Paint and Body
Vinyl Wrap, Partial and Full in Southern California
Typical range
$1,500 to $9,500
Shop hours
10 to 40
Labor rate
$210/hr
The short answer
Vinyl wrap applies printed or color-change film to part or all of a van, RV, trailer, or fleet vehicle for branding, color change, or paint protection. Work runs $1,500 to $9,500, or 10 to 40 hours at $210 per hour plus material.
01
What this work actually involves
Wrap is the right answer when the vehicle is leased, when the branding will change, when the paint underneath is sound and worth preserving, or when the turnaround matters more than the service life. It is the wrong answer when the paint underneath is failing, because film bonds to whatever is on the surface and will take failing clear with it on removal. We check adhesion and gloss before we quote a wrap, and on a chalked coach we will tell you the honest answer is paint.
Material choice does most of the work. Cast film conforms to compound curves, rivets, and recesses and stays where it is put. Calendered film is cheaper, has memory, and will pull back off a curve and lift at every corner, which in Riverside or Palm Springs heat happens in months rather than years. Overlaminate is not optional on printed work here, because unlaminated print in this UV load fades visibly in a single season. We spec cast film with a UV overlaminate for anything staying on the vehicle more than a year.
Surface reality on RVs and commercial bodies drives the labor. Rivet lines have to be worked individually with heat and a rivet brush. Corrugated box truck sides need inlays rather than a continuous panel. Sprinter and Transit body sides have deep swage lines that need relief cuts and proper post-heat, and every edge that terminates near a door seal, a slide opening, or a service hatch needs to be tucked or sealed or the Santa Ana winds will find it. Post-heating every edge and recess to the film specification is the step that decides whether a wrap lasts five years or one.
Systems and brands we work on: 3M, Avery Dennison, ORACAL, KPMF, Arlon.
Location: All work is performed at our Yorba Linda facility. We do not offer mobile, roadside, or fleet route service.
02
What the job includes
- Paint adhesion and gloss assessment before any film is quoted
- Full color change wraps in gloss, satin, matte, and specialty finishes
- Printed branding wraps with UV overlaminate
- Partial wraps, accent panels, and roof or hood sections
- Cast film specification for compound curves, rivets, and recesses
- Rivet line work and corrugated panel inlays on commercial bodies
- Hardware, light, and trim removal for wrapped edges rather than taped cutoffs
- Relief cuts, tucking, and edge sealing at seals, seams, and openings
- Full post-heat of every edge and recess to material specification
- Removal and disposal of prior film where a rewrap is required
03
When you need this service
- A leased or financed vehicle where the paint has to be preserved underneath
- Branding that will change before the vehicle leaves the fleet
- A color change wanted without committing to a full respray
- An existing wrap that has faded, cracked, or lifted at the edges
- A new build-out, conversion, or food truck needing exterior identity fast
- Sound original paint that is worth protecting from stone chips and UV
04
How we do it, step by step
- 01
Assess the paint underneath
Adhesion and gloss checked before anything is quoted. Film applied over failing clear will remove that clear when it comes off, turning a wrap into a paint job later.
- 02
Design and proof
For printed work, artwork laid out against measured vehicle templates and proofed to scale so text and logos land where you expect on a curved surface.
- 03
Material specification
Cast film with UV overlaminate for anything staying on more than a year. Calendered film only on flat short-term applications, and we will say which you are getting.
- 04
Deep clean and disassembly
Full wash, solvent wipe, and removal of lights, handles, and trim so the film wraps around edges instead of stopping at a taped line that will lift.
- 05
Application
Panels laid, hinged, and squeegeed from center out, with rivets worked individually and relief cuts made at deep swages rather than stretching film into them.
- 06
Post-heat and seal
Every edge, recess, and rivet post-heated to the film specification to reset its memory. This is the single step that determines whether the wrap lasts years or months.
- 07
Reassembly and care handover
Hardware reinstalled, edges inspected, and written care instructions provided including what pressure washing at close range does to a film edge.
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Pricing and posted rates
| Item | Rate or range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Typical job range | $1,500 to $9,500 | Varies with extent of damage and parts availability |
| Shop hours | 10 to 40 | Quoted after teardown, not before |
| Body and paint labor | $210 per hour | 2026 posted rate |
| Paint supplies | $55 per paint hour | Calculated automatically on every estimate |
| Body supplies | $5 per body hour | Calculated automatically on every estimate |
| Parts | 100% markup under $100, 35% over | Special order parts require a non refundable deposit at order |
| Deposit | 50% at authorization over $2,000 | Additional 25% when parts arrive on jobs over $10,000 |
| Sales tax | 7.75% on parts and materials | Labor is not taxed |
Insurance billed jobs may be billed at carrier negotiated labor rates that differ from the posted retail rates above. See all posted rates.
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Vehicles we do this work on
Vehicle
Sprinter Vans
Mercedes Sprinter vans run last-mile routes, trade service, and camper conversions across Southern California. Sliding door tracks
Vehicle
Cargo Vans
Cargo vans on Transit, ProMaster, Express, and Sprinter platforms carry trade tools, parts inventory, and route freight. Rear door
Vehicle
Box Trucks
Box trucks put a separately built cargo body on a cab chassis, and the joint between them is where most failures start. Rear frame
Vehicle
Food Trucks
Food trucks combine cooking heat, grease, water, propane, and a generator inside a box that also has to survive freeway travel. Fl
Vehicle
Electric Delivery Vans
Electric delivery vans including the Rivian EDV used by Amazon Logistics have a floor-mounted battery pack, bonded composite body
Vehicle
High-Cube Vans
High-cube vans trade a tall roof and maximum interior volume for a large flat sail area and a roofline that clears almost nothing.
Vehicle
Camper Van Conversions
Camper van conversions are Sprinter, Transit, or ProMaster chassis with windows cut into the sidewalls, a roof full of penetration
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Questions about vinyl wrap, partial and full
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to wrap a van or RV?
$1,500 to $9,500, or 10 to 40 hours at $210 per hour plus film. A partial wrap or accent panels on a cargo van sits at the low end. A full printed wrap on a high roof extended Sprinter, or a color change on a large trailer with rivet lines and corrugation, sits at the high end. Removing an old failing wrap first adds hours.
How long does a wrap last in Southern California?
A cast film with UV overlaminate, properly post-heated, on a vehicle that is garaged or shaded, will run five to seven years. The same wrap on a fleet van parked outdoors in Riverside, Victorville, or the Coachella Valley is realistically three to five, and horizontal surfaces go first. Unlaminated print or calendered film in that environment fades and lifts inside a year.
Will a wrap damage my paint?
Not if the paint is sound and factory-cured. Film removed with proper heat from good paint leaves it intact and often better preserved than the unwrapped areas. The risk is entirely about what is underneath. Failing clear, previously repainted panels that were not fully cured, and cheap prior refinish work can all release with the film, which is why we test adhesion first.
Wrap or paint for my fleet?
Wrap if the vehicles are leased, if branding changes, if you need multiple units done quickly, or if resale wants the original color underneath. Paint if the vehicles are owned long term, if the existing finish already needs work, or if the unit lives in the low desert where film service life is shortest. We will give you the honest comparison for your actual usage.
Can you wrap over my existing wrap?
We do not recommend it. The new film is only as stable as the old adhesive underneath, and a failing layer under a fresh layer takes both off together in sheets. Old film comes off first, adhesive residue is removed, and the paint underneath is assessed. On a wrap that has been baking for five years, removal is a meaningful part of the labor.
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Related services
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More paint and body work
Ready to move on vinyl wrap, partial and full? Bring it to Yorba Linda.