# I wrapped my Gaggia Classic in Matt Black Vehicle Wrapping Film



## goodcoffeemadcity (Jun 22, 2015)

I've wanted to do this for a while and finally got around to wrapping the Classic this week, I've thought about having it powder coated before but didn't think it was worth the cost, wrapping it is surprisingly cheap, probably cost me about £25 in the end plus my time to do it. I was toying with white but ended up going with matt black and I think it came out pretty well! You definitely can't tell it's wrapped unless you look super close for seams or underneath. Wrapped the PID box to match too. The only thing is it's going to show dust now a lot! If anyone is interested about how I did it, what I used etc feel free to ask questions and I'll try to explain.


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## larkim (Sep 3, 2018)

That looks fantastic. Tell more!!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

@goodcoffeemadcity Looks good


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## goodcoffeemadcity (Jun 22, 2015)

Cheers @DavecUK & @larkim

Do you want to know anything specific @larkim? I can tell you it's a bit of a pain in the ass to do 😆 Don't want to put you off though it just takes time and patience. I took inspiration from this reddit thread :

__
https://www.reddit.com/r/gaggiaclassic/comments/grpu6k
 - although I didn't do it exactly the same way, for example I decided to leave the bottom edges silver which I actually like the look of, if I change my mind I can always put thin slices of wrap over them or paint them black with a paint pen, also I used a different brand of vinyl wrap called KPMF air release which was cheaper than the super premium stuff (3M or Avery Dennison) but is still considered a premium and good quality wrap.


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## larkim (Sep 3, 2018)

Thanks for the info, I know nothing about applying vinyls so any info is good info! I doubt I'll find the time to do it, but I would love to have my fingerprint marked classic look like that!


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## shaun**** (Oct 24, 2015)

Looks really nice, good work.


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## Coffee Addict Lee (Feb 23, 2021)

That looks brilliant.

I've got a tired looking 2002 classic on the way and was considering spray painting it (by lucky coincidence -matt black) but was worried about messing it up and making the machine look even worse.

This method actually looks easier, cheaper and more likely to produce a brilliant result.

If i do mess up and have to remove the vinyl, does it leave a nasty stubborn residue behind?


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## dutchy101 (Jun 12, 2020)

Great work - looks brilliant 👏


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## goodcoffeemadcity (Jun 22, 2015)

Thanks all! Pretty happy with how it came out.



Coffee Addict Lee said:


> That looks brilliant.
> 
> I've got a tired looking 2002 classic on the way and was considering spray painting it (by lucky coincidence -matt black) but was worried about messing it up and making the machine look even worse.
> 
> ...


 Depends how good you are with spray paint but I wouldn't bother personally, it would be more work I think and definitely harder to get a good finish. No it doesn't leave any residue you can remove the wrap and have it back to normal no issues. The wrap can be repositioned as you're working with it too so if you mess it up as you're going you can peel it off and start again.


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## Kyle T (Jan 6, 2016)

Coffee Addict Lee said:


> That looks brilliant.
> 
> I've got a tired looking 2002 classic on the way and was considering spray painting it (by lucky coincidence -matt black) but was worried about messing it up and making the machine look even worse.
> 
> ...


 I'm currently in the process of doing exactly this. We'll see how it turns out soon. I'll post some pictures.


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## goodcoffeemadcity (Jun 22, 2015)

A couple of people were interested in more info so I've written a sort of guide on how I did it. Hopefully it's useful and coherent!

*Tools / Materials*



Vinyl wrap, there's lots of different brands/types of wrap available and you should look in to them to decide what's best for you and your budget, consider ease of use, colours/finishes available, availability in small quantities, cost etc. As far as I read in my research Avery Dennison and 3M seem to be the best and the easiest to work with but are pricey, I ended up going with a brand called KPMF and used their air release wrap which incorportates air channels and is designed to let you smooth out any air bubbles easily. This is still a well regarded premium wrap but not as expensive as 3M and Avery, plus it was easier to source in a small quantity, I got it here and it cost about £21 for 1m x 1.54m delivered : https://www.mdpsupplies.co.uk/vehicle-wrapping/matt-wrapping-film - Cheap wraps are probably best avoided as they'll be difficult to work with and give poor results/longevity.


A felt edged squeegee for vinyl wrap, loads on eBay and amazon for a few quid, or here https://www.mdpsupplies.co.uk/sign-tools-accessories/squeegees


Decent scalpel or craft knife


Cutting board


Metal ruler


Tape measure


Hairdryer or heat gun


Isopropyl alcohol


*Prep & Planning*

I'd advise doing some reading on vinyl wrap if you don't know much about it and having a look on youtube for some videos/guides on wrapping cars and you'll get an idea of the basics, how wrap applies to things and some dos and don'ts. CK wraps is a popular channel. There will be an application guide from your wrap manufacturer as well which is worth a read, KPMF have one for air release which you can find on google. They also have a youtube video.

