STENCIL MATERIALS | MYLAR
THE MOST COMMONLY USED STENCIL MATERIALS:
7.5 MIL MYLAR (POLYESTER) 0.0075”
Recommended for:
- Decorative stencils
- Highly detailed stencils
- Lettering smaller than 1”
- Apply with stencil brush, sponge, roller or airbrush
- Not recommended for use with spraypaint
A medium weight stencil material as thick as card stock. It’s thin enough to achieve outstanding detail when stenciling, yet strong enough to clean and use many many times. This is a popular material for craft and decorating stencils as well as most smaller airbrush applications. All of our pre-made alphabet stencils and all of our decorative lettering stencils are made from this material, unless otherwise requested.
10 MIL MYLAR (POLYESTER) 0.010”
*MOST POPULAR*
Recommended for:
- Industrial and commercial stencils
- Medium detailed graphic and logo stencils
- Lettering over 1”
- Apply with stencil brush, sponge, roller or airbrush
- Can be used for light spray paint applications
This is the standard material used for our industrial stencils and medium detail graphic stencils. It is tear-resistant yet flexible. It can be cleaned easily to provide a very long life. Customers who buy this material are stenciling on shipping crates, tool/equipment marking, floors/parking areas, and many other industrial applications.
14 MIL MYLAR (POLYESTER) 0.014”
Recommended for:
- Industrial and commercial stencils
- Pavement marking stencils
- Lettering over 6”
- Apply with roller, airbrush and spraypaint
- Not recommended for detailed stencils.
This is the thickest of our polyester stencil materials and it is truly a durable plastic. The 14 mil polyester holds many strength advantages over any other plastic materials we have ever used. This material is best suited for Industrial Stencil applications. Because of the thickness of this Mylar, paint build up and uneven edges may occur when used as a decorative stencil.
OUR STENCIL MATERIALS:
Mylar is the most recommended stencil material for just about any type of stencil application because it is so durable and has properties that other stencil media just doesn’t have.
- Mylar is exceptionally strong!
- Mylar is solvent proof, so you can clean it with alcohol, acetone, paint thinner or any other non-acid based chemical.
- All of our mylar materials are food safe.
Mylar is flexible, it can conform to uneven surfaces as well as wrap around cylindrical objects. - Repositional stencil adhesive can be used with any of our mylar stencil materials.
ALL OF OUR STENCILS ARE REUSABLE!!
The concept of a stencil is to be able to repeat the exact same text or pattern several times and achieve consistency in your artwork. We are often asked “How many times can I reuse my stencil?” There are no hard and fast numbers to exactly how long a stencil will last. There are quite a few variables that come into play such as how often the stencil is cleaned and how it is cared for.
The primary reason that a stencil will break down and become unusable is a buildup of dried paint on the edges. This causes a thicker edge and an uneven stencil. The best way to make sure your stencil has longevity is to clean it often. You do not need to clean your stencil every time you apply it, but you want to make sure you remove as much paint as possible when it appears to dry on the stencil template. It is also highly recommended that you clean your stencil thoroughly after your project is finished and before you store it.
Under typical use, and with proper cleaning, your stencil should last you a minimum of 15 to 25 applications.
One thing to keep in mind when choosing your stencil material, a thicker stencil does not mean it will last longer than a thinner stencil. Paint buildup will still become an issue.
THIN STENCIL FOR CRISP, CLEAN RESULTS:
Some people tend to think “The thicker the better” when it comes to stencil materials. If you are looking to achieve a crisp image with sharp edges and no paint bleeding, we suggest a thinner material.
Thicker stencils will not sit flush against your surface, and they will tend to cause more of a paint build up inside the cutout shapes.
Our 10 mil Mylar is a great blend of durability and flexibility while still being thin enough to achieve amazing, professional results. That is why it is our most popular and recommended stencil material.
DRY BRUSH FOR BEST RESULTS:
While choosing the best stencil material is one of the main factors for a clean stencil application, it is not the only factor. You also need to consider the paint you are using, and how much of it you are using.
If you are using a stencil brush, sponge or roller, only use a small amount of paint. Your applicator (brush, sponge or roller) should feel almost dry to the touch. If your paint is drips off the applicator, you are using too much. Excess paint will bleed under the edges of the stencil and create a mess.
This is called the “Dry Brush Technique”, even though the applicator is not actually dry. A good comparison to keep in mind is shoe polish. Shoe polish is a waxy paste that does not drip. Your stencil application should feel like a shoe polish rag.
EVEN THICKER MATERIALS:
We do realize that some applications do call for very thick, very heavy duty stencils for use on pavement marking and similar industrial projects. We do offer thicker materials, and they are available upon request.
We do not offer any metal or magnetic stencils.
WHAT IS A MIL?
Our stencil material is measured in Mil. A Mil is 1/1000 of an inch. It is a standard unit of measurement for films and foils. In metric, 1 mil = 0.0254 mm.
If you are not familiar with this term of measurement, here is a great resource.
We do not sell adhesive-backed vinyl stencils.
Adhesive-backed vinyl stencils are limited in the number of times you can use them. Most vinyl stencils are single use.
LOOKING TO BUY STENCIL MATERIAL? SEE OUR BLANK STENCIL MATERIAL PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND PRICING.