Does removing protection film damage the paint?

How removal works

Removing film is heat, angle and patience. The film is warmed with a heat gun or steam to about 50–70 degrees, which softens the adhesive. An edge is lifted with a plastic tool and the film is pulled off at a low angle of about 30–45 degrees, slowly and evenly. The adhesive should come away with the film. If the film tears or adhesive stays behind, it is too cold, too fast or too steep. Any residue is taken off with a citrus or adhesive remover, the surface is washed and polished if needed.

Removing film from a whole car is 4–8 hours of work, a front package 1–3 hours. Workshops price it by the hour.

When the paint is fine

Factory paint that has cured properly withstands film removal. The clear coat is stronger than the film adhesive, and the adhesive on a quality film is made to stay with the film, not the paint. STEK films are designed to be removable for the whole of the warranty period.

Three situations with real risk

A repainted panel

Repair paint that has not cured properly, or whose bond to the primer is weak, can come away with the film. That is why a good installer asks before filming whether any panels have been repainted, and warns that on a repainted panel the removal risk sits with the owner. If a panel has been painted, let the paint cure for at least 30 days before film.

A film past its age

Ten years in the sun and a few winters make even a good film brittle. Old film comes off in pieces and the adhesive stays on the surface. That does not harm the paint, but it makes the job several times longer. A cheap PVC based film reaches that state in 2–3 years. It is easier and cheaper to replace film on time than years later.

Cheap adhesive and hot sun

The adhesive on some cheap films is aggressive and bonds with the clear coat as it ages. Such a film leaves dull patches on the clear coat or pulls soft clear coat with it. That kind of film should only be removed by an experienced workshop, and never from a car that is hot from standing in the sun.

Yourself or at the workshop

A small piece, such as a door sill or a handle cup, can be removed at home with a heat gun and time. The bonnet, bumper and lights are better left to the installer: sensors, plastic parts and curves are where a gun that is too hot or the wrong angle does damage. The safest route is to have the film removed by the installer who fitted it. That way there is no argument over whether a mark came from installation or removal.

After removal

The paint that was under the film is better than the rest of the car: cleaner, without stone chips and less faded. Along the old film edges there may be a faint line, because the paint under the film did not fade. It disappears with light polishing. If you plan new film, this is the right moment: the surface is clean and polished. If you plan to sell, the factory paint is untouched, which is exactly what a buyer wants.

Check before removal

• Is the film still under warranty? If the problem is yellowing or cracking within the warranty period, replacement is a manufacturer warranty matter, not your cost.
• Is the panel under the film repainted? The installer's notes or an earlier repair invoice will tell. Such a panel has to be done more slowly and with a warning.
• Is the car warm or cold? In winter let the car stand in the warm for at least a couple of hours before removal; cold film tears.
• Does new film follow, or does the paint stay bare? With new film the polishing is left to the installer fitting it.

Film and selling the car

There is no need to remove the film before a sale. Intact, clear film is an argument for the buyer, not an obstacle: it shows the car has been looked after and the factory paint underneath is untouched. Only film that is yellow, cracked or lifting at the edges is worth removing, because it gives an impression of neglect. In that case have the film removed, the surface polished, and sell the car with clean factory paint.

Frequently asked questions