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How to customize your PC using vinyl

Give your PC case a new color and finish without the mess, hassle and permanence of using spray paint, by wrapping it in vinyl instead.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Case with yellow vinyl front panel and Cyberpunk 2077 logo

In this guide, we’ll show you how to use vinyl to customize your PC case. If you want to give your case a makeover with a new color scheme, and maybe some fancy effects and patterns, using vinyl is often cheaper, quicker, less messy, and easier to work with than spray painting. What’s more, vinyl wrap is simpler to remove than paint, whether you mess it up or if you just want to change colors.

Even the very best PC case models often only come in a limited choice of colors and finishes, but vinyl wrap enables you to cover your case in any color you like, while using a precision cutter, such as a Silhouette Portrait enables you to make detailed logos and artwork. That’s great if you’re planning to build a gaming PC with your own unique, personal touches. In our example, we’re covering our case’s front panel with yellow vinyl, and adding a Cyberpunk 2077 logo.

1. Decide on wrap location

A lot of your pattern options will depend on your case’s design, but we advise sticking to using large, detail-less areas, such as front panels and side windows. Otherwise, you’ll spend too much time cutting out and trimming the vinyl.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Choose location

2. Dismantle your case

If your case’s exterior fittings are removable, you can make it much easier to apply the vinyl, especially when you’re tucking away the edges so they’re out of sight. Dismantling your case can also help when it comes to applying vinyl to areas that would other be tricky.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Dismantle your case

3. Make a mockup

To work out your design and ascertain how much vinyl to buy, create mock-ups using paper and attach them to your panels using Sellotape. You can trim the pieces to size, which will be good practice for applying the vinyl.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Make mockup

4. Transfer design to vinyl

Use your mockup as a template to transfer the shape to your vinyl. Place it on the underside of the vinyl, which has paper material on which you can draw, without marking the vinyl. Just remember to place your paper face down.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Transfer mockup

5. Cut vinyl

The best tool for cutting vinyl is a scalpel, as it makes it easy to cut in a continuous motion, while scissors can leave jagged edges that result in the vinyl lifting over time. Cut your vinyl on a cutting mat or cardboard, and not on a surface that can be damaged by the blade.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Cut vinyl with scalpel

6. Peel off backing

Once your shape is cut out, peel off the backing on one edge and apply the vinyl to the edge of your panel. Don’t be tempted to remove all the backing, as you then run the risk of it flopping free and sticking to your case in the wrong position.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Peel off backing

7. Apply with a squeegee or credit card

Use a squeegee, credit card, or another similar flexible object to press the vinyl onto the surface in a swiping motion from side to side. This will prevent most air bubbles from being formed as you apply it to the surface.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Apply with squeegee or credit card

8. Remove air bubbles

Occasionally, smaller air bubbles can form under the vinyl. If this happens, use your squeegee to work them to the edge of the vinyl where they should disappear. If they’re stuck, you should be able to peel back the vinyl to remove them. It’s important not to apply it too fast.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Remove air bubbles with credit card

9. Create text or patterns

You don’t need to stop at just covering large areas of your case with big sheets. You can create smaller designs, including text and logos, and apply them to your case, or on top of existing vinyl.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Cyberpunk 2077 logo in Silhouette Portrait software

10. Use a cutting machine

The best way to create objects such as text is to use a vinyl cutter. They can cut most soft sheet materials, and are fantastic tools for modding your PC as your text and logos will be accurate and razor-sharp. We’re using a Silhouette Portrait machine for this guide.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Silhouette Portrait cutting out Cyberpunk logo

11. Use transfer tape

To lift these designs off the vinyl once it’s been cut with the machine, transfer tape is used to peel it off the backing paper. It’s reusable, relatively cheap and you just need to press it hard onto your design so the adhesive side sticks to it.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Use transfer tape

12. Peel off design

Lifting the design off the backing paper can be tricky. It’s best done a section at a time, bending down the backing paper and encouraging the vinyl to lift off and stay stuck to the transfer paper.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Peel off design

13. Apply design to case

Applying the design to your case is a lot easier than peeling it off the backing paper, and you can use the same method as before, where you press the design firmly onto your panel, before bending up the transfer paper and encouraging the vinyl to remain stuck to your panel.

How to vinyl wrap your PC case: Apply design

That’s it for our guide on how to use vinyl wrap on your PC case, and create custom vinyl details – we hope you enjoy your newly customized PC case. Our best advice here is to be patient and take your time. There’s a risk of creating air bubbles, and you also need to make sure your case’s airflow system can still breathe, with its panels still fitting correctly. Dealing with large sheets of vinyl wrap can be tricky as well, and you’ll need to allocate time to get it into hard-to-reach areas on your case’s panels and PSU covers.

For further PC customization ideas, make sure you check out our guide on how to paint your PC case, as well as our article on how to etch glass PC case panels.