Difference Between All 3
The difference between all 3? Which of these 3 is best for you? Here’s a breakdown to help you make an educated decision.
Differences Between Vinyl Wraps vs. Clear Bra vs. Ceramic Coating
This is one of the most frequently asked questions when we have a customer reach out to us. When it comes to protection, all 3 products offer some level of protection. However, they each were designed to achieve different results and they each offer pros and cons when it comes to protecting your vehicle.
Vinyl Wraps
Vinyl wraps are a product primarily designed to restyle and customize your vehicle - many brands like 3M, Avery Dennison, Inozetek, KPMF, etc, have dozens of pre produced colors so that you can customize and personalize your car.
Most vinyl wrap films will sit between 2-5mils thick. This provides a physical barrier in the form of the vinyl to protect your paint from UV damage, staining, minor impacts and scratches.
Many vinyl films will have a lifespan of 3+ years with proper aftercare and maintenance.
Clear Bra/PPF
Clear Bra, paint protection film or PPF is a thick, clear, polyurethane film designed to protect your paint from rock chips, scratches, and other impacts sustained while daily driving.
Clear bra comes in super high gloss and a stealth finish. So it does offer some customization but it is not as diverse as vinyl. However, the clear bra/ppf industry has been evolving and has started to incorporate colored and even textured fashion films.
PPF is typically, at a minimum, 8mils thick. It is an extremely flexible film designed to sustain and minimize impacts in order to protect your paint.
PPF is self-healing, so swirl marks and wash-marring disappear and heal on their own leaving your car looking brand new all the time.
Many clear bra films come with a ceramic coating layer built in which improves ease of cleaning and maintenance.
Ceramic Coatings
Ceramic coatings are an innovation on wax and sealants. Instead of 3-4 months of protection you get 2+ years.
Ceramic coatings give your car an extreme gloss and slickness that is unmatched by wax products
Hydrophobic and self cleaning effects of ceramic coatings make cleaning and maintaining your vehicle extremely easy.
They offer unmatched uv, chemical and stain resistance.
9H hardness makes it harder and tougher than your vehicle’s clear coat. However, ceramic coatings can be looked at as additional clear coat and improper wash methods can lead to swirls and scratches.
This is one of the toughest questions to answer - it will be different for every customer. In an ideal world we would recommend a combination of all 3 products.
Each product serves a different purpose whether it be customization, protection, or ease of cleaning.
We try our best to assess your individual needs and use that to build a package that offers the best solution for you and your vehicle.
Vaia Design has been serving the Inland Empire Since 2014
Our primary goal is to deliver top quality vinyl wraps and paint protection services to our customers. Our belief is that getting your vehicle wrapped and protected should be an easy process – We strive to ensure that you feel confident and in control from beginning to end.
