What colours and finishes does paint protection film come in?
Clear gloss, clear matte, and a short list of solid colours. Clear film is the core of LLumar’s range; coloured film is a newer, narrower option.
| Film | What you see | Maker’s warranty | At Brookswood Tint |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLumar Platinum Gloss | Your paint, under a clear high-gloss film | 10-year limited | The film in every package |
| LLumar Platinum Matte | Your paint’s colour with a flat, satin look | 10-year limited | Available as the matte option |
| LLumar Select Black | Gloss black over any original colour | 10-year limited | Not in the published packages; ask |
| XPEL COLOR PPF | One of 16 colours | 10 years, per XPEL | Installed only by authorized XPEL dealers |
LLumar’s lineup page describes Select Black as turning paint “to a rich, glossy black with all the protective benefits of our Platinum PPF,” and its product page adds that availability may vary by region.
Does matte PPF change your car’s colour?
No. Matte film changes the sheen, not the colour. On gloss paint the result is a satin, low-reflection finish, and the hue underneath stays exactly what the factory sprayed.
LLumar markets Platinum Matte as optically clear film that keeps a car’s true colour, for blending with flat factory finishes or for transforming gloss paint.
Because it’s film, the change is reversible. That makes matte PPF a reversible way to try a satin look. The stealth PPF vs gloss PPF comparison goes deeper on the two finishes, and matte PPF has the shop’s details.
How is coloured PPF different from a vinyl wrap?
Both change the colour; coloured PPF also brings the impact protection of paint protection film, while vinyl offers far more colours and finishes. Which matters more depends on the job: protecting paint or restyling the car.
LLumar’s Select Black page lists the Platinum benefits that come with it: defence against rocks, salt and road debris, self-healing of scratches with engine or sun heat, and a HydroGard top coat. LLumar also claims it is “more protective than black vinyl”. XPEL’s launch release says its COLOR film is “two to three times thicker than vinyl”, carries a 10-year warranty and is fitted exclusively by authorized XPEL dealers. Both are the makers’ own descriptions.
| Clear PPF | Coloured PPF | Vinyl wrap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main job | Protect the paint you have | Protect and change the colour | Change the colour or finish |
| Colour choice | Your own paint | A short list (one at LLumar, 16 at XPEL) | Wide: 3M’s 2080 series alone covers gloss, satin, matte, metallic and pearl colours plus colour-flip and textured films |
| Warranty | 10-year LLumar limited (Platinum) | 10 years from each maker | 5 years on 3M or Avery Dennison vinyl, as the shop publishes it |
| Brookswood Tint | Every PPF package | Ask about Select Black | Quoted per vehicle |
For the wider comparison, see PPF vs vinyl wrap.
Can you get coloured PPF at Brookswood Tint?
The shop’s published PPF packages are clear LLumar Platinum, in gloss or matte. Select Black isn’t on that menu, so ask when you call if a black PPF finish is what you’re after, and XPEL’s coloured line is sold only through XPEL’s own dealers.
When the goal is a different colour, the work is done in cast vinyl from 3M and Avery Dennison. The shop’s photographed colour change is the Mercedes GLS on this page in Avery Matte Metallic Gunmetal, and the options are on vinyl colour change. One option is clear PPF on the nose, where stones land, and vinyl on the panels you want to restyle.
Is tinted film on headlights and taillights a kind of coloured PPF?
No, it’s a separate product with a legal catch. The shop fits STEK light film, in smoke at 30% or 50% as well as yellow and clear, with a 7-year warranty under its published terms.
In BC: the lamp rules in the 2025 Vehicle Inspection Manual reject any lamp with a lens “covered in any manner”, or one that lets less light out. Smoked or yellow film on any headlight, taillight or signal can fail, and clear film can draw questions too.
The details are on headlight and taillight film.
How do you choose between clear, matte and a colour?
Start with what you want to change. If you love the colour and want it kept perfect, choose clear gloss PPF. If you want a satin look without giving up your colour, choose matte PPF. If you want a new colour, choose vinyl, and add clear film where stones hit.
Film starts at $850 for Partial Front and at $4,000 for Full Vehicle; name gloss or matte when you ask. Vinyl has no published prices and is quoted for your car. Describe the look you’re after, with the year, make and model, on the film quote request or the vinyl quote request.
