FAQ

Hello! Here's some questions I get asked quite a lot about our products, so I hope you find these helpful. Please don't hesitate though to send an email if you need any advice on our products either with ordering or using them.

Have a wonderful day, and happy creating!

What are your stencils made of?
Our stencils are high quality laser cut stencils created in-house in SE-Queensland and are available in a range of sizes that suit each design. Made of a semi-transparent milky white strong Mylar plastic, they are easy to handle, flexible, durable and reusable many times over. We are using 2 thicknesses; a 10mil (.25mm) for stencil sizes S-XXL and 14mil (.4mm) for stencil sizes XXL and larger. We will use both for the larger sizes depending on design. We choose to use the slightly thicker stock for our larger stencils mostly to have them more sturdy when using.

Am I able to use your stencils for commercial use?
Yes, please do! All stencils and designs have been created by My Stencil Lady and have full copyright on them. We give you permission to use them for both personal and commercial use. It's where our slogan 'Let our art help you create your art' comes into it! A credit to us is always appreciated too!
Our stencils and designs may not however be copied to re-create and sell as stencils or other templates, logo's or business branding or for business representation; only the end result from using the stencils and transfers may be used.

Do you make custom stencils?
At the moment we have put all custom work on hold. We apologize for the inconvenience as we normally do offer custom requests. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates on this in the future. We are however, still taking re-size request of our current stencil range, so please get in touch with us if you would like a specific custom size.

How long will my order take to get to me?
Orders are cut and processed within 1-2 business days under normal circumstances. I do cut to order mostly, and are cutting orders everyday in order of orders received. Australia Post is our preferred delivery service for both domestic and international, coming from Queensland Australia 4428. On average an order to NSW may take 3-4 business days from purchase, and 5 to WA. We allow up to 7 business days for delivery as we do not have control of Australia Post delivery times and remote areas my take longer. All orders are provided with tracking numbers, so please refer to this once your order has been shipped - you will receive an email notification once shipped. Some larger orders may require a signature on delivery from the customer.

How do you post your stencils?
With every care and packaged well. As we never roll our stencils or transfers, they are packaged in flat stiff cardboard, always with a 'Do not bend' sticker on the packaging. Larger sizes may need to be posted via a courier or with parcel post service by Australia Post, otherwise will be delivered by letter post in your mailbox.

I don't know what size to purchase, can you help me?
Our stencils all come in either a square or rectangle sheet. In each design drop down menu, there are the size options available. Where it says 'Sheet size' this is the full size of the finished product, ie. the full plastic sheet. Most also are provided with the 'cutout' or 'design' size, this is the actual stencil design itself you are going to be painting in. Where it only says sheet size, the design is cutout to the best maximum fit inside the sheet area size to approximately 8-10mm inside the sheet to the widest part of the design (this may not be an even on all sides, depending on the design). Please reach out if you are still unsure or need a specific size. I will always try my best to advise on sizes for you, but how the design fits for placement on the product your are creating will mostly come down to personal choice.

I want to paint the porch floor and would like some advice around the size of stencil I’ll need to order to cover a 4 m2 area please. Also, what sort of paint could I use?
When it comes to paint, you’ll need to talk to your local paint supplier. That is best as there is different paint for timber flooring, tiled, or raw concrete, pre-painted etc. Talk to them about a primer or sealer if that is needed as well for the condition and wear 'n tear of your floor.
For the stencil sizing, it will come down to personal preference really and if you wanted a faux tile look or a repeating all over connecting pattern etc. You can reuse and repeat all of our stencil range to fill up your area. It also comes down to if you wanted a large bold pattern or a smaller design. So it’s a little hard for us to suggest a size to you at this stage.
Most people order either XXLarge or larger to do floors though.

I have a 300mm x 300mm floor tile, will the XLarge size fit my tile?
Yes, that would be the best size to use as the design cutout is our standard 285mmSq on a 300mmSq stencil sheet. If you need the design to go closer to the edge of the tile, perhaps to make the design more continuous, we can cut the stencil a little larger, although we usually don’t recommend it go too close (no closer than 4mm) or right on the edge of the existing tile as the paint may seep over into the grout which will be hard to get off, especially if the tile has a slight slope at the edges. Here is a mockup for you to see how this works.

