Vehicle Magnets

Branding You Can Take Off

Vinyl graphics are permanent. That's fine for a dedicated works van, and a problem for everything else — a lease vehicle you'll hand back, a personal car you don't want signwritten at the weekend, a part-time business, or a van that changes hands.

A magnet solves it. On for the job, off in thirty seconds, and the paintwork underneath is untouched.

Printed on 0.85mm road-grade magnetic sheet in four sizes, from a single magnet.

Why 0.85mm Matters

Magnetic sheet comes in different thicknesses, and it's the one spec worth paying attention to.

Thinner material — 0.6mm and below — is what you'll find on cheap magnets. It holds fine in a car park. At 60mph on a motorway, with wind getting under a corner, it doesn't. A magnet that leaves your van at speed is a hazard to whoever's behind you and gone for good.

0.85mm is road-grade sheet: heavier, with a stronger magnetic pull and enough rigidity that the edges stay flat against the panel rather than lifting. It's the standard for signage that actually travels.

Sizes

• 300 x 200mm — compact. Suits car doors, small vans and anywhere you want a discreet presence rather than full signwriting.
• 500 x 300mm — the popular middle size. Readable from a reasonable distance and fits most car and small van door panels.
• 600 x 400mm — a substantial panel. Good for transit-sized van doors and where the vehicle is often parked on a job as passive advertising.
• 800 x 400mm — our largest, and the closest to looking like proper signwriting. Suits larger van side panels.

Measure the flat area of your panel before ordering. A magnet needs to sit entirely on flat steel — if it overlaps a body line, a swage or a plastic trim, it won't hold properly along that edge.

Where They Stick, and Where They Don't

Magnets only work on flat, bare steel. That rules out more of a modern vehicle than most people expect.

Won't work on: aluminium panels — many vans and most pickups use aluminium doors or bonnets; plastic bumpers and trim; any panel that's had filler or a plastic repair section; heavily curved or ridged surfaces.

Quick check: hold a fridge magnet against the panel. If it holds, ours will.

Looking After Them

Magnets need slightly more care than vinyl, and getting this wrong is what ruins paintwork.

Take them off and clean underneath regularly — once a week is sensible. Dirt and grit trapped between the magnet and the paint acts like sandpaper every time the vehicle moves.

Apply to a clean, dry panel. Trapped moisture is what causes staining and, over time, corrosion.

Take them off before a jet wash. High-pressure water will get under an edge and lift the magnet off.

Store them flat, not rolled or folded. A crease in magnetic sheet is permanent and creates a gap where wind can get under.

Who Uses Them

• Part-time and side-business traders — branding on for the job, off for the school run.
• Lease and finance vehicles — no permanent modification, nothing to remove at handback.
• Growing firms — one set of magnets moves between vehicles as the fleet changes.
• Trades using a personal car — electricians, plumbers, gardeners, mobile therapists and anyone not running a dedicated works van.
• Subcontractors — displaying a main contractor's branding on site, then removing it afterwards.
• Event and temporary staff — vehicles branded for a weekend rather than permanently.

Designing a Vehicle Magnet

Read at speed, from an angle, often in poor light. Same rules as a site board, more so.

Trade, name, number. A magnet listing six services and a website reads as a grey block from another lane.

High contrast. A design that looks smart on screen can disappear against a white van in bright sun or a dark one at dusk.

Keep detail away from the edges. Magnets get handled by the edges constantly, and that's where wear shows first.

Artwork Requirements

• Bleed: 3mm all round
• Safe zone: 5mm
• Resolution: 300 dpi minimum
• Format: PDF
• Colour: CMYK
• Fonts: outlined or embedded

Upload your print-ready PDF at checkout, or send it later via a link.

Every file is checked by a real person before printing, so obvious problems get flagged. We don't make changes or fixes to artwork — files should be supplied print-ready.

Turnaround & Delivery

Production takes 2–3 working days from receipt of artwork. Turnaround covers production only — delivery is on top of that.

UK delivery is £8.00 per order — magnetic sheet is heavy, which is reflected in the shipping cost. Collection from our Burnley production facility is also available.

Also worth a look: business card stickers for leaving your details on the job, and tradesmen site boards for on-site advertising.

FAQs

What sizes are available?
300 x 200mm, 500 x 300mm, 600 x 400mm and 800 x 400mm.

What's the minimum order?
There isn't one. Order a single magnet or a pair for both sides of the van.

How thick is the magnetic sheet?
0.85mm road-grade material — heavier than the 0.6mm sheet used on budget magnets, with a stronger hold at speed.

Will it stay on at motorway speed?
On a clean, flat steel panel, yes. Check the edges are fully seated before setting off, and take it off before jet washing.

Will it stick to my van?
Only if the panel is steel. Many modern vans and pickups use aluminium doors, and magnets won't hold on aluminium, plastic or filled repairs. Test with a fridge magnet first.

Will it damage my paintwork?
Not if you take it off and clean underneath regularly. Damage comes from grit and moisture trapped beneath a magnet that's been left on for months.

Are they printed on both sides?
No. Vehicle magnets are single sided — the reverse is the magnetic face.

Can I reuse them on a different vehicle?
Yes, provided the new panel is flat steel and large enough. Store them flat between uses.

How long does it take?
2–3 working days production from receipt of artwork, with delivery on top.

How much is delivery?
£8.00 per order. Collection from Burnley is also available.