Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. Q. What are your stencils made from?

A. We use a range of materials for our stencils. Primarily we use a specially formulated, semi translucent, UV stabalised, polypropylene materials that are either 1.5mm, 2mm or 3mm thick.

For smaller, more intricate stencils, we use Mylar. These are also useful for stenciling curved surfaces such as pipes etc.

For special orders, we can do 1.6mm Aluminium, but we try to avoid shipping these as they are prone to potential damage during shipping.

2. Q. How do your polypropylene stencils compare with aluminium stencils?

A. Usablility: On par or better in most aspects (including durability, ease of application, cleaning, storage etc).

Price: Our poly stencils are considerably less expensive than aluminium equivalents.

Delivery: Aluminium stencils have a tendancy to be damaged during delivery, so we prefer not to pack and send them. Delivery IS possible, although the shipping cost increase considerably to cover extra strong packaging.

3. Q. How do you clean them?

A. Not only is our material specially treated during manufacture so most paints and inks should not bond or stick to it. Our stencils are also impervious to short term exposure to most solvents , which means they can be wiped down in solvents for cleaning. If the paint is left to dry, it will usually simply peel or flake off. Whilst we have endeavored to make the material as durable and easy to use as possible, we recommend that you always test your paints/solvents on the stencils before use.

4. Q. How big can you make stencils?

A. Our material size is 2400mm (2.4m) x 1200mm (1.2m), so allowing for stencil overspray area, we can manufacture one piece stencils with a painted area of up to approx. 2300mm x 1100. We have also developed a system where we can manufacture larger stencils by making them modular. We break up larger stencils into manageable sized pieces that butt together and get taped into position prior to painting. If required, these can also have tabs and slots added to allow ease of alignment. (See Modular Arrows and selected Playground Stencils for examples). This also allows for easy transport and storage of large stencils.

5. Q. How long does it take to get a stencil made?

A. With the exeption of the larger stencils (eg. large Road Marking stencils, Modular sets and 600mm Car Park words), everything listed on our online shop is on the shelf and available for pick-up or delivery anytime. These larger ones are usually manufactured and shipped within 2 working days of ordering.

If you require a custom stencil, we need to design, quote and obtain customer approval prior to manufacture. This usually takes no more than 3 to 5 working days at most. Once the quote/design is approved, our usual turn around is 2-3 working days. (This does not include delivery times. Depending on the destination, our courier is usually next day.)

6. Q. What are your payment terms and what forms of payment do you except?

A. Unless previously organised with management, we require full payment for stencils and shipping prior to dispatch.

We accept Cash, Cheque, Direct Bank Deposit, EFT and Credit Cards -VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS (either in store or over the phone).

Note: All stencils dispatched with a copy of the Tax Invoice (and printed EFT/CC receipts, if applicable).

7. Q. I want my company logo made into a stencil and I want to use a different font. Can you do that?

A. Yes. In most instances, our highly skilled design team specialise in stencilising logo's and non standard fonts. Whilst there have been some logo's that are just impossible due to small size or complexity, we are normally able to 'stylize' your artwork to a degree that enables it to be manufactured as a stencil while still being an accurate reproduction of your logo.

8. Q. Are the stencils flexible? Can I apply stencils to curved surfaces such as pipes?

A. Our stencils that are made from 1.5mm thick PolyPropolene, are somewhat flexible. If you are stenciling a curved surface with a large diameter, our standard stencils will wrap around these quite easily. If you need to stencil smaller diameters, we can manufacture in thinner Mylar material. Please call or email, and our design team will be happy to advise you on the correct material for your needs.

9. Q. I have to remark over existing stencils and I need custom stencils to suit. Can this be done?

A. Whilst our design team will do their best to design a stencil to match the existing ones, we cannot guarantee an exact match. The more information (measurements and pictures) we have of the original, the closer we can get. For instance, if you have existing words or pictagrams you have to go over, we will need photos from directly over the original and as many measurements as possible. The more information you can provide us with, the quicker, easier (and therefor cheaper) and more accurate we can design your new stencil.
PLEASE NOTE: As an example, even at 98% accurate, a 300mm high character can be as much as 6mm out.
In our experience, its is usually easier to black out existing stencils and then re-apply with the new stencil.
 
10. Q. Where can you ship to and how long does delivery usually take?
 
A. We ship Australia wide. For smaller packages, we use Express Post and, for all other packages, we use couriers.
Small to medium packages usually arrive next day and larger items may take from 3 to 5 days, depending on the destination.*
 
11. Q. How much do you charge for delivery?
 
A. Unfortunately, due to the diversity of sizes and package shapes that we send out, it is virtually impossible to provide set delivery charges. We will always calculate the total including delivery and notify you of your invoice total before taking payment. If you require a quote, including delivery, prior to ordering, please don't hesitate to contact us via email or phone, and we will provide a quote (in writing if requested).

Please Note: When providing artwork, either vector based EPS/AI (Adobe Illistrator) files or PDF's are best. All photos should be JPG's and need to be clear, direct overhead shots (to avoid skewing) of reasonable resolution. Whilst we can work from almost any graphics file format, working from other file formats is more time consuming and will incur higher design costs.

* Whilst The Stencil Place has endeavoured to source the fastest and most reliable means of delivery, sometimes, due to circumstances out of our control, items are misplaced in transit and may require additional time for delivery. If this occurs, notify us asap and we will endeavour to track your item and rectify any problem promptly.