What is Paint Protection Film?

There are numerous options available to protect the paint on your vehicle. Most importantly, if you had a multi-paint correction or purchased a new car, you will want to protect it from road grime, dirt, birds, and bugs.

It is quite simple to achieve this with the wide variety of ceramic coatings, paint sealants and waxes readily available on the market. But what about chipped stones, scratches, scuffs, and mechanical damage? This is where a clear bra or paint protection film (PPF) comes in.

A Brief History of Paint Protection Film

During the Vietnam War, this protective film was developed to protect helicopter rotor blades from debris, dust, and flying shrapnel. It was so successful that it is still in use today.

Car racing teams took notice in the 1980s and realized that the film could protect their race cars from rubber flying along the track, rocks, and debris. They also discovered that it provided protection during close-quarter driving contact. It is currently a $250 million market that protects millions of cars worldwide from daily mechanical damage.

All about Paint Protection Film

In a nutshell, it is a fairly thick, transparent urethane layer that is expertly applied on top of the body panel of your vehicle, protecting the underlying paint. Urethane is a common polymer that is widely used in the automotive industry as well as other industries. Urethane insulation, interior components, seals, and bumpers are standard in most modern vehicles.

Urethane is a very strong, chemically stable, and flexible material that is also UV resistant. When applied to your vehicle's painted surface, it acts as a second skin, providing unparalleled protection against mechanical damage such as paint chips, chemical erosion, harmful UV rays, dings, and scratches.

How Automotive Paint Protection Film Works

The paint protection film is made up of several layers of ready-to-use material. Each of these layers serves a distinct purpose. The bottom layer is made up of a release liner that protects the other layers and keeps them clean until they are installed. When it comes time to install, this layer is removed and discarded.

The middle layer is made up of an acrylic adhesive that is about 0.04 mm thick. It holds the clear coat and the paint protection film together. It is intended to be completely removable without altering or damaging the paint permanently. The following layer is made up of urethane, which is responsible for the actual protection. It is 0.152 millimeters thick at its thickest point.

When debris flies into your car, the impact energy is concentrated in a small area due to contact with a point or jagged edge. Car paint is typically stiff and thin, making it prone to cracking and chipping away. They will become visible on your fenders, rocker panels, front bumper, hood, and other surfaces after a few years. In such cases, the paint on your car will never be perfect again.

When impacted, however, applying a paint protection film allows the urethane layer to flex. This absorbs the majority of the force and distributes it over a larger area, preserving the paint.

Is PPF a Worthwhile Investment?

The short answer is yes. The vast majority of flying debris, rock chips, scuffs, scratches, and even parking lot mishaps will be prevented by PPF. While it has limitations, most car owners who have used it can attest that the paint on their vehicle looks perfect even after years of use.

Furthermore, PPF protects against organic acids found in bird droppings, UV rays, bug guts, tree sap, and other environmental pollutants. This is dependent on whether the installation was performed by professional car detailers using high-quality paint protection films.

Applying PPF to a high-end luxury car or a supercar makes more sense because the cost of their paint job can be quite high. This will also keep the value of your car and its resale value higher.