You should plan what parts you want to wrap and how many pieces of wrap you want to do it in. More pieces means less pulling the wrap around corners which is easier, but it means you'll have seams which won't give you as a clean a look, unless they're on straight edges then you probably won't notice them. The parts I did mine in were :



Front of the main body, from the back recess all the way round to the opposite back recess


Back panel


Top plate


Inside left


Inside right


Inside bottom


PID front/back/top/bottom


Measure out all the parts you plan to wrap separately allowing enough extra to pull the wrap over edges, under the bottom etc and some extra for when you inevitably don't get the wrap straight pulling it round the body. I allowed 5cm on each side for the main body. I used the website https://www.cutlistoptimizer.com/ to plan how I'd cut the wrap and with a 1m x 1.54m piece you'll be able to have three attempts at the main body if you need it (the hardest/biggest part) while still having plenty for the other pieces.

To get the machine ready I removed the top and separated the filling funnel and the chrome cup plate (held together with two screws) as I wanted to wrap that plate too. Remove the drip tray, water reservoir, switch bank (number the connectors!) and steam knob. You'll need to take the Gaggia badge off the front which is attached with three pins through holes in the body, you'll see them looking down inside the front of the machine, you just bend the pins straight with a screwdriver or similar and it pulls off. Pull the water pipes up in to the machine. Aside from that you could remove the steam valve if you want, it would make it a bit easier but I didn't and it was fine as you'll just make a cut in the wrap as you get to that part to allow the spindle through. If you have a PID you'll need to remove it to wrap the back panel, for everything else you can remove it or just secure it inside the machine.

You'll need to clean the body with isopropyl alcohol so there are no oils or residues causing issues for the wraps adhesive.

*Wrapping*

I did it over a few days, starting with the easier parts to get an idea of how to work with the wrap as this was my first time wrapping anything. I started with the top plate and the PID (although the PID isn't that easy). Next I did the back, then the main body and lastly the insides. You will need time and patience!

The top plate is easy, you can just lay the wrap out, peel off the backing and pretty much place the plate over it, use the squeegee to smooth it out, don't press too hard or it closes the air channels in the wrap for removing air bubbles, fold the wrap on the under side of the plate so the edges are covered and you'll need to make some relief cuts on the corners so it folds underneath without creases on the edges. Then once you're happy you can heat the wrap with a hairdryer/heat gun and this activates the adhesive, you'll need to squeegee again as you do this as sometimes air bubbles appear at this point.

Wrap can be repositioned and applied as you go which you'll need to do, the creases should squeegee out from doing that unless it gets really folded or screwed up. You'll need to make relief cuts as you go to keep the wrap straight and applying properly. The main body is the hardest part, I took two goes at it, the first time, I found because it's a large piece of wrap it was sticking to itself, other parts of the machine and my desk, it ended up getting very creased where I had to keep unsticking it so I started again. The second time I only peeled half the backing off and got the first half done before peeling off the rest and wrapping the second half. This worked well and I'd highly recommend doing this.

For the main body you'll start at the back recess and work your way round, if you're not removing the steam valve then start on the side without the steam valve. Go slow and do bit by bit, use the squeegee lightly as you go and keep pulling it round and applying until you have no air bubbles in each part, I found that pulling the wrap outwards a little but not completely tight and squeegeeing as I applied it gave the best results. This might not be the best technique, I'm not sure, but it worked for me. When you reach the middle you'll need to make some cuts for the inside of the machine so the wrap can be pulled round straight. You can make a cut inside the switchbank hole to fold it in there, and when you reach the steam valve spindle you'll need to make a cut to let that through and still apply the wrap around the hole.

For holes like on the back and where the steam knob is, I used a scalpel knife and cut them out once the wrap was applied but before heating the wrap.

With edges you can fold the wrap over/under as best as you can making relief cuts in hidden places if needed, where straight edges meet another part to be wrapped, for example the edge between the left outside of the body and the left inside of the body, you can fold over the wrap from the outside of the body to the inside say 2 cm which gives you a covered edge, you can then tidy the line on the inside but cutting excess off with a knife/metal rule, and then wrap the inside with a separate piece up to the edge but not folding the wrap over to the outside this time, so you will end up with a seam at the top of the inside, but it's not noticeable as it's on an edge and the inside. Alternatively you can cut the wrap along the edge and have the edges silver. I did this on the bottom because I quite liked the silver edges, plus it's easier. I actually did it on the top too but then changed my mind and applied a thin edge piece which worked quite well, not as clean as folded over edges would have been though.

With recesses and raised parts on the inside/back you can use the squeegee to make the wrap sit smooth in to the recess and start laying the wrap at these points so you're not trying to stretch the wrap in to the recess if that makes sense, it's actually pretty easy wrapping these parts of the machine as they're flat and relatively small. You can cut the excess along the edges with a knife once it's applied.

Once you've wrapped it and heated the wrap to activate the adhesive, you can tidy the fold under/over lines with a knife if you want to, then you'll need to put the badge back on, I used the pins of the badge to mark the wrap by poking it from the inside and then just pressed the pins through from the outside and bent them back to secure it.

Then reassemble, wipe it down and you're done. I'm sure I've forgotten things but if you plan properly, do some research and go slow you'll work it out as you go. Any questions post them here and I'll try to answer.


