Van Wrap vs Part Wrap vs Lettering: What to Choose

Every van branding job is one of three things: letters on the paint, a partial covering, or the whole vehicle covered. Here is how they compare in practice.

Simple lettering

Cut vinyl letters and a logo applied straight to the paintwork, usually your name, number, website and a short service list. Cost is typically £150 to £450 and fitting takes a few hours.

Strengths: cheapest, quickest, easy to update when your number changes, and completely reversible when you sell.

Weakness: relies on your van being a colour that suits your branding.

Part wrap

Printed vinyl covering part of the vehicle, commonly the lower half, the bonnet, the rear doors or a bold shape running down the side, with lettering over the top. Typically £900 to £1,800 and around a day to fit.

Strengths: near the visual impact of a full wrap at half the cost, and it works brilliantly when your brand has a strong colour.

Weakness: needs a proper design, a badly planned part wrap looks unfinished.

Full wrap

Every painted panel covered in printed and laminated vinyl. Typically £1,800 to £3,500 and one to two days to fit.

Strengths: total design freedom, the van becomes a moving billboard, and the vinyl protects the paint underneath.

Weakness: highest cost, and it needs removing professionally at the end of its life.

What about resale

This surprises people. A properly fitted wrap using quality cast vinyl actually protects the original paint from stone chips and UV, and when it is removed correctly the panel underneath is often in better condition than an unwrapped van of the same age. The risk is cheap film left on too long, which can be difficult to remove cleanly.

Fleet thinking

If you run more than two or three vehicles, get the design done once and apply it consistently. Repeat vehicles cost less per van because the artwork and templates already exist, and a consistent fleet reads as a bigger, more established business than mismatched vans do.

Our honest recommendation

For most trades, lettering plus a printed logo and a colour flash gives the best return per pound. Go full wrap when your brand is visual, when you are in a competitive consumer market, or when the van is parked outside jobs all day.

Get your van priced

Send us the make, model and wheelbase and we will price all three options so you can decide with real numbers in front of you. Call 0800 454 613.