Specks of dirt, lint, dust and debris are on the attack, and your paint protection film (PPF) installation bay is the target. Wearing the proper clothing is half of the battle, according to Brad LaCross, owner of Legendary Auto Salon in Queensbury, N.Y.
Functionality First
“We found early on that contamination underneath film came from two main areas—not getting the vehicle where it needs to be for the installation and the other is coming from ourselves,” LaCross shared with me. “Clothing choice definitely plays a part. I wear a polyester polo. I’ve heard fabrics like rayon are also good; something that doesn’t lint or pill or create anything that may transfer onto your body and hands.”
Debris Defense: Eddie Blanco Shares Story of the Wrap Shirt
Application bay contaminants are nightmares Eddie Blanco knows all too well. A PPF and vinyl wrap industry veteran of 18 years, Blanco was fed up with fighting for clean installations. He started brainstorming solutions in January 2022.
In Containment Zone: Battling Installation Bay Contamination, A WINDOW FILM magazine feature, I explore the topic of contamination in-depth. Click here to check it out.
LaCross adds, “I train my apprentices to get awkward with their hands—to feel comfortable with their hands not touching their bodies. The natural instinct is for them to stick their hands in their pockets or put them in their hair. Keep your hands out during the installation and get comfortable doing that.”
Style Second
“I’ve been big on uniforms even back when I was just a one-man show,” LaCross says. “That professionalism is paramount to building trust with a client. We have different apparel depending on the job position. If it’s forward-facing to the customer, we have our logo on the front to be seen by the customer. But if it’s a detailer or prepper, we have the logo on the back and the sleeve [so a customer can see the branding while they work on the car].”
Editor’s Note: How do you combat contamination in your PPF workspace? What type of clothing do you wear? Drop a comment below or reach out to me at ccollier@glass.com for a conversation.