 

Are your stencils made in Australia?
Yes! We design and cut all of our stencils, right here in Queensland. I (Annette) have been a graphic designer for over 30 years and absolutely love illustrating and designing stencils. Every stencil is individually cut and cared for up to it being packaged and delivered to you.

How do I stop bleed /  seepage?
Make sure your stencil has full contact to the surface (this is key) and is taped down so it does not move. Use less paint and off load paint onto a paper towel or the side of the stencil if necessary. Make sure to take your time.

What brush do I use?
The tools you stencil with will largely depend on the medium you are using and the finished result you are wanting, for example, use a smaller, specific stencil brush for a crisp, more perfect stencil design finish or a larger round brush for a more rustic finish using the swirling technique. A roller is also a great idea for those larger areas such as floors. We have many tools to help you with stenciling, please see our Stencil Equipment category.

Should I use spray adhesive?
I generally advise people to only use spray adhesive if you are really having trouble with contacting the stencil to the surface and are needing extra help with bleed. For example, if you need to stencil a vertical area or one that has a rougher surface, you may need it. If you think you do need it, spray the stencil, not the surface. Spray lightly and air for thirty seconds, then press it down. Use a ‘temporary’ or ‘repositioning’ adhesive spray (not permanent) and lift the stencil off as soon as you’re finished to avoid it sticking more permanently, leaving the sticky behind or have it lifting any prepared or painted surfaces.

How do get the raised feel in my stencil design work?
This is generally called a 'raised stencil', and is achieved by simply using a texture paste instead of paint. This technique has more recently become very popular as an alternative to using only paint. With the specially made formulas these days, it can be quick to do and leaving an embossed feel to your stencil work can be a beautiful touch to your furniture piece. The technique is simple, really. It is to get the paste onto either the edge of the tool (like a wallpaper smoother or trowel and / or on the edge your taped down stencil and scrape it across the stencil to fill out the design cut-out. You can use the tools to then either smooth the paste out all over to one even level or chunk it on leaving it rustic and uneven. The choice is yours, of course. Then carefully lift up the stencil not moving it to avoid smudging your work.... and bam! You are left with a beautiful raised / textured design.

Do I leave the stencil on until the paint is dry?
No, please avoid waiting for your stencil paint to dry and lift up the stencil as soon as you are finished. By leaving the stencil on, you risk cracking the dried paint that bridges the painted-in design and the paint on the stencil. This will most probably take the design paint with the stencil when lifted and leave a rough design edge.

Do I need to clean the stencil?
Yes. If you want to use the stencil again, even in the future, wash it up in warm soapy water straight after use or soak it until you have time later in the day to wash it. Not washing the stencil will leave the medium in the design cut-out so when you next use it, it will not have the crisp design edge that was once there to use.

How do I wash the stencil?
Gently. Keeping it as flat as you can to avoid the finer edges bending. Two good ways are to hold the stencil under the running tap in between both hands, lightly rubbing it until the paint or medium has gone. Or lay the stencil flat on the bottom of the tub or sink and rub with either your hands or a soft scrubbing brush over it. Always wash both sides and always be careful with your stencil. This will of course depend on how long your stencil has been building up paint, and on whether you are using a water based paint or an oil based paint. You can also use a specific brush cleaner or even mineral turpentine if it's really stuck on, please see note below.

NOTE:
Yes, you can clean our stencils with turps and they will be fine to use many times. However as the turps will then leave a residue, it is not recommended without then washing up with hot soapy water to get that off. Otherwise if there is still turps residue it can them mess with your paint… just like a paint brush with turps still on if that makes sense.

How do I store my stencils?
Completely flat, with a buffer in between them to avoid curling edges or hooking onto each other. If you need to hang them that is fine too, but try to clip each corner to a card or cardboard to keep flat. Putting the stencils back in their packaging will also keep them from hooking on to each other and help them to stay flat also.