Roof Wrap, Hood Wrap and Partial Car Wrap Guide

Quick answer: At Ardor Printing, a roof wrap or hood wrap starts at $400, a chrome delete starts at $300, and a printed partial wrap for a business vehicle starts at $2,500. A partial car wrap covers part of the vehicle instead of every painted panel: a single roof or hood in gloss black, satin black or carbon fiber, or printed graphics on the doors, sides and rear of a work truck or van. It changes the look of a vehicle for a fraction of the cost of a full wrap. Roof and hood accents use the same pre-colored film as our color change car wraps, and most are installed at our Snohomish, WA shop in half a day to a day.

Key takeaways

• Roof wraps are one of the most popular partial wraps. A gloss black roof gives any car a sporty two-tone look.
• Hood wraps add contrast with matte, satin or carbon fiber finishes.
• Partial wraps cost far less than a full wrap and are fully removable.
• Printed partial wraps for business vehicles start at $2,500. They put your logo and phone number on the doors, sides and rear and leave the rest in paint.
• Quality vinyl matters. Premium cast film lasts longer and removes cleanly.

What is a partial car wrap?

A partial car wrap covers only part of the vehicle instead of every painted panel. A partial wrap covers anything from a single roof or hood to a two-tone design that wraps the top half of the car. Common partial car wrap ideas include:

• Roof wrap: Gloss black is the classic, with satin black and carbon fiber close behind.
• Hood wrap: Matte black, satin black or carbon fiber for a performance look.
• Chrome delete: Covering chrome window trim, grilles and badges in black. See our chrome delete guide.
• Mirror caps and pillars: Small accents that tie into a black roof.
• Racing stripes: Hood-to-trunk stripes in a contrasting color.
• Spoilers and trim: Blacked-out lips, spoilers and diffusers.
• Two-tone wraps: One color on the top half of the car and the original paint below.

Two-tone Corvette at the Ardor Printing shop: the lower body panels are wrapped in satin black, with the roof and the center of the hood left in gloss black.

For businesses, a partial wrap means printed graphics on part of a van, truck or car, usually the doors, sides and rear. Those printed partial wraps start at $2,500 at Ardor. This guide covers both: color accents for personal cars first, then printed partial wraps for business vehicles.

Roof wrap: the easiest upgrade

A roof wrap is one of the most popular partial vinyl wraps. Blacking out the roof makes a car look lower and sleeker, matches cars that come from the factory with contrast roofs, and blends in with a panoramic sunroof. It works on almost anything: sedans, SUVs, trucks, Teslas and Minis.

A few things to know:

• Sunroofs and glass roofs: We wrap the painted areas around the glass for a seamless look.
• Roof rails and antennas: These are usually wrapped around or carefully removed and reinstalled.
• Sun exposure: The roof gets the most sun, so a quality film is worth it here.

Hood wrap: performance look and protection

A hood wrap in matte or satin black cuts glare and gives a car a racing look. Carbon fiber vinyl adds texture without the cost of a real carbon hood. A hood wrap also adds a layer over the paint that helps hide small chips and scratches from road debris. If rock-chip protection is your main goal, clear paint protection film is a better choice. We compare the two in vinyl wrap vs. PPF.

Printed partial wraps for business vehicles

A printed partial wrap, also called a half wrap, covers about half the vehicle and blends into the paint color. Your logo, phone number and artwork go on the doors, sides and rear, and the factory paint does the rest. It is the middle step between spot graphics and a full wrap.

At Ardor Printing, printed partial wraps start at $2,500, and partial wraps on pickup trucks run $2,500 to $3,100. For comparison, simple door logos (both front doors) start at $350, larger spot graphics at $615, and full wraps at $3,000 for cars, $3,900 for vans and $4,000 for pickups. Our in-house designers do wrap design and logo design; partial wrap design starts at $650 and full wrap design at $1,000. Most partial wraps are installed in half a day to a day. See our printed vehicle wraps page for business graphics, or our first truck and van packages if this is your first work vehicle.

Printed partial wrap on a Ford F-250 for Snohomish Tree Company. The white factory paint is part of the design.

