Sandblast Stencil Adhesive Problems and How to Fix Them Fast

Sandblasting has to be one of the most unforgiving creative mediums out there. Not only are there a variety of ways to mess up your project (too much pressure, making too deep a cut, having a stencil move or come loose halfway through, etc.) but it can be hard and expensive to replace the substrate material that you were hired to work with. Fortunately, most of these issues can be overcome with increased skill through practice, and knowledge gained over time. Unfortunately, this leaves every sandblaster’s nemesis to deal with: adhesive. There are a multitude of ways that you can run into sandblasting stencil adhesive problems, and you have to have the knowledge of how to prevent them from happening in the first place to save yourself time and money, and of course high-quality sandblast stencils that come with adhesive already applied help mitigate all these issues.

Lifting at the Edges

The most common sandblasting stencil adhesive problem that you’ll come across is when the stencil lifts up at the edges of the designs. This is a challenge because even if it only happens for a couple of seconds, the sheer volume of sandblasting material that can hit the unintended exposed section of stone or glass can ruin your design and lead to a distorted and fuzzy looking finish. Lifting edges is usually the result of an unclean surface where dust, oils or moisture make it hard for the adhesive to fully take, so you can help yourself by fully cleaning and drying the area where you want to apply the stencil. You can also make sure that the adhesive is applied firmly and consistently across the stencil by applying a light roller or squeegee to get a tight seal.

Weak Adhesion on Rough Surfaces

Life is good when your sandblasting project calls for you to work on smooth or polished surfaces as you don’t have to worry too much about having strong enough adhesive to make your stencil stick. However, things become more tricky when you’re working with rough and uneven surfaces like unfinished stone or raw hardwood. Having a weak level of adhesive here means that your stencil is likely to become dislodged or, even worse, completely removed, during the sandblasting process, so you’ve got to look out for a stencil roll specifically designed for rough surfaces. At U-Blast, you can’t go wrong with our 721 series which has our highest level of adhesion and won’t require filler before you get to work. 

Air Bubbles 

The only way that a sandblasting stencil can function perfectly is when you get a tight seal against the substrate surface. Applying your stencil too quickly or haphazardly can lead to air bubbles forming under the stencil, which easily lead to blowouts or gaps in your design. The key here is to have a high quality stencil like the UB1 series that blends a medium level of tack with good flexibility so you can carefully apply the stencil to the target area before rolling it out with a stencil roller.

Residual Adhesive Issues

Once you’ve finished with the sandblasting part of the project, and you’re happy that your adhesive has held the stencil in the right place throughout the process, it’s then time to remove the stencil. This should, in theory, be the easiest part of the process, but it can lead to many adhesive related issues. If you’ve applied too much adhesive, you can end up with leftover residue that you have to clean up to avoid an oily finish. On the other hand, you might have applied the right amount of adhesive but used the wrong type for the type of substrate. This means that part of your stencil stays stuck to your design. To overcome this, remove your stencil quickly after usage to avoid unnecessary drying out, and use an approved adhesive remover to take care of any marks or residue before you apply your finishing touches. 

Getting Professional Help

Not knowing how to work with your adhesives can lead you into sticky situations, so your best bet is to talk with our team of sandblasting stencil adhesive experts. We are committed to customer service, so we’ll always be upfront and honest with you as we explore your project and make sure that we’re matching you with the right stencil roll product to avoid any adhesion problems from happening in the first place.