Scuffed entry sills and a scratched boot edge

Open the rear door and look down. The entry sill has a dull, scuffed strip near the edge, in places thin scratches and grey shoe marks. It's similar at the back: the top surface of the bumper under the boot lid, which every shopping bag, suitcase and stroller crosses, has lost its shine and is gathering grooves. The rest of the car still looks good, which is exactly why these two spots stand out.

Why it's always here

The sill and the boot's load edge are places you touch every single time you use the car. A shoe slides across the sill edge as you get in, and sand on the sole works like sandpaper. At the rear doors, add children's shoes kicking the sill every time they're buckled into their seat. A bag, suitcase or stroller rests against the boot edge before you lift it in. One touch does nothing; hundreds of touches a year wear through the top glossy layer of paint. Care alone won't prevent it: you still have to get in and load the car.

What can be done about what's already there

A scuffed spot won't disappear on its own. What can be done depends on how deep the scuffing goes. If it stayed within the top layer of paint, it can be polished out with local correction of a specific defect: we polish only the affected spot and leave the rest of the paint untouched. A deeper groove can be reduced by polishing, but it may not fully level out. We'll tell you after measuring the paint, before we start. If you're not sure what condition the paint is in, start with paint diagnostics. If a job follows it, we deduct its price from the job.

Why we take no more paint than necessary is explained in the article How much paint is on a car.

So it doesn't scuff again

A polished sill will start scuffing again the next time you get in. That's why, after the correction, we apply a clear protective PPF film, on the sill and on the boot edge separately, without wrapping the whole car. From application onward, abrasion from shoes and cargo goes into the film, not into the paint beneath it.

Film doesn't repair anything. It holds what's on the panel in the condition it was in when applied. That's why the panel is corrected first and only then covered.

We apply FlexiShield films. Their types differ in TPU quality, material thickness and manufacturer warranty length. On the sill and boot edge, which take abrasion every day, what matters more than warranty length is how thick the film lying on them is: a thicker film is harder to tear or scratch through. You don't need to choose the type yourself. We'll recommend it based on how much the panel gets scuffed and how many years you plan to keep the car.

What you're paying for

• Panel inspection. We'll show you what's on the sill or boot edge, what can be polished out and what will stay visible under the film.
• Paint correction, if needed. We propose local correction in advance as a separate step with its own price.
• Film in the type recommended for your panel.
• Application. Our films are applied by Lukáš Vyskočil and Sebastian Vyskočil, the same people who wrap entire cars. SEVEN Works is a certified studio and FlexiShield installer.
• Warranty on the work from us and manufacturer warranty on the film, plus warranty checks.

What the price depends on

Mainly on which panels are involved: just the front sills, all of them, or the boot edge too. Then on the size of the car, since a longer sill and a wider rear need more film, on the warranty and film thickness chosen, and on the condition of the paint. A sill that has only lost its shine is prepared differently from one with deep grooves. We'll send a quote for your specific panels.

What if something goes wrong

We give a two-year warranty on the work. The film carries a manufacturer warranty depending on type, from 8 to 12 years. We carry out warranty checks. If you notice anything about the film that doesn't seem right, write to us and we'll take a look. What's normal in the first few days after application is described in the article on bubbles under fresh PPF film. How to wash a car with film, you'll find in the article A car with PPF film: how to wash it.

When it's more than just the sills

Bothered by stone chips at the front or scrapes on the sides as well as the sills? For larger coverage, see the PPF film page. You can also start with one panel and add more later: if you already have film from us on the car, we'll add the next panel to it.

Write to us about what's scuffing

Tell us what car you have, which panels are scuffing and whether anything is visible on them yet. A photo of the sill and boot edge in daylight helps. You don't need to know the film's name. Prefer to call? We're at +420 739 374 074.

Ask about film for sills and boot edge