Which matte black films can you choose from?
3M sells three plain matte blacks in its 2080 line, plus a metallic one, and Avery Dennison one in its SW900 line. Seeing them side by side matters, because the names hint at different depths of flat and a screen can’t show the difference.
| Maker | Film | Code |
|---|---|---|
| 3M | 2080 Matte Black | M12 |
| 3M | 2080 Deep Black (matte section) | M22 |
| 3M | 2080 Dead Matte Black | DM12 |
| 3M | 2080 Matte Black Metallic | M212 |
| Avery Dennison | Supreme Wrapping Film Matte Black | SW900-180-O |
The 3M codes are from its 2080 brochure and the Avery code from its North American product overview. Matte Black M12 is also the film 3M uses for the thickness figures in its 2080 product bulletin: 0.09 mm (3.5 mil) for the film alone and 0.11 mm (4.5 mil) once the adhesive is included. That’s the whole layer standing between the colour you see and your paint.
How flat is a matte black wrap?
Flatter than satin by a clear margin. Avery Dennison’s SW900 data sheet measures its matte films below 15 gloss units at 60°, against 20 to 30 for satin and above 85 for gloss.
At that level, most reflections drop out of the panels, and the car reads by its outline and its shadows rather than by highlights running along the body. If you want black with a little more life in it, a satin black wrap keeps a soft sheen; if you like the flat look but not black, matte dark grey is the next shade along.
How do you care for a matte black wrap?
With gentle cleaners and nothing that adds shine. Matte film shows handling marks and the wrong product more readily than gloss, and the damage is hard to reverse.
- Fingerprints. 3M’s 2080 maintenance FAQ notes that prints stand out more on matte film; a lint-free towel dampened with isopropyl alcohol and water, 70 to 30, lifts them, and then the panel is dried.
- Wax, polish and unknown cleaners. Avery’s data sheet warns its matte materials can change dramatically in colour and sheen when cleaners, wax or polish touch them, and tells owners to test products somewhere hidden first.
- Scrubbing. 3M says never to scrub its film, and that scratch and abrasion marks may not be removable from a unique finish like matte.
- Car washes. Hand washing is 3M’s first choice; if an automatic wash is unavoidable, 3M points to touchless ones, because brushes may dull or scratch the film and lift its edges.
The routine for wash day is on how to wash a wrapped car.
How long is a matte black wrap rated to last?
On paper, as long as any colour gets. 3M rates every 2080 colour by climate zone, and Canada falls in its Zone 2 on the 3M warranty zone list: 7 years for upright panels and 2 for flat ones like the hood and roof. Avery puts its black films in its longest-rated family. The shop’s published term for vinyl is a five-year manufacturer warranty.
What those ratings don’t promise is that the flat look stays perfectly flat. Avery states that abrasion and loss of gloss “are not covered by any Avery Dennison Warranty” and count as normal wear. On a matte black car, shiny patches from rubbing or the wrong cleaner are the kind of ageing to watch for, so care, more than the warranty, decides how the finish looks a few years on.
Matte black wrap, matte PPF or matte paint?
They solve different problems. A matte black wrap changes the colour to flat black; matte paint protection film keeps your existing colour and only lowers the shine; factory matte paint is a permanent finish of its own.
| Option | What you end up seeing | Stops stone chips? | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matte black vinyl wrap | A new colour, flat black | No | Shop’s published term: 5 years, manufacturer |
| Matte PPF (LLumar Platinum Matte) | Your own colour, turned satin on gloss paint | Yes | 10-year manufacturer’s limited warranty |
| Factory matte paint | The carmaker’s colour, flat | No | Set by the carmaker |
The shop’s matte PPF is LLumar Platinum Matte, and on gloss paint it gives a satin result rather than truly flat black, with a 10-year manufacturer’s limited warranty. If the car is already factory matte, film and coating choices are different again; ceramic coating for matte paint and matte PPF vs matte wrap go into both.
The shop’s photographed matte wrap is grey rather than black: the Mercedes GLS in Avery Matte Metallic Gunmetal, which went over gloss black paint. That job is written up as the GLS matte gunmetal project.
How do you book a matte black wrap in Langley?
Use the quote form for wraps or text 604 534 6433: give the year, make and model, the panels to cover, and whether you’ve settled on M12, M22, DM12 or Avery’s SW900-180-O. If you haven’t, ask to see samples of each in daylight before you decide.
A full matte black colour change is a 3 to 5 day booking, with a single panel such as a hood or roof usually back the same day or within two. Note any resprayed panels in your message, since the paint is inspected before film goes on. Drop-offs happen at the Langley Bypass location (20560, Unit 312) from 9:00 to 17:00, Saturdays included.
