F.A.Q

Paint Protection Film is a clear, adhesive backed laminate film that is applied to vehicle bodywork, pretty much in the same way as a vinyl colour change wrap (although the technique is completely different). The film is designed to prevent stone chips, road rash, scratches and scuffs caused by everyday driving, poor washing methods and general wear an tear. The film is typically applied to the most vulnerable areas of the vehicle. For example, on a car, the film may be applied to the rear wheel arch flanks, the sills and, most commonly, the forward facing areas such as the front bumper, bonnet, wings and mirrors. On a motorcycle, these areas would include the nose cone, fairings, fuel tank, belly pan and seat cowl. Another popular application is on exotic materials and composites such as carbon fibre or titanium components. This is primarily due to the high cost of having to replace these items due to damage.

Unlike vinyl wrap, Paint Protection Film is arguably a more skilled application as it is applied ‘wet’, is generally thicker and it doesn’t breathe like vinyl so trapped air / water bubbles beneath the surface can be a problem as well as physically ‘asking’ the flat laminate material to adhere to extreme curvatures found on modern automotive bodywork. On this basis, there are usually two variants of installation available – the professional installation and the simplified pre-cut designed for DIY application.

Originally derived from helicopter tape (or heli tape) which was used to protect the leading edges of helicopter rotors against flying debris, modern day PPF materials are very advanced and come in a range of specifications including optically clear, UV resistant, self-healing, tinted and patterned and, when fitted professionally, should be hardly noticeable on your vehicle.

Please visit our Paint Protection Film page for further information.

Detailing, in automotive terms, is the art of cleaning and beautifying a car, motorcycle, commercial vehicle, boat or aircraft to a level way beyond that of a typical valet, the ultimate aim being to surpass even the customers highest expectations. In most cases, a professional detailer will have the skills to bring the vehicle back to the same condition as when it came off the production line. On most occasions, it is even possible to surpass this ‘as new’ condition by correcting imperfections in the paintwork, removing the orange peel effect and achieving an even deeper gloss finish or ‘lustre’. Any detailer worth his salt would also address imperfections in areas of the vehicle that are normally considered to be finished to an acceptable standard and hidden from view such as the engine bay or wheel arches on a car or under belly of a motorcycle. Due to the labour intensive nature of detailing, the professional skills involved, and the cost of the high quality materials used, you can expect to pay a much higher rate than simply taking your car through the hand wash!

Please visit our Detailing & Paint Correction page for further information.

We supply and apply a range of coatings designed to either protect, visually enhance or modify cars, motorcycles, possessions, business assets or, indeed, pretty much any object you can think of.

If it is an invisible protection coating that you are looking for or an alternative to paint protection film, then a ceramic coating is the way to go. Ceramic coatings incorporate nanotech technology and are supplied in a liquid form, to be applied to automotive paintwork, clear coat, glass, metals and alloys. Once cured, a ceramic coating facilitates an almost impenetrable barrier against environmental fallout, bird lime, tree sap and UV damage, as well as improving abrasion resistance,  deflecting rainwater and road grime whilst enhancing paint gloss levels.

Another coating service that we offer is a ‘rubberised’ spray paint coating. These durable coatings are often used to change the colour of a vehicle, a component or an object and as an alternative to conventional vinyl wrap. They can also be used for protection purposes. A rubberised coating has the advantage of being temporary as it is fully ‘peelable’ and can be removed easily, thus returning the object to its original state.

Please visit the following pages for further information:-

Ceramic Coatings

Rubberised Coatings

The term ‘carbon fibre’ when associated with automotive components usually relates to a reinforced polymer, thermoplastic or pre-impregnated (pre-preg) composite material that has extremely strong  and durable yet lightweight characteristics. Carbon fibre was first used in very high performance applications such as aircraft, racing cars and sporting equipment and, as it has become more commercially available,  although still very expensive to produce, it has become popular in the automotive industry due to it’s high performance, hi-tech and aesthetic appeal.

These days you often see carbon fibre being used in the construction of car and motorcycle components such as mirror caps, splitters / spoilers, engine covers, dash trims, fairings, huggers and protection products. Indeed, some high-end performance cars and motorcycle bodies and chassis are made almost entirely from carbon fibre.

Here at ArmourFactory, we offer the following carbon fibre / composite services:-

Repair and re-lacquering damaged carbon components

Skinning or ‘layering’ non-carbon components

Bespoke production of hand-made carbon components and accessories

Please visit our Carbon Fibre & Composites Page For Further Information.

Graphics, in automotive terms, relates to the application of a graphic design, logo or artwork on a vehicle’s bodywork using pre-cut vinyl. It can be as simple as adding coloured stripes on a car’s bonnet, a brand name on a motorcycle fairing or a complete graphic design and sponsorship package on a race car. The graphics can be as simple or as complex as you wish and, again, like vinyl wrapping, the design(s) can be removed or modified just as easily, allowing you to change the appearance of your vehicle as and when required.

ArmourFactory supply and install vinyl graphics on a bespoke basis as well making several of our own designs available to purchase online.

Please visit our Graphics & Vehicle Wrapping page for further information.

Vehicle wrapping is a process whereby the colour or texture of a vehicle, component or object can be changed by applying vinyl and is used as an alternative to conventional paint spraying. The advantage of using vinyl is that it is 100% removable, thus allowing the vehicle or object to be returned to it’s original colour. The other major advantage is that there are some fantastic colour and texture options available, including metallics, chromes, colour shifts, carbon, wood and even leather! Vinyl wrapping is also used in commercial vehicle signage to wrap an entire vehicle with a company logo, artwork or design.

Please visit our Graphics & Vehicle Wrapping page for further information.

SMART Repairs are basically a modern day alternative to taking your vehicle to a conventional bodyshop for damage repairs. SMART is an acronym for Small and Medium Area Repair Technique and it is only suitable for repairs on smaller, localised areas of a vehicle. For example, if you have a scuff on your front bumper a SMART repair can be carried out, whereas if you require an entire door skin, the vehicle would have to go to a bodyshop.

The main advantages of SMART repairs are:-

The techniques are very precise so the repair should be finished to a very high ‘invisible’ standard.

The need for visiting a bodyshop for a respray and the removal and re-fitting of entire body panels is negated – from experience, most vehicles that go into a bodyshop come out with more issues than they went in with!

It isn’t just painted body panels that can be repaired. SMART repairs can be carried out on alloy wheels, glass, interior fabrics and trim, plastics, carbon fibre and leather.

Please visit our SMART Repairs page for further information.