Hello and thank you so much for your purchase from Smart Crafts Supplies! 

Please find below several important pieces of information to consider before using your acrylic/wood veneer/MDF. 

Acrylic:

Acrylic comes with clear film on both sides to protect your item from scratching during transit. This must be peeled off before you use your acrylic. To peel it off we find the easiest way is to start at a sharp corner and lightly scratch it with a fingernail. 

There are exceptions that do not have film both sides. Any item that comes with a trim stuck to it will not have a film on the front. There will be a film on the trim and on the back of the item. An example of this will be our traditional signs which will have film on the front of trim, and the back of the backing plate, but not on the front of the backing plate as the trim is stuck to it. 

If your item has an acrylic base it will fit. We size every single item that has a base, and each base is cut to fit that singular item. You need to peel all the film off both sides of the upright part of the item and remove all the peel off the base. Then place the base on a flat surface and gently push the upright part into it. It should fit snugly with little to no wobble.  On the very rare occasion there is a slight wobble we suggest a tiny slither of clear vinyl added to the lip of the upright should rectify it. Or alternatively you can use a small amount of clear craft glue if you prefer. If you find the base feels a little tight, please turn the base upside down and this will usually mean a better fit. If you have ordered more than one item with a base, they will be taped together with masking tape. Please do not mix up the uprights and the bases, they are (as stated above) cut to fit each individual item. If they are not taped together, they will be numbered so each upright will have a number and each base will have a corresponding number. You must only use the matching numbers with each other. 

We would recommend using alcohol and giving each item a very light wipe with a micro-fibre (or similar) cloth before applying vinyl to ensure the best adhesion. If you find you get small surface marks/scratches on your item during your embellishment alcohol will also often work to remove these. Alcohol also good if you get sticky residue from vinyl on your item.

All of our acrylic is food safe except mirrored materials which is not suitable for food use due to the backing used in producing the mirror finish.   

Sublimation:

Any of our white acrylic in any thickness will be cast and may be suitable for sublimation. There are a few exceptions. We do not recommend sublimation for items that have a base of acrylic. The sublimation process may warp the upright and mean it no longer fits in the base. We also do not recommend our two-piece stand-alone 10mm thick hearts for sublimation for the same reason. We also do not recommend sublimating our tooth fairy money holders as the hole for the coin is snug so the coin does not fall out, but sublimation may warp the shape meaning a coin will no longer fit. 

We do not give out instructions for how to sublimate on our items. Due to every person having a large number of variables including heat, pressure, machine, printer, paper, ink, timings etc, we are not able to advise for every eventuality. If advice on sublimating is needed there are many our customers who use our items for sublimation, and they are very friendly and always willing to help over on our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartcraftssupplies 

Wood Veneer: 

This item can be used with both regular vinyl and HTV. It does come with natural colour variations due to it being a natural product. We endeavour to sand off any residual marks from the laser cutting process but occasionally if these are missed most small marks can be easily removed with a slightly damp cloth or a baby wipe and then leave to dry. If they persist, a small piece of fine grit sandpaper will work. Wooden items can sometimes have a faint residual “campfire” smell after lasering, but this will go shortly after unpacking. None of our wood veneer is suitable for outdoor use unless sealed but we would not recommend this and do not warranty items for this type of use.

Budget Material (White spray painted MDF):

This material comes with a white spray painted front and a plain MDF back. 

It can be used with regular vinyl and HTV and sublimation. It will come with minor laser marks on both the front and the back. These can be very easily wiped off with a damp cloth and must be cleaned before use. 

This item can be sublimated on but there are a couple of additional rules that need to be followed. Please ensure the item is completely free of moisture. This means leaving the item unpacked in a warm place until they are ready to be used. Also ensure paper is totally free of moisture. Pre-press the item in your hot heat press before use to ensure all moisture has been removed.

We do not give out instructions for how to sublimate on our items. Due to every person having many variables including heat, pressure, machine, printer, paper, ink, timings etc, we are not able to advise for every eventuality. If advice on sublimating is needed there are many of our customers who use our items for sublimation, and they are very friendly and always willing to help over on our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartcraftssupplies