Paint Protection Film (PPF) Removal
05-14-2006 | 01:52 AM
#1
Thread Starter
2016 E350 Sport
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 20
From: East Bay Area, CA
Paint Protection Film (PPF) Removal
I will start this FAQ by saying that you should not start this process without first reading every item below. I would hate for you to make some of the mistakes I made early on. Also, make sure you have enough time to complete the process.
Let’s get started. I decided to get a Clear Bra(old 3M film) for my 1994 Honda Civic EXA two years ago. I have to say I did not now a thing about how it should look or what a proper installation should look like. I average 20K miles a year commuting in the East Bay Area. I am borderline obsessive compulsive about keeping my car looking good so this product made sense. The Clear Bra was installed in about 4 hours by a licensed Clear Bra dealer in the Sacramento area. I was told to use 303 Aerospace Protectant on the Clear Bra and no wax.
After a short period of time I noticed several imperfections and some small air pockets that would not go away. I had the Clear Bra installed again and all was good, or so I thought. After having the Clear Bra for the past two years I had two issues that drove me crazy. First, the leading edge on the hood was a constant source of dirt and residual adhesive. I was constantly using a Q-tip saturated with 3M Adhesive and Wax remover to get the dirt out. After time, I had thin scratches the entire length of the leading edge and still the same problem. Second, the clear bra discolored pretty badly. I had heard about Paint Protection Film (PPF) discoloring but I thought I had received the new and improved version………NOT! A couple of weeks ago I had enough and decided to have it redone. I would first need to remove the old film and find a new dealer to install the new film. I decided to remove the film myself and have a TRUE professional install the new film.
The following PPF removal process took me 17 hours from start to finish with a couple of small breaks in between.
MATERIALS
1) 3M Adhesive Remover (white can with red lettering): You should get at least a quart. I bought mine from the local auto paint store. PPF adhesive is super aggressive and the adhesive remover is safe for your paint (To be safe, do a test spot on your car before you jump in). I used nearly 2/3 quart and my paint was not affected one bit. This is great stuff but the agressive PPF adhesive gives the 3M adhesive remover all it can handle.
2) Respirator: The adhesive remover has VERY strong fumes! I did not use a respirator, however, the fumes were strong enough to keep hundreds of mosquito’s from recognizing my scent. I had both of my garage doors open as well as the side door and the fumes were still pretty strong. Be smart about this folks.
3) Old microfiber cloths: I have a bunch of old microfiber clothes that I cut into 2”x5” strips. The microfiber clothes will prevent you from scratching the paint surface when rubbing. Removing adhesive from the paint is VERY time consuming and a mess. Using a large single mirofiber cloth will be hard to handle once it is gummy with the old sticky adhesive. The thin strips can do a small area and be easily discarded once it is all gummy. Cut up about 2-3 microfiber cloths to start with.
4) Chemical resistant gloves: I used nearly a whole box of heavy duty latex gloves. The 3M adhesive remover makes quick work of latex gloves. There are alternative thin gloves that will not dissolve with the adhesive remover. Do a search on the web. Do not use overly thick gloves since you will need some dexterity in your fingers.
5) Thin razor knife: Can be purchased at the local grocery store or hardware store. I like the thin plastic ones that are retractable and replaceable. They are also very light and easy to work with.
Pic 1
I thought that if I could pull up the PPF in one piece then I would have an easier time. I was initially afraid that the film would tear in small pieces which would make it very difficult to remove without scratching the paint. I found out halfway through the process that if you use the razor to score the PPF in long 3-4” strips you will have an easier time and leave far less residual adhesive on the paint surface. The PPF is very durable and you will not break it by pulling on it. Be careful not to cut too deep! Use a razor or your nail and start peeling up the film at a corner. I started with the PPF on the hood. It is much easier to pull up the film if you pull the film toward you while lifting up. Take your time!
Pic 2
Here is a corner peeled up.
Pic 3
Continuing to work with the entire hood piece.
Pic 4
I then started with the other side of the hood and continued on. After finishing half of the hood the PPF was getting too difficult to handle. The film kept sticking back onto the finish. This is another reason not to pull up a single large piece.
Pic 5
Here is the entire hood piece after removal.
Pics 6 and 7
The next two pics show what happens if you pull up the film in one solid piece. At least 50% of the adhesive stayed on the hood.
Pics 8 and 9
This is the proper way to remove the film in long thin strips. It was much easier to handle and took much less time.
Pic 10
This is a pic of the side of the front bumper cap. Notice the discoloration of the PPF and that there is little residual adhesive to remove. I wish I had thought about this technique before I started.
Pic 11
This is a pic of the lower front bumper cap. The installer used very poor technique to join the two separate pieces together. The left piece has already been removed for illustration of the old PPF.
Pic 12
All of the PPF removed from the car.
Pic 13
I first removed the PPF and then tackled the remaining adhesive on the paint. It took a very long time to remove the adhesive. My fingers were really sore from all of the rubbing.
Completely saturate a folded strip of microfiber cloth with the 3M Adhesive Remover and start rubbing in a very small area. As the cloth gets gummed up flip it over to a clean side and continue. Once the entire strip is gummed up then toss it and get another.
Here is the car with all of the PPF removed including the adhesive. The paint looks exactly like it did two years ago with 50K miles less than I have now. There is not one single rock chip in the protected areas. This should convince anyone who puts alot of miles on their car. The old ugly vinyl bra is dead in my opinion.
Pics 14 and 15
Here are a couple of pics after the new film was installed. I was a little nervous to have the new film installed since my last installation was subpar. I decided to have Invisiguard (www.invisi-guard.com), located in Santa Rosa, install the new film and it came out fantastic! The installation was 100% custom since there was no template for my year vehicle. The film is usually cut from a computer generated pattern for a specific car. This saves a lot of time for the installation. Invisiguard uses 3M and Llumar PPF. I opted for the new 3M PPF which includes a clear coat layer. The Llumar film is a little shinier and easier to work with but a little less durable than the 3M film. The 3M film has a slight orange peel look similar to a normal painted OEM surface. Since I commute to work I need the extra protection of the 3M film. The 3M film can be waxed as the rest of the car and small scratches/swirls can be corrected if necessary. Simply treat it like the rest of the car. It has been two weeks since I had the new PPF installed and the film has completely cured. Cleaning the leading edge on the hood is a dream. A microfiber dabbed with some Quick Detailer Spray easily cleans it leaving no scratches like I had on the previous film. I will wax it in a couple of weeks when I completely detail my car. The last detail was in November of last year and the Meguiars NXT wax is still in great shape. If you live in Northern CA and need PPF for your car then definitely try Invisiguard. This shop does A+ work! I am no longer embarrassed to show people the PPF. You have to be under florescent lighting or in shade to really get a good look at it. It is that good. My car currently has 247K miles and it will continue to look great for several years to come. Also, white paint is one of the worst colors since it easily shows differences in shades of color. Dark colors will show surface texture more so than lighter colors. I believe Invisiguard is also mobile which may work better for you. When I finally get my TL I will immediately set up an appointment to get the PPF from Invisiguard.
Let’s get started. I decided to get a Clear Bra(old 3M film) for my 1994 Honda Civic EXA two years ago. I have to say I did not now a thing about how it should look or what a proper installation should look like. I average 20K miles a year commuting in the East Bay Area. I am borderline obsessive compulsive about keeping my car looking good so this product made sense. The Clear Bra was installed in about 4 hours by a licensed Clear Bra dealer in the Sacramento area. I was told to use 303 Aerospace Protectant on the Clear Bra and no wax.
After a short period of time I noticed several imperfections and some small air pockets that would not go away. I had the Clear Bra installed again and all was good, or so I thought. After having the Clear Bra for the past two years I had two issues that drove me crazy. First, the leading edge on the hood was a constant source of dirt and residual adhesive. I was constantly using a Q-tip saturated with 3M Adhesive and Wax remover to get the dirt out. After time, I had thin scratches the entire length of the leading edge and still the same problem. Second, the clear bra discolored pretty badly. I had heard about Paint Protection Film (PPF) discoloring but I thought I had received the new and improved version………NOT! A couple of weeks ago I had enough and decided to have it redone. I would first need to remove the old film and find a new dealer to install the new film. I decided to remove the film myself and have a TRUE professional install the new film.
The following PPF removal process took me 17 hours from start to finish with a couple of small breaks in between.
MATERIALS
1) 3M Adhesive Remover (white can with red lettering): You should get at least a quart. I bought mine from the local auto paint store. PPF adhesive is super aggressive and the adhesive remover is safe for your paint (To be safe, do a test spot on your car before you jump in). I used nearly 2/3 quart and my paint was not affected one bit. This is great stuff but the agressive PPF adhesive gives the 3M adhesive remover all it can handle.
2) Respirator: The adhesive remover has VERY strong fumes! I did not use a respirator, however, the fumes were strong enough to keep hundreds of mosquito’s from recognizing my scent. I had both of my garage doors open as well as the side door and the fumes were still pretty strong. Be smart about this folks.
3) Old microfiber cloths: I have a bunch of old microfiber clothes that I cut into 2”x5” strips. The microfiber clothes will prevent you from scratching the paint surface when rubbing. Removing adhesive from the paint is VERY time consuming and a mess. Using a large single mirofiber cloth will be hard to handle once it is gummy with the old sticky adhesive. The thin strips can do a small area and be easily discarded once it is all gummy. Cut up about 2-3 microfiber cloths to start with.
4) Chemical resistant gloves: I used nearly a whole box of heavy duty latex gloves. The 3M adhesive remover makes quick work of latex gloves. There are alternative thin gloves that will not dissolve with the adhesive remover. Do a search on the web. Do not use overly thick gloves since you will need some dexterity in your fingers.
