How to Make a Template for Wrapping Interior Trim

October 28, 2026
Dashboard Trim Installation
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dashboard trim, interior wrap, wrap template, how-to

Whether you wrap trim panels with film or order a ready-cut kit, everything starts with an accurate template. We take templates from real cars for every new 3D trim kit, so here is our method – with the small details that make the difference.

What you need

Low-tack, one-sided transfer paper. It sticks lightly to the panel and peels off without stretching, so the outline keeps its shape. Avoid ordinary film for templates: it stretches and deforms when you peel it off.
A soft pencil with a rounded tip. A sharp point can pierce the paper; a rounded one follows the edge without tearing.
Masking tape to join sheets for long parts.
A digital caliper to check key dimensions.
A scanner to transfer the template to the computer at full size.

Tracing a dashboard trim strip with transfer paper

Step by step

1. Clean the panel

Remove dust and grease so the paper sticks evenly over the whole surface.

2. Apply the paper

Lay the transfer paper over the panel and smooth it from the centre outwards. Do not pull it – the template must lie flat, not stretched.

3. Trace the outline

Follow the edge of the panel with the rounded pencil and light pressure. Through the paper you can see every edge, curve and opening.

4. Mark buttons with clearance

Draw the openings for buttons and switches with about 1.5 mm of clearance, so the trim never rubs against them later.

Button openings are checked over the real switches

5. Join large parts

Long dashboard strips often need several sheets. Overlap and tape them together on the car, and draw a few reference marks across the joins.

6. Peel off and check

Peel the template off slowly. Check it once more against the panel and measure key dimensions with the caliper – a template that is off by a millimetre shows on the finished part.

Checked templates and measurements before scanning

7. Transfer it to the computer

Scan the template at full size. With an A4 or A3 scanner, scan it in sections and align them using the reference marks. Avoid photos taken at an angle: they distort the shape. We now use an A0 overhead scanner that turns the template straight into vector lines with real dimensions.

The scanned template becomes a vector drawing

Common mistakes

Using stretchy film instead of transfer paper – the outline changes when you peel it off.
A sharp pencil that pierces the paper and leaves ragged lines.
No clearance around buttons – the edge catches on the switch.
Photographing the template at an angle instead of scanning it flat.
Cutting film with a blade directly on the car – the original surface can be scratched.

Wrap it yourself or order a ready-cut kit?

	Your own template and film	CockpitDekor kit
Template	You take it yourself	Taken from the real car by us
Tools	Transfer paper, pencil, caliper, scanner, cutter	None – parts arrive cut to shape
Time	Hours of tracing, drawing and cutting	Only the application
Finish	The film you can find	Wood, carbon or aluminium look, or a solid colour

If you enjoy the process and have the tools, making your own template is very satisfying. If you want a clean result without the tracing and cutting, a model-specific kit saves you that work.