Solar Truck Decals: Door Lettering for Installer Crews

Solar truck decals work hardest on a job day. The crew is on the roof, the neighbors are outside, and the only thing on the street that says who is up there is the truck. Door lettering should answer three questions at a glance: who is this, what do they do, and how do I call them.

We make door decals, not full wraps, so the plan below is about doors.

A job-day view of the truck

Picture a street in a new neighborhood. A van is parked at the curb with a ladder on the rack. Someone walks past and glances at the door for two seconds. If the door says only a logo, they learn nothing new. If it says a name, "SOLAR", and a phone number, they have what they need.

That is the core of the layout. Everything past those three items is optional, and some of it gets in the way. A crowded door gets read less.

Layouts to try

All text below is made up.

• Short and clear: SUNHARBOR SOLAR, (555) 010-0118. The Business Name + Phone decal does this in one decal.
• With services and area: SUNHARBOR SOLAR, ROOFTOP INSTALLATION, SERVING HALE COUNTY, (555) 010-0118, plus a website line. The Make-Your-Own 5-Line decal takes free text and spaces it for you.
• Crew van and install truck matching: the same decal in the same spot on every vehicle. A fleet that looks consistent is easy to recognize from a distance. The fleet vehicle decals page covers matching a group of trucks, and roofing and electrician crews work next door to solar with similar vehicles.

Do not put claims on the door that you would not want to defend, such as savings figures or program names. A license number is a different question: check with your state licensing board whether it wants one shown on the vehicle.

The Sun and Panel Solar Logo

The Sun and Panel Solar Logo stacks a yellow sun above a blue panel grid and finishes with navy capitals. It says "solar" in a picture, so the words can stay short.

A few things to check:

• The yellow sun is lighter than the rest. On a white van it will be the faintest part of the logo, while the blue grid and navy name carry the message. On a dark truck the sun shows up but the navy name does not.
• Contour cut (+$10 per door) trims the vinyl to the shape of the sun, grid and letters. It looks tidy on a white or light truck and a poor choice on dark paint.
• It is a tall logo. A stacked design suits a van's sliding door or a pickup door with room above the handle.
• Price: $120 per door, with your company name fitted and a proof for approval before printing.

Contrast on white trucks and vans

Many installers drive white. White is easy to read against, but pale yellow and light blue are not. Use dark navy, black or dark blue for the text, and let a bright color sit in the logo, not the lettering. A "White sticker, Blue lettering" door from the builder is a safe baseline. For what each lettering path costs, see truck lettering cost.

Some crews use a mix of company vehicles and personal trucks on site. If that is you, magnetic USDOT signs explains what magnets can and cannot do, and how to remove truck decals helps when a truck changes hands.