Full Wrap, Partial Wrap, or Lettering? Choosing Graphics for Your Work Vehicles
Your truck is parked in front of customers' houses all day. It sits in traffic and at the supply house. For a contractor, landscaper, or service company, it's often the ad people see most.
There are three main ways to brand a work vehicle. Here's how they compare.
Full wrap
A full wrap covers the whole vehicle in printed film: sides, rear, hood, and often the roof.
- Best for: box trucks, step vans, and companies that want the vehicle itself to be the billboard.
- Why choose it: the most visibility, full-color photos and graphics, and the vehicle's paint color no longer matters.
- Keep in mind: it's the biggest project of the three, so design takes more planning.
Partial wrap
A partial wrap covers part of the vehicle, often the back half, the lower sides, or the rear doors, and blends into the paint color.
- Best for: vans and pickups where you want real impact without covering everything.
- Why choose it: strong branding on the parts people see most, using your vehicle color as part of the design.
- Keep in mind: it works best when your vehicle color fits your brand. A red logo on a red truck needs a plan.
Lettering and logos
Cut lettering and logos on the doors, sides, and rear: company name, services, phone number, and web address.
- Best for: pickups, single trucks, and businesses that want a clean, professional look.
- Why choose it: fast, simple, and easy to update when your phone number or services change.
- Keep in mind: less visual impact than a wrap. It identifies the truck more than it advertises.
What to put on the truck
Whichever you choose, people see your truck for a few seconds. Keep it to:
- Your company name and logo, large
- What you do, in a few words
- One phone number or web address
Skip the long list of services. If people can't read it at a stoplight, it's not working.
Branding a fleet
If you run more than one vehicle, every truck should look like the same company even if the makes and models differ. Build one design system with the same layout, colors, and placement, and adapt it to each vehicle. When you add a truck later, it matches the rest.
Leased vehicles
If your vehicles are leased, check your lease terms before any graphics go on. Wrap film is applied over factory paint, and removal is part of the plan when the lease ends.
Match the rest of your brand
Your trucks, storefront windows, office walls, and trade show booth should all look like one company. Doing them with one team keeps colors and logos consistent everywhere.
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