Stencil Material Selection Guide - What does "Mil" mean?

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All of our stencils are laser-cut from reusable plastic materials.

Stencil Material Selection Guide

Not sure what material to choose from? Get a material sample pack.

Adhesive-Backed Stencil Matte™ Material (7.5 mil)

7.5 mil adhesive-backed material comes with a repositionable low-tack backing to perfectly secure your stencil in place. This durable, reusable plastic material can be used on any painted surface, floor, sign, car, boat, or craft project. The adhesive backing assures that paint will not seep under the stencil design if you are using liquid paints, spray paints or inks. Additionally, the low-tack of this material will allow you to easily lift the stencil from the surface and adhere it over and over

How thick is our material?

material	millimeters	inches
4 mil	0.10 mm	0.004 in
7 mil	0.18 mm	0.007 in
7.5 mil	0.19 mm	0.0075 in
10 mil	0.26 mm	0.01 in
14 mil	0.36 mm	0.014 in
40 mil	1.02 mm	0.04 in
60 mil	1.54 mm	0.06 in

Standard Painting Material 7.5 mil = 0.0075 inches (0.19 mm)
Most painting stencils are cut from standard 7.5 mil material. This is a durable, reusable material that is ideal for painting on walls, wood, floors, fabrics and most surfaces. It can be used with any paint and can be cleaned with most paint cleaners (from soap & water and citrus based cleaners to paint thinner). The thinner gauge films will generally create a finer image on the surface you are painting without creating an edge around the cut-outs. Thicker gauge films may be more durable for certain projects, but tend to allow the paint to build up on the edges of the cut-out portion.

Medium-Duty 10 mil = 0.010 inches (0.26 mm)
Uses: for projects that require moderate repeated use and repeated cleaning of a stencil. The 10 mil film can be used with spray paints, brushes, rollers, inks and most paints and stains. The 10 mil plastic can work for outdoor use on playgrounds, parking lots, patios, walkways, driveways and concrete surfaces. If you will be using spray paints, inverted marking sprays or landscape chalks we suggest a thicker material.

Heavy-Duty 14 mil = 0.014 inches (0.36 mm)

Uses: this is an extremely durable polyester plastic. It is durable enough to withstand heavy repeated use and multiple cleanings. 14 mil is ideal for use with sprays, paints and industrial inks. This material is not recommended for fine decorative applications when paint is being rolled on.

Ultra Flex Heavy-Weight 40 mil or 60 mil = 0.040 inches (1.02 mm) or 0.060 inches (1.54 mm)
Uses: field stencils, parking lot stencils, concrete applications when a heavy-weight stencil is needed. The 40 mil or 60 mil can be used in slightly windy conditions when other materials get blown around. Spray equipment, spray paints, inverted marking paints and landscape chalks can be used with 40 mil or 60 mil (note: paint rollers, brushes and stencil brushes are more difficult to use with this thicker material and are not recommended unless you have tested your application and achieved acceptable results).


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