What’s it cost to letter this pickup truck?

Recently a local tree surgeon asked me to letter his new work truck. He didn’t want a wrap but instead wanted graphics to cover a good portion of the vehicle. I traveled to his location where I took photos and measurements. After discussing ideas about how he wanted the graphics to look, I returned to my shop and began working on a design.

Using Gerber Omega and Photoshop Elements, I created the design and then emailed it to the customer for proofing. The customer responded to my email and said that he liked the design. I was glad that I nailed the design on the first attempt.

Once he brought the truck in, my first task was to prep the vehicle. I washed it by hand with car wash soap. Once it was dry, I wiped down the areas where the graphics would be applied with rubbing alcohol.

After I had cut, weeded and masked the vinyl, I began marking the vehicle with reference points for vinyl application. A paper print with measurements helped this task go smoother.

At the customer’s request, fluorescent yellow vinyl was to be used for part of the job. I had briefed the customer about the short life of fluorescent vinyl film, but he said that we would replace it whenever it faded.

The rest of the graphics were done in Sapphire Blue Gerber 220 series high-performance vinyl. I applied the vinyl using the wet method. I had to wait a while for the application fluid to dry around tool box doors before I could wrap around hinges and door edges.

I don’t consider myself a wrap expert or even a wrap installer. ln fact, I’ve never installed a full wrap. My hat is off to those professionals who do them. I must confess that I don’t have the patience for wrapping.

High-performance vinyl is not the favorite choice of film when working around hinges and other objects, but it worked for me in this case.

In the end, the customer was happy with the job, and I was happy to move on to the next project—an order for a number of safety signs. I was back to the “flat world.”

This appeared in the September/October 2014 issue of SignCraft. While the prices have been adjusted for inflation as of 2025, they may not accurately reflect current pricing for such signage.

 Michael James’s shop, Apple Signs, is in Ball, Louisiana. You’ll find him online at www.applesignsusa.com.

Clean and prep vehicle: 1 hour Up to this point, I already had about three hours in taking photos of the truck, meeting with the customer and doing the design.

Cut, weed and mask vinyl: 2 hours Once it was cut and weeded, I was ready to start applying the graphics. I had warned the customer that the fluorescent yellow film he wanted would fade, but he said we’d replace it as needed.

Apply vinyl: 6 hours There was a lot of film on the truck, so application took a while.

The film went across seams and over hinges and handles, so that added to the application time. Here it is before completing the X in Experts.

The back of the truck carried just the basic contact information.

Michael James