FAQs

A stencil is a design cut into a sheet of plastic and when paint is applied through the cut out areas to the surface beneath, an image is formed.

Stencils are a versatile decorative and marking tool that can be used for home decor, crafts and other practical purposes. Unlike wall decals or stickers, stencils can be reused over and over again.

The stencils are very reusable as long as you care for them properly they will last a very long time. Water based paints can easily be washed off the stencil after use.

The stencil material we use is Genuine Polyester Mylar. Which is like a thin plastic sheeting. Perfect for using as stencils.

All stencils are cut from Mylar film which is 190 microns thick (0.19 mm). It is thin, yet strong and durable.

Most shop stencils come in sheet sizes - A5,A4,A3,A2,A1. We can cut alternative sizes if your project requires it. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

Use this text to answer questions in as much detail as possible for your customers.

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Yes you can, The properties of the Mylar stencil film allows you to bend it around curves and into corners.

Yes. Stencils are very popular for using to paint T-shirts, Cushions, curtains and many other fabrics.

Yes. Stencils are great for creating exciting and unique cake decoration designs. Mylar is food safe and suitable for cake decorating.

Yes. You can easily use a stencil to create a unique piece of canvas art. To see the tutorial please view our HOW TO pages.

Yes you can. We would recommend getting 2-3 stencils to make the job easier and quicker. You can see our HOW TO pages for some tips on how to go about creating an all over wallpaper pattern.

Yes you can but for best results stencil on a clean, smooth, dry surface.

If your stencil came rolled in a tube depending on how long it has been rolled up there may be a curl to your stencil. Please view our blog post here which covers how to make your stencil flat again.

For best results we would recommend using 3M repositionable spray mount to temporarily adhere your stencil to the wall. It is clear and it wont mark or leave any residue on the wall. You only need to use a light misting of it on the back of the stencil. You can use pieces of low tack blue decorators tape.

Smooth surfaces are always best. The results are crisper as there is less chance of paint bleeding under the stencil. Use your stencil on any surface- walls, fabrics, furniture etc

This type of spray mount temporarily adheres your stencil to your chosen surface what ever it may be (wall, fabric,glass, Metal etc). We recommend  and use 3M brand.

There are a number of methods to paint your stencil. You can use a stencil brush to pounce or stipple the paint through the stencils cut out areas. You can use a dense foam roller to paint the stencil. Or you could use spray paint. These are the most popular ways of painting stencils. Stencil brushes come in many sizes so you could use a larger brush for a larger stencil or project. Rollers are quicker and better for larger stencils or projects. Spray paints can be used to create exciting effects and are a quick way of painting the stencil

You can use any paints with your stencil. As long as it is suitable for the surface you are wanting to paint it on. We would recommend where possible using emulsion/acrylic paints as they are very user friendly and are easier to clean off your stencil.

Stencil brushes come in various sizes and the stiff packed bristles and round brush heads are designed to stipple or pounce the paint through the stencil. Please see our blog post on choose the right stencil brush.

A dense foam roller also known as a gloss roller. NOT a standard fluffy emulsion roller. A dense foam roller is much better for reducing the risk of paint bleeding under the stencil. Please see our blog on how to stencil with a roller.

Yes you can. But be aware that you will 1) need to mask of the surrounding surface area really well as the spray paint particles after hitting the wall will bounce off and travel and rest over the surrounding area. 2) you need to work in a ventilated area and wear the right kind of protective mask 3) DONT spray to close to the stencil a distance of 1-2 foot minimum is good, other wise the paint will pool and run under the stencil. please see our blog How to spray paint a stencil

No. Remove the stencil as soon as you have painted it.

Yes. If you are leaving the stencil on to dry the first paint layer then please use a medium to low heat setting and don't hold the dryer too close otherwise you could 1)melt the stencil with the heat or 2) make the paint dry to quickly leading to the paint sticking to stencils cut out areas edges meaning when you take the stencil off the paint will peel of at the edges of the painted design.

The golden rule of stenciling is DO NOT LOAD YOUR BRUSH OR ROLLER WITH TOO MUCH PAINT! If you do then you are going to push paint under the cut out areas of the stencil. It best to have your brush or roller DAMP rather than WET with paint. Always offload your brush/roller onto kitchen roll to blot off excess paint. 

Even those with experience will get areas of bleed under the stencil, but that's all part and parcel of stenciling  and generally you wont really notice it from a distance. Part of the charm of stenciling that each time you paint a stencil the result is unique. We recommend practicing on come card especially if it is your first attempt at stenciling.

