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Frequently Asked Questions
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Below is a list of the questions we are asked most often. Please email
sales@stencil-library.com
or leave a message on our Notice Board
if you have a question that is not covered.
We also welcome any comments about our web site or products.
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Is this site secure for ordering?
Yes, our site is secure and for your privacy and protection your credit card details are encrypted before transmission. To confirm this,
once you reach the page where your credit card details are requested check for the 'https' prefix in the 'Address' bar at the top of your screen.
The address of a non-secure page will start with 'http'. You can also check the security by the padlock which will appear at the bottom right
of your browser window. If this appears then the page is secure and all data sent from that page will be encrypted.
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I’ve sent an email enquiry but not had a response. Why?
We work very hard on providing good customer service and it is a point of pride with us to try to respond to every e-mail we receive within
48 hours maximum (if not before!). Some emails, although extremely few, simply go missing – either your enquiry did not reach us or our reply
did not reach you. If you have spamkillers and firewalls set up on your e-mail account, sometimes genuine emails like ours do not get
through – even if it is a direct reply to your original e-mail. We have the most problems with aol addresses.
If you have not had a reply to your enquiry within 2 days, please e-mail us again and provide us with alternative contact details such as
an address or phone number so we can try to get back to you by other means. Or, check your spam file… our response may be sitting there.
Our full contact details including phone numbers and our address is in the contact details section of our site.
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I’m trying to place an order but when I get to a certain point, I cannot get any further. Why?
If ever you encounter a problem using our site, please, please, please email support@stencil-library.com
with details. Websites are configured in different ways and we try and make ours as user-friendly and compatible with servers, browsers and
your computer as possible. Each server/browser/computer etc. is different and so very occasionally a user may encounter a problem.
If you don't let us know about any problem you have then we can't fix it or help you through it.
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How long does shipping take and the cost?
We ship worldwide. To keep our shipping charges extremely low, we use standard postal services for standard shipping. Shipping times vary depending
on where you are. We aim to dispatch your order within 2 days of receiving it. UK orders go by 1st class, shipping is free, and this should take
1-2 days to arrive. Orders to the rest of Europe go by airmail, shipping is a flat fee of £3.00 and shipping time usually takes 3-5 working days.
Orders to the rest of the world also go by airmail, shipping is a flat fee of £5.00 and shipping time is usually 7-10 working days.
We can also send orders by express (courier) although prices vary depending on destination and size of order. You can select this option when you order
and you will be emailed details of the exact charge for your approval before we dispatch.
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My order has not arrived within the stated time frame (see above). What do I do?
Contact us so that we may confirm that your order was dispatched and when. Please note that shipping times can vary either way of the
usual dispatch time stated above. This is certainly to be expected around national holidays such as Christmas due to the higher volume of post.
If we are sending orders abroad, most orders will have to clear customs and this can affect arrival time. It is always worth checking with your
local post office to see if it is waiting there – not all our parcels fit through letterboxes or in mailboxes so sometimes it can be taken back
to the post office to await collection. It is extremely rare for a parcel to go missing but if the order has not arrived within the time
estimated and you have checked that it is not with your post office then please contact us.
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Do you accept returns?
No, we do not accept returns as all stencils are made to order and we would have made your stencils especially for you. We do everything
possible to make sure that you are happy with your order and get what you want before we process anything. After you submit your order you
are given a 24-hour grace period to make any alterations before it is processed. If you need clarification about a stencil or have any
questions or need special sizes, please e-mail us sales@stencil-library.com before you place
your order. If the items have arrived damaged or were not what you ordered (see your order confirmation) then contact us and we will put it right.
Please keep in mind that because we make to order, we can do custom sizes and custom designs.
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Where do you ship to?
Everywhere! And to keep it simple, we charge a flat fee of postage regardless of the size of your order for standard shipping. We only
have two price bands for shipping charges: £3.00 to Europe outside the UK and £5.00 to the rest of the world.
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I am not based in the UK. Why is my order not shown in my currency?
We have to show our prices in Pounds Sterling (GBP) as we are a UK based company but we do have a currency converter on our site. When you are
looking at a stencil, click on the price and the currency converter will pop up for you. It will convert the stencil price into your
currency at the approximate current exchange rate. As you proceed and finalise your order, the prices will be shown in Pounds Sterling. Also the
prices on your confirmation will be in Pounds Sterling again. We will charge you in Pounds but your credit card company will automatically
convert to your local currency on your credit card statement.
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Do you have a catalogue?
We do have a mail order catalogue and it comes in two different versions – a paper catalogue and CD Rom version (for PC’s only). Both show our
full range of 3500 stencils and well as stencilling supplies. The only things not shown in the catalogues are our 'special offer' stencils
and 'on-line exclusives' range (these are on the web-site only).
The paper (print) catalogue costs £12.00 and the CD Rom catalogue £6.00. Both can be ordered from the
Accessories section of this site. Both catalogues include a stencil discount voucher (conditions apply).
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Are your stencils under copyright? Can I use them on items that I sell?
All our stencil designs are under copyright. If you are interested in purchasing stencils to put on items that you then sell, then you must contact
us before ordering and talk to us about what you want to do.
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If I have damaged my stencil, what can I do?
Please contact us. We will help you through your problem and 'talk' you through a solution. Our stencils are designed to be reusable and with
the proper care should last an average size project. Instructions for use come with the stencil and also appear on the
hints and tips page.
We have a guarantee in place whereby you can order a replacement stencil (the same design) for half the usual price
(see our Terms & Conditions under Guarantee for full details).
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What is a stencil?
A stencil is, to put it simply, a piece of polyester stencil film with a pattern cut out. They come in many styles, sizes and configurations
such as borders, repeats, motifs, panels and tiles. The beauty of stencilling is that you have absolute control over where you put the pattern,
how you use it and the colours that you use. Stencils are an incredibly flexible decorating tool. You can also use it to add pattern to
different surfaces: walls, floors, furniture, fabrics to name a few. Also, because you are working with paint, when you fancy a change, you can just
paint over it and stencil something else.
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Who are The Stencil Library? Tell me more about you.
The Stencil Library was established in 1988. The two founding partners were unable to find the kind of stencils that they had hoped to buy
so they set about designing their own. From the outset, the partners and their colleagues have set out to create a range of stencils that
would offer something that would appeal to all tastes. With the diverse range of patterns added over the years, we hope we have achieved that.
The Stencil Library is now believed to be the largest stencil range in the world designed from one source. Mostly we sell stencils by mail order
but we do have a shop in Stocksfield, Northumberland, UK. We run courses and other stencilling events from there. We design and cut stencils to
commission and undertake decorating for both domestic and commercial clients.
Our goal has always been to expand the tradition of stencilling to the widest definition possible. We are always working on new designs - many
never seen in stencil format before - and working on new styles of stencilling. It is worth checking in with us periodically to see what's new.
All the people who work here are passionate about stencilling and happy to help you with planning your project.
Our stencils have received wide coverage in magazines, on television programs, have been used on movie sets and in numerous books.
See our As Seen In section. We are still a small company with an emphasis on design and customer service
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