Exploring Truck Decals, Graphics, Wraps & Paint

Looking to grow your business in a cost-effective, low-maintenance way? Why not turn your truck into a mobile billboard to promote your business and reach new clients?

Vehicle wraps or graphics can result in an estimated 30,000 to 80,000 impressions per day, and because they last approximately 7 years, this could be a very smart return on investment for your business. But vehicle graphics not only help you advertise on the go — they also provide your business with a more polished and professional look.

To help you explore all your truck exterior options, we put together this thorough guide to truck decals, graphics, wraps and paint jobs. Keep reading to figure out which is the best choice for your business.

 

Benefits of Truck Decals, Graphics and Wraps 

Truck decals, graphics and wraps are popular among businesses for many reasons. Here are some of the key benefits they provide:

• They are typically non-permanent and completely removable. They help keep the original car paint intact, which results in a higher vehicle resale value. This also means any warranties or lease agreements should remain valid.
• They act as an extra layer of protection for your vehicle, protecting the original paint against scratches and dings.
• They are completely customizable. You can get a car wrap with a matte, metallic, or even a textured finish for a fraction of the price of what it would cost to achieve similar effects with car paint. Furthermore, they are available for almost any type of vehicle – trucks, cars, vans, etc.
• They can help increase your brand awareness and make your business appear more professional.
• Perhaps most importantly, vehicle wraps are an effective, memorable and cost-effective form of advertising. A 2019 study found that 64% of U.S. residents surveyed noticed a wrapped  vehicle advertising in the last month, and 44% noticed one in the last week.

 

 

Decals for Trucks are Easy Advertising

If you own a business or vehicle fleet, chances are you are on the road a lot. Commercial vehicles spend a lot of time traveling from point A to point B in order to get the job done. A vehicle is a blank canvas ready for advertising. Decals for trucks are an easy advertising medium.

A one-time vehicle wrap or decal allows for non-stop advertising while that truck is in service. Adding your business’s logo to your truck doesn’t take much time. Vinyl graphics for trucks can be pre-made to minimize time in the shop and disruptions to your business.

 

 

Business Decals are 100% Customizable

Advertising with decals allows full customization of the vehicle. There are many options when it comes to the size, shape, and color of decal or wrap. Below are some of the services we specialize in:

• Vehicle Wrap Design
• Vehicle Wrap Installation
• Car Decals
• Truck Decals
• Vinyl Wraps & Vinyl Lettering
• Full-Service Vehicle Graphics & Installation

Using Photoshop, or a similar tool, we can design your decal or wrap to fit the exact needs of your business.

 

Decals Build Business Authority

Driving a branded vehicle helps your business become more credible. Adding a decal to a company truck not only signals advertising but also allows your customers to feel comfortable when your vehicle is parked in their driveway.

With a branded decal, your clients will assume you have authority because of the professionalism of your business. Consider a decal a truck’s work uniform. This authority leads to trust in your work and potential referrals to their friends and family.

 

Cost-Efficient Vehicle Advertising Through Truck Decals

Vinyl graphics for trucks are weather resistant and long-lasting. These decals are semi-permanent and allow for longevity in advertising at a low cost. Instead of running an ongoing ad in the local paper, you can pay a one-time cost to wrap your business fleet. Vehicle advertising will give your business sustained advertising impressions over the years to come. Adding truck decals also reduces the need for an ongoing advertising campaign. This is because you will be advertising every time the vehicle pulls out of the parking lot.

 

 

How Much Does It Cost to Wrap a Truck? 

You now know that truck decals, wraps and graphics are cost-effective and provide a great return on investment. But how much will that initial investment actually cost you? The cost of a truck wrap depends on several key factors outlined below:

Truck Size Determines Vehicle Graphics Pricing: 

One of the biggest factors in the price of truck wraps is the size of your truck. The larger the surface area, the higher the cost for a full truck wrap. A 4.2 m truck will cost about half the price of an 8.5 m truck. Of course, you also have to consider other factors such as how much of the truck will be wrapped.

How Much Of Your Truck Needs To Be Wrapped?

There are various types of vehicle wraps you can choose from. The one you choose will affect your total pricing. A full wrap consists of the cabin, the sides and the rear doors of your truck. A partial wrap involves the sides and rear doors of a truck. You also have the option to wrap just the cabin. Or you can focus your message with a custom paint job, graphics or decals on the doors of your truck. With so many options, you can see how the pricing can change based on what type of vehicle wrap you’re looking for.

The Condition of Your Truck’s Paint: 

Vehicle wraps rely on your truck’s paint job being in good condition. This will make it easier and faster (and ultimately cheaper) to do a truck wrap. If your truck’s paintwork is damaged, it will need additional prep work before the wrap can go on the truck.

Is Your Artwork Ready?

If you already have your artwork, including your logo, digitized and ready to go, the setup cost will be much lower. On the other hand, if graphic design isn’t really your thing, our design team at Pacific Truck Colors can take your idea and turn it into reality.

Customization and Finish Types:

The final factor that can affect the price of your truck wrap is the finish you choose. Chrome or glossy vehicle wraps have an extra cost due to special ink and materials. Also, if you want special effects that will affect your total price.