A partial wrap also keeps the print where it lasts longest. In the Seattle area, our printed wraps last up to 8 years on vertical surfaces like doors and sides and about 3 years on hoods and roofs, which take the most sun. A layout that keeps the print on the sides and leaves the hood and roof in paint ages well. Snohomish Tree Company has worked with us for about seven years and is on the fourth edition of its truck wraps.

Partial car wrap vs. full wrap

	Partial car wrap	Full wrap
What's covered	One or a few panels, like a roof or hood, or about half the vehicle	Every painted panel
Price at Ardor	Roof or hood from $400; chrome delete from $300; printed partial wrap from $2,500	Color change from $3,500 (coupe or sedan); printed car wraps from $3,000
Install time	Half a day to 1 day	2 to 5 days for a color change
Look	Accent or two-tone	Complete new color
Removable	Yes	Yes

Want to go further later? A roof or hood wrap is an easy way to try vinyl before committing to a full wrap. See our vehicle wrap cost guide for full-wrap pricing.

Roof, hood and partial wrap cost

Partial wrap	Ardor price
Roof or hood only	From $400
Chrome delete (window trim)	From $300
Printed partial wrap for business vehicles	From $2,500 (pickups $2,500 to $3,100)

Your price depends on the size of the panel, the film and extras like sunroof trim, roof rails or mirror caps. Larger roofs on full-size SUVs and trucks cost more than a compact car roof.

Choosing a finish

• Gloss black: Looks like factory paint and matches glass sunroofs.
• Satin black: A soft sheen that's popular for hoods and roofs on performance cars.
• Matte black: Flat and aggressive, with no reflections.
• Carbon fiber: Textured film that looks like real carbon weave.
• Color accents: Contrasting colors for stripes, mirrors and trim.

See every option in our guide to car wrap finishes.

How we install a roof or hood wrap

1. Inspect the paint. We check for chips, failing clear coat and repainted panels before any film goes on.
2. Deep clean and prep. The panel is washed, clay-cleaned where needed and wiped with an alcohol-based cleaner so the adhesive bonds.
3. Remove or mask hardware. Antennas, roof rails, washer nozzles and emblems are removed or carefully worked around.
4. Lay the film. One piece of quality vinyl covers the whole panel whenever possible, so there are no seams.
5. Wrap the edges and post-heat. Edges are tucked and heated so the film stays put through rain and car washes.
6. Final inspection. We check every edge and walk you through care before you drive away.

Every install is backed by our 1-year limited installation warranty. The terms are on our warranty page.

Popular combinations

• Black roof + chrome delete: A popular full blackout look.
• Carbon fiber hood + mirror caps: A performance look on sport sedans and hatchbacks.
• Satin hood + racing stripes: Classic muscle-car style.
• Black roof + black wheels: Ties the top and bottom of the car together.

How long does a roof or hood wrap last?

Color change film typically lasts 5 to 7 years in the Seattle area with good care. Roofs and hoods are horizontal and take the most direct sun, so plan on less there: on our printed wraps, hoods and roofs last about 3 years, against up to 8 years on doors and sides. Hand washing, parking in shade when possible and avoiding harsh brushes help. Our wrapped car wash guide covers the basics.

Northwest weather is its own test. Seattle's cloudy climate is easier on vinyl than places with intense year-round sun, but summer UV still fades film, months of moisture work into edges that were not sealed well, and tree sap, pollen and winter road grime from I-5 and the mountain passes land on a roof or hood first. Wash them off promptly. Our materials and durability page lists how long each product lasts here.

Can a roof or hood wrap damage the paint?

Not when it's installed and removed properly on healthy factory paint. Premium cast films from brands like 3M and Avery Dennison are designed to remove cleanly within their rated life. Repainted panels or failing clear coat are the main risks, so let your installer know about any paint work before you wrap.

Frequently asked questions about roof wraps and hood wraps

Get a free roof, hood or partial wrap quote

Ardor Printing installs roof wraps, hood wraps and printed partial wraps for drivers and businesses across Snohomish County, Seattle, Everett and Bellevue, with vehicle pick-up and delivery available. Call (425) 629-0796 or request a free quote with your year, make and model.

About the author: Dayne Remlinger founded Ardor Printing in 2012. His team has branded more than 7,000 vehicles and completed 25,000+ projects from its shop at 12531 Old Snohomish Monroe Rd, Snohomish, WA 98290.