1) The client will contact us letting us know the details of the stencil required in terms of the design need and size they want the design to be.
2) If we have all the information we need we will be able to reply to you with a non obligatory quote for the stencil.
Click here for our quote form. We may be able to provide the design proof at this point depending on the request. This (most of the time) will be the price the stencil will be..unless changes/amendments are made to the design.
3) The customer will let us know whether or not they are want to proceed with the stencil at the quoted price.
4) If the client wants to proceed. We will then reply with the proof stencil design and also provide details of how payment can be made for the stencil.

Every custom stencil request will receive a different quote. The price quoted will depend on the size and complexity of the design.

Yes. We cut custom stencils from XS to XL. When cutting text/fonts the smallest we can cut is around 10mm height.

Yes we can. Please send us a high resolution jpeg of the design and the size you want it to be and let us get back to you with a non obligatory quote.

Yes we can. Please send us a high resolution jpeg of the design and the size you want it to be and let us get back to you with a non obligatory quote.

Yes we can. We get a lot of request for these to used as signage, marking items etc We can cut as small as 10mm font (font dependent) up to much larger sizes. We can cut any font you want. It is important if you want a font based custom stencil you let us know the following info...
1) What will the stencil be used for?
2)The text you want making sure it is spelt correctly and case sensitive.
3)You let us know the font that you want.
4) How do you want it laid out? on one line..over several lines? 
5) You tell us the size you want the text to be either in total height or total length or what your given space for the design is.
NOTE ON FONT HEIGHTS:
Please let us know the total height of the lettering not just say "the font height needs to be x cm tall" as this doesn't provide sufficient information. If you want for example the word Mummy...Tell us the height you want from the top of the 'M' to the bottom of the 'y' or the total length. If you let us know either the height or length we will be able to let you know both the L x H dimensions.

Unfortunately we cannot accept returns on custom cut stencils as they are designed and cut specially to order.

Yes that is preferred. Please supply us with a high resolution JPEG.

We prefer high resolution JPG's , PDF's or AI files to work with.

If you have used repositional spray adhesive on the back of your stencil it is a good idea to store it on a sheet of baking paper or something similar.

It is always best to store your stencil flat when possible. If you keep it rolled in a tube then when you unroll it the edges will be curled and you will have to spend the time to flatten it out. Under a rug is an ideal place or smaller stencils can be kept in a file. 

I store my larger stencils on trouser hangers which works great. It keeps the stencils flat, ordered and easily accessible. 

If you have a number of stencils stored then it is a good idea to place a sheet of paper or baking paper between them to keep them separate. This will make them easier to access and also will stop any areas of the stencils linking together which could cause damage to the stencils when separating them.

If you are using water based paints like emulsion paints these are very easy to clean off your stencil. Soak the stencil in warm soapy water for a few minutes and then use your stencil brush to lightly clean the loosened paint off the stencil. Oil based paints can be cleaned off the stencil using white spirit. 

For more info on caring for your stencil please see our aftercare guide

UK orders - 3-4 working days
EU orders - 7-14 working days
ROW - 14-28 working days

We can refund/exchange unused stencils if posted back within 1 month of receipt. We can not refund custom cut stencils. Buyer is to pay return postage costs and please retain a Proof of Postage receipt from your postage provider, as you will need it to make a claim in the event of the item being lost when being returned to us.

Sometimes mail gets lost or delayed though this is rare. In this instance: 

UK CUSTOMERS - If UK items have not arrived by 15 days of the dispatch date then please let us know and we will be happy to assist. 

E.U ORDERS -  If E.U items have not arrived by 25 days of the dispatch date then please let us know and we will be happy to assist. 

USA/REST OF WORLD ORDERS - If these items have not arrived by 33 days of the dispatch date then please let us know and we will be happy to assist. 

We are unable to refund or exchange items before these time scales have elapsed.

Item not received claims made after 6 weeks from dispatch cannot be considered. We deem 6 weeks ample for you to contact us to make us aware that the order has not been received.

For both UK and overseas customers is advisable to check with neighbours and your local mail sorting office to see if they are holding the item for you. If your item is returned to us due to non receipt then we will charge an additional postage fee to resend it.

This is not possible. We can only post to the address that is provided to us at the time of purchase.

We can try to accommodate this, there may be a premium to pay for processing orders at short notice. Please let us know if you require something for a certain date before purchasing.