As you can see, there are many factors that will affect the cost of your truck wrap. Generally, the total cost of full truck wraps ranges between $3000-$5,000. But the price for your wrap can be higher or lower than this range depending on the details of your project.

At the end of the day, the only way to accurately answer the question ‘how much does it cost to wrap a truck’ is to get a customized truck wrap quote.

 

Popular Truck Graphics

If you’ve decided you’re ready to make the investment in some graphics, decals or a full wrap for your truck, it’s time for the fun part: the design.

Before even thinking about the design of your truck wrap, you should consider your business’s brand identity. Do you have a simple, eye-catching, unique logo? What are your primary and secondary colors? If you have a confusing or boring brand identity, the truck wrap will be a missed opportunity. Once you have a solid brand, you can move on to designing your truck wrap.

The wrap and graphic options are endless, but below are a few popular design elements and ideas to help promote your business:

– Make sure to align your graphics with your business’ brand. Use your logo and stick to the logo color-scheme to help build recognition.

– Give a face to your business. Including a photo of the business owner of a small business is a popular trend to help personalize your business and build trust among potential clients. If you work in a small town, you may even get recognized by people on the street!

– Show your business’ specialty. Your graphics should help demonstrate what you do, so that you don’t have to explain it all via text.

– Think about the placement of the graphics and text. Where will they get the most visibility? Side doors, rear windows, and tailgates are some popular and eye-catching options.

If you’re looking for more creative or unique ideas to help get your truck or fleet of trucks noticed, consider the following tips and examples:

– Create an optical illusion: This is an increasingly popular trend, used by the likes of FedEx and Pepsi, to make use of the ample space on the side of large delivery and semi trucks.

– Wrap the whole vehicle: Many people are now choosing to wrap the entire truck, including the windows for an uninterrupted, mural-like look.

– Incorporate some humor: For example, a popular trend for plumbing trucks is a graphic that makes the driver look like he/she is sitting on a toilet. This might embarrass your team members, but would certainly attract attention!

– Use limited text: No matter what style or design you choose, be sure to keep the text minimal, simple and easily-to-read. Only include the necessary information, such as your business logo, your tagline and your contact info, for example.

With vehicle wraps, the options are truly endless! If you’re interested in exploring more truck graphic ideas and options for your business, our Vehicle Graphics Department at Pacific Truck Colors is here to help.

 

 

Essential Things to Consider Before Getting a Truck Paint Job

If you’re not sold on a full-on vehicle wrap, you may want to consider getting a truck paint job before investing in decals or smaller graphics to be placed on top. The decision to repaint your truck is a serious one, and you need to give proper consideration to this idea before calling for an appointment. With that in mind, here are a few important things you need to consider before getting a truck paint job:

1. Color: 

Changing the color of your truck is a major decision, so you need to be sure you are ready to get on board. If you choose to change the color, there will be many areas on your truck that will need to be repainted, such as the engine compartment, the interior of the vehicle or the door jambs, etc.

2. The Type of Paint Job You Want to Get: 

There are a lot of options when it comes to getting a truck paint job, such as quality, color, or the level of preparation. One rule of thumb in this industry is that you always get what you pay for. For instance, if an auto painting shop is asking for $2000 for the job and another one is asking $1000, you can rest assured that you’re going to get half the job out of the $1000 deal. A respectable shop works with cutting-edge technology and is staffed with skilled experts, so their prices reflect their level of professionalism. But, that isn’t to say you can’t get some great deals if you think creatively and strategically about your project.

3. Prep Work

There are many differences between a professional shop and a cheap one. The quality of the products and the expertise of their staff are certainly some. But, the real difference is in the prep work. A professional paint shop usually spends around ten hours preparing a truck. They would never put masking tape on the parts of the vehicle that weren’t painted. Instead, they will spend countless hours to make sure that there is no visible line between the painted parts and the unpainted one. They will also spend many hours sanding the truck to make the body as smooth as possible and ready for a beautiful paint job.

4. Should I Paint My Truck Alone?

For reasons unknown to us, there seems to be plenty of articles out there suggesting that anyone can do a truck paint job. They offer tempting solutions that make the truck painting an enjoyable activity rather than a complicated task. While we’re all about creative DIY and clever solutions, we wouldn’t recommend anyone risking the looks of their truck just to save money. Here’s the thing: repainting your truck is a complicated, time-consuming task. You need the right tools, years of experience, and a lot of patience.

 

Invest in Truck Decals, Graphics, Wraps & Paint 

In summary, a full truck wrap or a combination of a fresh paint job and some great decals can work wonders for your business. Not only will you look and feel more professional, you’ll be constantly advertising to grow your business, even while you wait in traffic!

If you’re interested in decals, graphics, wraps, and/or paint jobs for your truck or fleet of trucks, contact our Vehicle Graphics Department at Pacific Truck Colors (PTC). We specialize in custom-made vehicle graphics in Portland, from simple door logos to full-coverage vehicle wraps. Using only high-performance media designed for use on vehicles, our proven installation techniques will professionally brand your vehicle with graphics that outlast our competitors.

If you’re looking for a truck paint job, from a simple touch-up to a full-body job, our Paint Department has the experience to make your vehicle look its finest. And we’re equipped to handle paint jobs for any truck size.

Whatever your needs, we are ready to help with the finishing touches to get your trucks looking their best and repping your business!