How to Measure Side Stripes Across Separate Panels
An annotated panel sketch and a worked example show how to describe stripe length, panel gaps and the height you want.
A long side stripe can cross a door, a gap and a second body panel. To describe that layout clearly, mark where each painted section begins and ends, then put the measurements on the same photograph.
This is the next step after the vehicle and product checklist: a simple measurement brief for the specific route you want.
Name the endpoints first
Take a square-on photo of the whole side. On a copy, mark A and B for the first section and C and D for the next. Use a close-up for any handle, badge, wheel arch or crease along the route. Repeat the exercise for the other side if the layout differs.
Take the numbers from a tape measure on the vehicle; use the photograph to identify the endpoints. State whether the tape followed the surface or ran straight between the marks. Keep centimetres or inches consistent throughout.
A worked example
- A–B: 108 cm. The intended stripe section on the first panel.
- B–C: 3 cm. The gap between the two panels.
- C–D: 74 cm. The intended stripe section on the second panel.
- H: 8 cm. The desired visible height on both sections; record available clearance separately if space is tight.
The complete marked span is 185 cm: 108 + 3 + 74. The painted sections add up to 182 cm. Send both the overall span and its breakdown so the panel gap remains visible in the brief.
Compare the actual artwork
The Universal Tapered Side Stripe Kit for Pickup Trucks lists two decals, left and right, and a default size of 175 × 9 inches. Send your marked photo and ask which points those listed dimensions join and where the taper would sit on your panels.
Keep the desired visible height separate from the width of material supplied. Ask SupDec to confirm the panel breaks and trimming allowance for that artwork and layout before choosing the supplied size.
Send a usable measurement brief
“Product 3787; vehicle details attached. On the marked photo: A–B 108 cm, B–C gap 3 cm, C–D 74 cm, overall A–D 185 cm. Desired height H 8 cm. Please confirm the artwork layout, supplied dimensions and allowance for these panels.”
Replace the example figures with your own measurements and ask a question with the annotated photo.
Source: the linked SupDec product listing, checked November 6, 2026. Worksheet and schematic: SupDec editorial.
