Help and Q&A
Q. What are your delivery times?
If you are ordering standard items we will aim to dispatch within 2 working days. You should allow for four to five days for delivery within the UK mainland. Airmail generally takes 4 - 14 days. These delivery times are estimates only and not guaranteed times. If you have an urgent requirement then please ring us and we would be happy to quote you for a next day delivery service if available.
If you do need your stencil sooner please let us know as we can use next day delivery services in many cases within the UK and are happy to provide you with a quote.
Q. How are Postage Costs calculated?
Postage costs for website orders are a flat rate of £3.98 per order to the UK mainland (unless we are unable to use Royal Mail due to size and weight limitations – in which case we will notify you), £9 to the rest of the EU and £14 rest of the world. If you require an urgent delivery please do contact us and we can quote for this option.
Q. Can The Stencil Warehouse cut my own stencil design?
Yes, we can cut most designs, subject to complexity. The cost and time involved depends on the design, the required material size and the quality of the artwork supplied (ideally we would have a vector file but we can work from most formats). Always e-mail your queries first and we can give a more accurate answer and quotation.
Q. What is the best way to send my design/drawing to The Stencil Warehouse?
Ideally we would like vector artwork as an email attachment although we can work with most formats. Please take a look at vector-conversions.com/vectorizing/raster_vs_vector.html for an explanation of vector artwork if you're unsure. We can accept email attachments in most formats, such as eps, svg, ai, cdr or jpg files. A good quality raster/bitmap image is also often adequate, especially for an initial quote.
Q. Can The Stencil Warehouse resize a stencil from its range?
This can be done quite easily up to a maximum design size of 950 mm x 650 mm in one section. We can also re-scale down but to what extent depends on the design. Always ask us and we will do our best to oblige.
Q. How big or small can I have a stencil cut?
The smallest we recommend is 100 mm x 100 mm or text of a height of approx 10mm high although there are occasions where smaller designs work well. The largest design we can do in one piece is 950 mm x 650mm (with a 50mm border on all sides), although we can cut larger designs by splitting the stencil into multiple sections. The smallest text we can cut is 10mm for a very plain font or 15mm for a more complex font. Please contact us to check your requirements.
Q. Does The Stencil Warehouse cut stencil lettering and wording?
Yes, we do quite a large number of signs for use on warehouse floors, for marking crates/ pallets etc. as well as decorative lettering for the home. We can include the standard wording plus company name, telephone number fax number e-mail address or postal address. Contact us for more specific information.
Q. What type of material are your stencils made out of?
We use an industry standard polyester film, called Mylar, it is a flexible but hard wearing, plastic material. See Materials page for more info.
Q. How thick is your stencil material?
Our material comes in various thicknesses depending on the application. The thinnest material we stock is 125 microns, which is mostly used for finer detail such as body art stencils. Standard decorative stencils are cut on our 125 micron material, whereas the 190 micron and 250 micron material are used more for custom and industrial stencils. Our thicker materials at 350 microns and 500 microns are used for heavy grade industrial applications such as crate stencils or clean graffiti applications. There is more detail on our material and the various types on our material information page.
Q. Which paint surface is best for stencilling on to?
A matt surface is ideal. However, some satin finishes are quite suitable as well. The main thing to remember is that if a paint has been designed so that marks may be wiped from the surface, then this will apply to any stencilling as well. This makes any of the new ranges of kitchen and bathroom paint particularly unsuitable. However, as usual there are ways around this such as applying a primer paint first to act as a new base coat for the stencilling, however, be aware that this removes the properties of the paint so may not be a suitable course of action.
Q. Can I stencil onto fabric or furniture?
Fabric such as cushions, curtains, throws etc. and furniture of all types make wonderful areas for stencilling. These little touches to existing or new pieces really help in adding cohesion to a theme and give your home that individual look. If you are using the acrylic paint, you will need to add a fabric medium in order to make the colours fast.
Q. What is Acrylic Paint?
It is a water-based paint and therefore soluble in water so you can clean brushes in water and there is no odour. It is a thinner paint than household emulsions but has much more pigment and can be applied delicately without clogging or looking heavy.
Q. How long does the paint take to dry?
This depends on the type of paint used, the surface you are applying the paint to and the conditions in which you are applying the paint. However, assuming an indoor application on a matt surface on an average day, the paint will be touch dry within an hour although we would always recommend leaving it 24 hours before applying a protective coat (if required) over the top.
Q. Can I use Acrylic paint on an outside wall?
Yes you can. However, in either case we would recommend a protective top coat to protect your stencilling from the elements and prolong its life. Depending on the surface, a sealant base coat is also recommended in order to prevent seepage from underneath the stencil, which may cause discolouration or even for the stencil to be disfigured completely.
Q. How do I clean the stencil after I have used it?
If you are using acrylic paint, then simply wash the stencil with a little water after use. If you are using an oil based paint then wipe over with a small amount of white spirit. If you are using another type of paint then please follow the instructions given with the paint. However, cellulose thinners should NEVER be used to clean your stencil.
Q. How should I clean my stencil brush?
If using an acrylic paint, then clean the brush in water. If using an oil based paint then clean with white spirit. Always read the label of the paint you are using. However, if this is not possible and you are unsure as to the base of your paint, then always try removing with water first, if this does not work, dry on a kitchen towel and use white spirit.
Q. Can I clean the walls after I have stencilled them?
Once a stencil has fully dried on the wall, then it is possible to wipe over with a damp cloth, (to remove finger marks etc.). However, they will not withstand abrasive cleaning with a scouring agent. Please note that if a paint is designed to be wiped clean of finger marks etc. then this will also apply to any stencilling which has been done as well.
Q. Do you have a Returns Policy?
We have a 14 days no-quibble returns policy for our standard stencils (please note Custom Stencils are not covered by this). If for any reason you wish to return an order, then please return the goods, unused and in good condition to us. We will then refund your payment as appropriate less the postage costs. In the unlikely event that goods have been damaged in transit, then please inform us by email / fax or telephone and we will advise you of how to obtain any replacement goods required. Please note we do not accept returns for custom stencils.