ALPHABET SIGNS Blog

The first thing you should notice when you have received your interlocking stencils is how quickly it was delivered. Most orders ship within one business day and we email you the tracking number so you can anticipate the delivery.

Carefully unpack the carton and make sure all the contents are included. Contact us if you are missing any items. The number kit contains two of each digit 0 - 9 and two end pieces.

As you are inspecting the contents please notice that one face of the stencil has a shiny finish and the other face has a matte finish. The shiny face goes up.

Shiny Face Up.

Flange to the right.

Also notice each piece has an inset cut on one side and a flange cut on the other side. The flange goes on the right side.

So make sure to have the shiny side up and the flange on the right. The inset should hook and overlap the flange. The baseline will now be aligned correctly.

We sometimes describe the interlocking design works like a 'jigsaw puzzle.' Jigsaw is not the best word, hook and overlap would better describe the process.

Here is a picture of the wrong way to assemble the interlocking stencil.

There are some numbers that create common mistakes because of their symmetrical design; 0 1 6 8 and 9. Always make sure that the shiny side is up and the flange is to the right.

The stencil is made of Low Density Polyethylene. It is a non-hazardous, very flexible, extremely tough non-porous plastic. Paint (after build-up) will peel off quite easily. Do not use thinners or solvents to clean the product. If using water based paint, stencils are easy to clean by washing wet paint off immediately after use.

When properly assembled, pieces will overlap slightly. This allows stencil to be moved as one piece and prevents paint from leaking between pieces.

We ship all our stencils rolled up in boxes to save you on shipping costs. However, because this material is so soft and flexible, it will tend to stay curled up for a while after removing from the box. For best results, unpackage all stencils as soon as you receive your shipment. Lay stencils curve face down on a hard surface in the sun (if possible) for a couple of hours. This will generally warm the plastic up and allow it to return to its original shape. Rolling the stencil up in the opposite direction of the curve will also help. After use, store stencil flat or hang at normal room temperature. Be very careful if you must use or store your stencils in cold weather (45 degrees or colder); the plastic becomes brittle and break.