Why is Clear Bra so Good at Protecting?

Clear bra, or paint protection film (PPF), is great at its job because of the way it’s made and the main material it consists of, thermoplastic polyurethane. A sheet of clear bra consists of multiple layers, all serving different purposes. 

The first layer is the release liner that covers the adhesive layer. This layer is solely used for the protection of the adhesive during shipping and storing and is removed prior to installation. 

The second layer is an acrylic adhesive layer used to bond the clear bra itself to the desired surface. The strength of the adhesive varies from manufacturer to manufacturer with some having low-tack adhesives and others having medium-tack adhesives. Low-tack adhesive results in the clear bra being easier to work with, whereas a medium-to-high-tack adhesive makes the clear bra hard to work with when needing to lift and readjust the material in contoured areas. 

The next layer is the base material layer which is the actual protection layer. This is the body of the clear bra, where the clear bra gets its rigidity and its protective aspects. The base layer is typically 6 mils in thickness making up the majority of the clear bra itself. 

After the base layer, comes the top coat layer. This is where most manufacturers start to vary. Top coats differ in characteristics from one manufacturer to the next. Some have a mixture of ceramic coatings infused into this layer, as well as self-healing capabilities, UV protection, and more. Others just have it as an extra protective layer on top of the base material itself or only have one or two of the characteristics mentioned.

The last layer is the cap sheet, which is designed to protect the top layer of the clear bra during transportation and storage. This ensures that the clear bra retains its optical clarity and its characteristics until the installation time.

With all of these layers, the final thickness of a clear bra (from adhesive to top coat layer) is typically around 7-10 mils (0.007-0.01 inches or 0.17-0.25 millimeters) in thickness depending on the manufacturer and the quality of the material.

Although it may be ultra thin, clear bra is designed to withstand the force of small to medium-sized road debris that you encounter on your everyday drive.