Most contractors’ trailers feature ill-spaced, sloppy lettering, and enough dents and scratches to qualify them for a Mad Max movie. Clearly, the home-repair specialist who owns this trailer understood his equipment’s advertising value, and hired Signfarm (Nokesville, VA) to create an inviting wrap that highlights Artisan’s capabilities.
Scott Lewczak, Signfarm’s owner, said, “The customer wanted to convey that he’s a true craftsman and emphasize old-school craftsmanship. I thought of old-school signmakers, such as Mike Jackson and David Butler.”
He designed the logo and the entire wrap concept on his Mac® with Adobe Photoshop. To create an image that reflects quality, Lewczak used such textures as cherry-finish wood, brushed gold and marble. He also situated the dictionary definition of artisan on the trailer’s rear door to emphasize the customer’s commitment to quality.
He printed the job with 3M Controltac with Comply air-release media on the shop’s Mimaki JV3-160SP solvent-ink printer, which was equipped with Nazdar Lyson digital inks. Because the trailer was short, Lewczak and his assistant, Angel Georgiev, installed the vinyl horizontally to create fewer seams. They applied Signfarm’s proprietary, scratch-resistant clearcoat to protect the curlicues and vivid colors.
“The most challenging part of the wrap was the side door,” Lewczak said. “I had to remove the metal bar that locks the door to allow a smooth wrap surface. When installing a wrap on a trailer, make sure you have plenty of assorted screw tips for your drill. When you have to remove hardware, you never know whether you’ll have to work with Philips, flat, hex or another type of screw head.”