5) Thin razor knife: Can be purchased at the local grocery store or hardware store. I like the thin plastic ones that are retractable and replaceable. They are also very light and easy to work with.
Pic 1
I thought that if I could pull up the PPF in one piece then I would have an easier time. I was initially afraid that the film would tear in small pieces which would make it very difficult to remove without scratching the paint. I found out halfway through the process that if you use the razor to score the PPF in long 3-4” strips you will have an easier time and leave far less residual adhesive on the paint surface. The PPF is very durable and you will not break it by pulling on it. Be careful not to cut too deep! Use a razor or your nail and start peeling up the film at a corner. I started with the PPF on the hood. It is much easier to pull up the film if you pull the film toward you while lifting up. Take your time!
Pic 2
Here is a corner peeled up.
Pic 3
Continuing to work with the entire hood piece.
Pic 4
I then started with the other side of the hood and continued on. After finishing half of the hood the PPF was getting too difficult to handle. The film kept sticking back onto the finish. This is another reason not to pull up a single large piece.
Pic 5
Here is the entire hood piece after removal.
Pics 6 and 7
The next two pics show what happens if you pull up the film in one solid piece. At least 50% of the adhesive stayed on the hood.
Pics 8 and 9
This is the proper way to remove the film in long thin strips. It was much easier to handle and took much less time.
Pic 10
This is a pic of the side of the front bumper cap. Notice the discoloration of the PPF and that there is little residual adhesive to remove. I wish I had thought about this technique before I started.
Pic 11
This is a pic of the lower front bumper cap. The installer used very poor technique to join the two separate pieces together. The left piece has already been removed for illustration of the old PPF.
Pic 12
All of the PPF removed from the car.
Pic 13
I first removed the PPF and then tackled the remaining adhesive on the paint. It took a very long time to remove the adhesive. My fingers were really sore from all of the rubbing.
Completely saturate a folded strip of microfiber cloth with the 3M Adhesive Remover and start rubbing in a very small area. As the cloth gets gummed up flip it over to a clean side and continue. Once the entire strip is gummed up then toss it and get another.
Here is the car with all of the PPF removed including the adhesive. The paint looks exactly like it did two years ago with 50K miles less than I have now. There is not one single rock chip in the protected areas. This should convince anyone who puts alot of miles on their car. The old ugly vinyl bra is dead in my opinion.
Pics 14 and 15
Here are a couple of pics after the new film was installed. I was a little nervous to have the new film installed since my last installation was subpar. I decided to have Invisiguard (www.invisi-guard.com), located in Santa Rosa, install the new film and it came out fantastic! The installation was 100% custom since there was no template for my year vehicle. The film is usually cut from a computer generated pattern for a specific car. This saves a lot of time for the installation. Invisiguard uses 3M and Llumar PPF. I opted for the new 3M PPF which includes a clear coat layer. The Llumar film is a little shinier and easier to work with but a little less durable than the 3M film. The 3M film has a slight orange peel look similar to a normal painted OEM surface. Since I commute to work I need the extra protection of the 3M film. The 3M film can be waxed as the rest of the car and small scratches/swirls can be corrected if necessary. Simply treat it like the rest of the car. It has been two weeks since I had the new PPF installed and the film has completely cured. Cleaning the leading edge on the hood is a dream. A microfiber dabbed with some Quick Detailer Spray easily cleans it leaving no scratches like I had on the previous film. I will wax it in a couple of weeks when I completely detail my car. The last detail was in November of last year and the Meguiars NXT wax is still in great shape. If you live in Northern CA and need PPF for your car then definitely try Invisiguard. This shop does A+ work! I am no longer embarrassed to show people the PPF. You have to be under florescent lighting or in shade to really get a good look at it. It is that good. My car currently has 247K miles and it will continue to look great for several years to come. Also, white paint is one of the worst colors since it easily shows differences in shades of color. Dark colors will show surface texture more so than lighter colors. I believe Invisiguard is also mobile which may work better for you. When I finally get my TL I will immediately set up an appointment to get the PPF from Invisiguard.
05-14-2006 | 03:38 PM
#3
Thread Starter
2016 E350 Sport
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 20
From: East Bay Area, CA
Originally Posted by Drew408
does invisiguard cover the whole front bumper as well? i'm debating weather or not to get my white tl hooked up with some type of guard. so clear bra is a no go? i heard that they were pretty good.
Invisiguard will cover whatever you want covered. I have the entire front bumper, ~24" on the hood, grills behind the license plate, and fog light shrouds covered with the film. There is nothing wrong with Clear Bra. The particular shop that I used was not very good. I'm not sure if they are still in business. The 3M product they used (2 years ago) was the old 3M film that had issues with discoloration. The new 3M films are top notch and do not have those issues.
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