Full-body paint protection film includes meticulous installation on every painted panel, and trim, where pieces allow. This includes most headlights, taillights, and marker lights. The fitment around a bumper and the panels edges being wrapped are what makes a custom installations quality outstanding. Choosing the right shop requires looking beyond the film brand to the experience, skill level, coverage, fitment methods, and overall installation quality it offers.
Atlantic Custom Wraps is one of the first 10 shops in the entire country certified by STEK as a “Black Label Installer.” Our full-body PPF installation combines that experience with customized pattern installs or 3D scanned and created patterns all done at our Matthews location.
What Black Label qualification covers
Black Label recognizes the installer’s qualifications and how the business operates. The qualification criteria include additional installation experience, established customer service, a friendly and knowledgeable staff, a secure business structure, and insurance suited to the vehicles being worked on.
For full vehicle coverage, ask about the level of experience, and insist on visiting the shop to see some of their work in progress. A STEK Black Label installer will be able to discuss the coverage area, how panels will be installed, and how the overall process works and what is to be expected.
Before leaving a vehicle, while many reputable shops will have adequate insurance, it doesn’t hurt to verify their insurance.
How Atlantic Custom Wraps fits the film
A pre-cut pattern is a template for a particular panel. Atlantic edits existing patterns in-house to extend coverage. An adjustment can leave extra material for wrapping around an edge or change the boundary near an opening, depending on the vehicle.
Our facility for PPF installation in Matthews, NC has a dedicated 3D scanner, flattening software, and in-house cutting equipment to achieve results well beyond shops with simply software and a plotter. These give us a way to create custom patterns when an off-the-shelf template does not provide the intended coverage, or in some cases doesn’t exist as with this C8 Grand Sport. Flattening software creates the scanned panel geometry into a pattern that can be cut from a flat sheet of film.
We also offer bulk installation, which involves fitting film as a custom install while expertly cutting the film by hand. The installer determines how the material is positioned, (to achieve the least amount of tension) and finished around the vehicle’s contours all while hiding any seams (if needed) and providing the very best aesthetics and long term stability.
Full vehicle coverage requires a high skillset and a quality job is obtained by years of experience. Managing high tension areas without adhesive promoter and deep recesses require controlled, managed handling of the film, including careful and precise placement. Excess tension or poor edge finishing can lead to lifting or distortion in the top coat, adhesive, or both.
The installer still has to align the film precisely around curves and openings. A modified pattern provides extra material for wrapped edges, but it is all up to the skill of an installer to provide a high quality install.
Coverage, wrapped edges, and visible seams
Full-body coverage generally extends protection beyond the front end to the vehicle’s other painted exterior panels. The package should specify whether it includes the roof and rear bumper, along with smaller painted components. Vehicle designs vary, so a written panel list is more useful than the package name alone.
Atlantic Custom Wraps offers wrapped-edge installation, where film extends past the visible face of a panel and around its edge wherever possible. This can reduce the visible edge of the film and carry protection closer to the panel’s edge.
Exposed film edges can also collect dirt. Wrapping the edge behind the panel reduces the amount of film visible on the exterior. Whether an edge can be tucked depends on clearance and access behind the panel, there are some edges (while minimal) that cannot be wrapped.
Owners researching paint protection film in Charlotte, NC can ask to see close-up photographs of completed edges and bumper openings. Look at how consistently the film follows the panel boundary and where it terminates around a component. A full-car photograph may not show a narrow gap in a seam , or a corner that does not have complete coverage.
What to establish before installation
Record the paint’s condition before film application. Clear PPF leaves the underlying color visible, and existing chips or deep scratches may still show. Cleaning a panel does not repair missing paint or level a raised touch-up spot.
Tell us about repainted panels and recent repairs. Fresh paint needs the appropriate curing period for the paint system used, and its adhesion needs assessment. Provide the repair date, the paint products used if known, and the body shop’s curing instructions. A panel that looks finished may still need more time before film can be applied. There is no single waiting period suitable for every repaint, while knowing if the repair went through a full bake cycle at the paint shop will help in knowing that the paint will be fully out-gassed in a few days. Paint that has not been baked may take weeks to fully outgas.
Confirm the exact STEK product and finish, along with the preparation included in the quote. If paint correction or bodywork / touch-up is needed, establish who will complete it before installation. Any proposed removal of trim or other components should also be explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Black Label a separate STEK paint protection film?
No. Black Label is a recognition by STEK USA that the installer is an elite installer within the STEK network. The film is a separate product choice. Ask which STEK film will be installed and whether its finish suits the appearance you want.
Does full-body PPF include glass and unpainted trim?
Do not assume those surfaces are included. Full-body PPF usually refers to painted exterior panels, while at Atlantic we also provide coverage for the trim around windows, tail lights, marker lights, and rockers which is written in an itemized quote. Confirm the scope for your vehicle, including any smaller components or additional protection products, before accepting the quote.
Can PPF hide existing paint chips or scratches?
Clear PPF does not replace missing paint or repair a deep scratch. Imperfections can remain visible beneath it. The film’s self-healing surface can reduce light marks in the film itself; it does not repair damaged paint underneath.
Does Black Label certification change the film warranty?
Black Label Certification is recognition that you will receive the highest quality installation of STEK film. Ask for the warranty attached to the selected film and any separate workmanship coverage.
What determines the cost of full-body PPF installation?
Vehicle size, body shape, film selection, preparation, and the agreed coverage affect the quote. Custom fitting and the work required around complex panels also influence the installation. Time to allow panels to dry prior to wrapping edges does factor in, as we do not use adhesive promoter to speed up installation. Adhesive promoter (primer) can stain the paint if the film ever needed to be removed, or peel the paint while removing the film. Compare proposals with the same covered areas and preparation.
At Atlantic Custom Wraps, we offer custom PPF patterns from our Matthews shop for drivers throughout the Charlotte area. Request a full-body PPF quote with your vehicle’s year, make, model, and preferred finish. We’ll discuss the coverage as well as accent options for your vehicle. You can also call us at 704-839-0950 to discuss the vehicle before booking.