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

nice!

Just done the same to my camper "stealth" van - took a little bit longer and quite a lot more wrap 😄


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## goodcoffeemadcity (Jun 22, 2015)

NickdeBug said:


> nice!
> 
> Just done the same to my camper "stealth" van - took a little bit longer and quite a lot more wrap 😄


 Haha I bet it did! I think wrapping a vehicle would be a bit beyond my capabilities/patience. 17 year old me would definitely have given it a go on my first car though 😆


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## Zeak (Jun 12, 2017)

Looks awesome. What's it like to clean? Also wondering how did you go around the grouphead?


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## goodcoffeemadcity (Jun 22, 2015)

Zeak said:


> Looks awesome. What's it like to clean? Also wondering how did you go around the grouphead?


 Cheers! It's actually easy to clean and way better than the stainless body which I could never get to look clean, it doesn't show fingerprints etc, just a once over with a wipe and it's good, time will tell how cleaning effects it but the wrap is meant to withstand everything that's thrown at a car bodywork so you'd imagine it will be fine. The only thing is being black it shows dust a lot more than before. Not a big deal though.


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## Kyle T (Jan 6, 2016)

Kyle T said:


> I'm currently in the process of doing exactly this. We'll see how it turns out soon. I'll post some pictures.


 So I finished my gaggia today. Picture below. It looks nice but despite using a protective coat the paint seems very soft as is damaging easy. I'm going to see how it goes and may opt for the wrap down the line.


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## goodcoffeemadcity (Jun 22, 2015)

Nice work @Kyle T, looks good! I've had varying degrees of success with painting things in the past which is why I opted for the wrap, I feel like it's probably a bit easier than painting too so if you find the paint starts to chip and want to try the wrap I'd recommend it!

The wrap seems to be holding up fine so far with daily use and cleaning, no issues. Here it is in action today (any excuse to show off a half decent rosetta 😆 ).


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

That looks really nice, well done! How did you work around the "Gaggia Classic" emblem so well? Looks as if you had removed it, wrapped and replaced.


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## goodcoffeemadcity (Jun 22, 2015)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> That looks really nice, well done! How did you work around the "Gaggia Classic" emblem so well? Looks as if you had removed it, wrapped and replaced.


 Thanks, that's exactly what I did. The logo is attached with three pins through the body, you just bend them up to remove it, then once wrapped I used the pins to mark the wrap by poking it from the inside so I knew where to put the badge back on.


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## Kyle T (Jan 6, 2016)

After much deliberation I decided to take my gaggia classic for a professional paint job. Cost £70 so not so bad.


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## larkim (Sep 3, 2018)

Ordered some wrap and this will be a project over the next few weeks or so. Obviously the quicker it gets done the better, otherwise I'll be out of espresso for a while!! Finesse is not usually my strong point so fingers crossed I can make it work well.

Will probably also apply any spare wrap to my grinder (MC2) as the grey on that is particularly ugly!


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## Jonathon White (Dec 7, 2021)

goodcoffeemadcity said:


> I've wanted to do this for a while and finally got around to wrapping the Classic this week, I've thought about having it powder coated before but didn't think it was worth the cost, wrapping it is surprisingly cheap, probably cost me about £25 in the end plus my time to do it. I was toying with white but ended up going with matt black and I think it came out pretty well! You definitely can't tell it's wrapped unless you look super close for seams or underneath. Wrapped the PID box to match too. The only thing is it's going to show dust now a lot! If anyone is interested about how I did it, what I used etc feel free to ask questions and I'll try to explain.
> 
> View attachment 60157


This looks so good but how has it been holding up with the temperatures of the machine


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## larkim (Sep 3, 2018)

Jonathon White said:


> This looks so good but how has it been holding up with the temperatures of the machine


Think the OP also posts on Reddit, and a recent comment from them here suggests no issues with heat affecting the wrap.

__
https://www.reddit.com/r/gaggiaclassic/comments/u7828f


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## larkim (Sep 3, 2018)

Finally got it done, just used one single piece to wrap from back to front and round. Some imperfections that I'll know about but noone else will care.

Didn't bother with wrapping the back section as noone will see it.

Think I'll use the spare wrap to do the MC2 grinder too.


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## larkim (Sep 3, 2018)

So, the Iberital MC2 looked ugly so I wrapped that too


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## ChiangMaiKevin (Dec 18, 2017)

How does the GC wrap handle the heat?… Any pealing?…


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## larkim (Sep 3, 2018)

It's a car wrap, so at a guess it's designed to get way hotter that the GC as it could be on the bonnet right over the engine, or in the full glare of the sun. 
Short answer, no peeling!


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## Boomish (Apr 8, 2016)

that looks amazing! I'm def going to have to try that..


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## larkim (Sep 3, 2018)

Still looking perfect btw, no issues with heat affecting the vinyl. As it happens I'll be selling the MC2 at some point as I've got a Niche Zero on the way. Whilst I've got spare wrap, I may do the Niche at some point but not for a while.


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