounded surface. More advanced DIY car owners can still apply this carbon fiber wrap, but it will take some patience to do it correctly.
• Camouflage: Coming in a variety of colors, this carbon fiber will, no surprise, have a camouflage pattern. It features a 3.5 mil thick vinyl film, making it one of the thicker options. This style also contains a textured finish, giving it a unique appearance. 
• Holographic: This kind of wrap comes in both silver and gold. The holographic pattern is highly reflective and almost guaranteed to grab the attention of anyone viewing it. Its design makes it appear like it has a raised pattern despite its two-dimensional nature. Though it's 3 mil thick, it is designed only to be used on flat or basic curve applications. 
• Opaque: Opaque films come in several colors and will consistently resemble authentic carbon fiber. This resemblance gives the film an upscale appearance that's sure to impress viewers. As the thickest film on this list, coming in at 6 mil, it still can be used by DIY installers. With heat, the film is easily applied, and whoever is installing it will not have to worry about possibly overstretching it. 

Wraps Suggested Applications

Carbon fiber wraps can be used just about anywhere and are rated for interior and exterior use. Here are some of the most popular applications our customers have used our films for:

• Car and truck dashboards
• ATV and bike wraps
• Wall wraps
• Architectural applications
• Boat wraps above the static waterline
• Laptop and phone skins
• Instruments

Additionally, for vehicles, you have a variety of sub-applications that can help you customize your ride's look. For example, you can add full wraps, pillar trim or racing stripes to add some extra flair to your car. Also, you can use dash kits and interior trim, among many other options, to detail your vehicle. 

Carbon Fiber Wraps Versus Real Carbon Fiber: 

If you're planning on purchasing a carbon fiber wrap for a vehicle, you've probably wondered about whether it's worth it. If you can upgrade your car with real carbon fiber, should you do it? Or should you stick to the wrap?

Carbon fiber materials are often used in exotic, high-performance vehicles. These drivers primarily enjoy carbon fiber due to it being so lightweight. Most carbon fiber materials will weigh less than their steel, plastic and sheet metal counterparts. Their light material translates into a car that's faster.

Other than improving the performance of their vehicle, many like the look of carbon fiber. For those who are primarily concerned about the way their car looks rather than making small tweaks to the performance of it, carbon fiber wraps offer many benefits over installing the real thing. The primary advantages of carbon fiber wraps can be found below:

• Durable: Quality carbon fiber wraps can provide more durability than the real thing. This sort of durability means that your car is going to look great for a long time.
• Cost-effective: Carbon fiber wraps are far much more affordable than real carbon fiber sheets. Their lower cost means that you don't have to break the bank to make your car look stunning.
• Temporary and customizable: Carbon fiber wraps can be installed and removed with ease, so you won't be locked into a specific look. Replacing carbon fiber is a longer, more expensive process, making it much more difficult to upgrade the look of your car when it goes out of style or you want to try something new. With a carbon fiber wrap, you can keep up with the latest styles and quickly personalize it to match the exact look you're going for.

Ready to Invest in Carbon Fiber Wraps?

If you're ready to invest in carbon fiber wraps, consider browsing our selection of carbon fiber films found above this post. We carry only the top brands used in the industry today, meaning that you can trust you're getting the best quality wraps for your needs. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us today!

Whichever brand, type, color and finish you decide to buy and whatever you end up wrapping, don't forget to submit your photos and reviews for our $20 Cash Back Rebate. We'll send you your rebate and post your pics to our site, Facebook and YouTube channel. So, what are you waiting for? Pick up a sheet or roll today!

Rwraps® Carbon Fiber Wraps

Posted on Wednesday, November 23, 2016

The Sky's the Limit

At Rvinyl we pride ourselves on offering the widest selection of colors, sizes and styles of carbon fiber vinyl wraps anywhere. Choose from our high-gloss, ultra-realistic 4D Carbon Fiber films or our textured, semi-gloss 3D Carbon Fiber vinyl. Buy by the foot in 12, 24 or 60 inch widths so you never end up with more than you need and don't forget to submit your review and photos for our $20 Cash Back Rebate.

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