Wrapping vans and commercial vehicles: surfaces, options, fleet standard

In short: On a van, the large side panels and the rear are what count. Little belongs on them: who you are, what you do and how to reach you. Planning starts from the surface, with swage lines, windows, the sliding door and the rear door gap in mind. The options are graphics on the factory colour, a partial wrap with colour areas and a full wrap. Anyone with several vehicles sets a fleet standard so that every vehicle looks the same, including the next one.

What applies legally to company vehicles, which film belongs on paint, swage lines and plastic and how to wash a vehicle with graphics is covered in the article company vehicle stickers. Here it is about planning: which surfaces a van has, what belongs on them and how one vehicle becomes a fleet.

The surfaces of a panel van

• The side panels: the largest surfaces and the ones seen most in traffic and at the roadside. One side usually has the sliding door with handle and guide rail, often the fuel flap too. The two sides therefore rarely look the same and each needs its own planning.
• The rear: anyone behind the van, at traffic lights or in a jam, has time to read. This is where the contact details belong. With barn doors a gap runs down the middle; nothing that has to be read should cross it. Separate rules apply to the rear windows; more in the article rear window stickers in Austria.
• Front and bonnet: small, curved surfaces. The logo is usually enough here.
• The roof: hardly visible from the street, but in the sun all day. On horizontal surfaces film ages faster than on the sides; more in the article how long does a car wrap last?.

What belongs on a van

A vehicle is read in passing, often for only a few seconds. In our view, three things therefore belong on it, and not much more:

1. Who you are: logo and company name, large and clear.
2. What you do: in a few words. “Plumber” says more than a list of ten services.
3. How to reach you: website or phone number, easy to read, especially on the rear.

What costs legibility: long lists of services, small type, weak contrast between lettering and vehicle colour, and text running across swage lines, handles or gaps. Colours are matched bindingly for the film so that the vehicle fits website, sign and business card. More on a consistent identity under corporate design.

Graphics, partial wrap or full wrap

• Graphics: logo, service and contact details on the factory colour, often a white van. This is usually the most economical option and the standard for many businesses.
• Partial wrap: adds colour areas in the company colour, such as a band along the side or a coloured rear. The vehicle becomes recognisable from a distance, before the lettering can be read. More in the article partial car wrap.
• Full wrap: the whole vehicle gets a new colour or a continuous design. On a van that is a lot of surface and takes correspondingly more workshop time. More in the article full car wrap.

Swage lines, rivets and edges

The side panels of a panel van are rarely smooth. Swage lines run across the surface, plus rivets, handle recesses and panel gaps. Film manufacturers exclude their warranty if film lifts at sharp-edged swage lines, as are common on vans. For us this means: the design is laid out so that lettering and logo sit on calm surfaces. Where film has to go over curves, cast film is used, which conforms to the shape. More in the article cast or calendered vinyl.

From one vehicle to a fleet

With the second vehicle a new question arises: how does every vehicle look the same even though they are different? A short panel van, a long one with a high roof, perhaps a car or a dropside as well. The answer is a fleet standard with fixed rules for every vehicle size:

• Fixed elements: logo, colours and typeface are the same everywhere.
• Fixed positions: logo at the front of the side, contact details on the rear, in the same place on every vehicle, adapted to its size.
• Separate modules: plan phone number, website or individual services as separate elements. If something changes, only that part is replaced, not the whole side.
• Templates for new vehicles: when a new model is added, the standard is transferred to it instead of designing from scratch.

With several vehicles it is also worth looking at the terms: leased vehicles are returned at different times, and the film is matched to that. More in the article wrapping a leased car.

Planning workshop time

Graphics are usually done within a day; a full wrap takes several days depending on the vehicle. We state the exact time frame in the quote. For a fleet this means: the vehicles come in one after another, so the business keeps running and they are never all missing at once.

Three vehicles, two sizes

The case is made up, but typical. An electrical contractor has two short panel vans and is adding a long one with a high roof. The older vehicles have different graphics because they were added at different times.

Instead of designing the new van individually, a standard is set: logo large on the front half of the side, below it in one word what the business does, website and phone number large on the rear, all on the white factory colour. There is a separate template for each vehicle size. The older vehicles are converted at their next workshop appointment. When the fourth vehicle arrives, the design is already done.

Conclusion: surface first, then the logo

A van works when little is on it, in the right place. Four questions help with planning:

• Which surfaces does the vehicle have, and where are swage lines, windows, doors and gaps?
• What should someone know after a few seconds?
• Are graphics enough, or should colour be added?
• Will more vehicles be added, and is a fleet standard needed?

Sending photos of the sides and rear in advance usually saves a round. All topics around car wrapping at a glance: wrapping a car: the complete guide. More on our page vehicle graphics & wrapping; questions are welcome via contact.

Frequently asked questions

Which is more economical on a van: graphics or a wrap?

Graphics on the factory colour are usually the most economical option: logo, service and contact details on the sides and rear. A partial wrap adds colour areas in the company colour, a full wrap changes the whole colour. What suits budget and goal is clarified in a consultation, with a quote based on photos or an inspection.

How long is a van in the workshop for wrapping?

Graphics are usually done within a day; a full wrap takes several days depending on the vehicle. We state the exact time frame in the quote. With several vehicles, installation can be staggered so the business keeps running.

Can you wrap a leased van?

As a rule yes, if the lease contract allows it. What applies at return is in the contract, so ask there first. The film is then matched to the contract term; more in the article wrapping a leased car.