FAQ | DoodleTech - Answers to Common Questions

Welcome to the DoodleTech FAQ page! Here, we’ve compiled answers to some of the most common questions we receive about our laser cut and CNC routed products / services. If you can’t find the information you’re looking for, feel free to contact us directly for more assistance.

Products and services we offer

Does the material you use come from sustainable sources?

Yes, all of the sheet material (wood) we use is sourced through some of the largest UK reputable sheet material suppliers and carries the FSC certification and complies to the UK standards.

What material do you use?

The majority of the products we sell and manufacture is made from premium high quality MDF. Although most of our products are made from MDF, we do also use veneered MDF, plywood, melamine faced chipboards and acrylics.

Can you cut and supply other materials?

Yes, we can cut a large range off materials and most manufactured boards, including plastic based materials and dibond. If you require an item made from a different material, please contact us with your requirements and we would be more than happy to advise.

Can you cut and manufacture bespoke designs and projects?

Yes, if you have a project or custom design that you would like quoting, please contact us with the requirements you need and we will do our best to accommodate. For customers who do not have access to drawing software, we do off a custom design and drawing service.

What is the largest size you can cut in one go?

We run a fleet of machinery consisting of multiple laser cutters, etchers and CNC routers. The largest sheets we can accommodate in our laser cutters is 1300x900mm, whereas our CNC routers will take anything from a full 8x4ft (1220x2440mm) sheet all the way up to a whopping 5x13ft (1500x4000mm) sheet!!

Assembly, Decorating & Painting

How do I assemble a kit?

We try to make all of our kits straight forward and easy to assemble so there are no nasty surprises, most of our kits are designed to be slotted together and they come with instructions to aid you in assembly. But if you are still not sure simply contact us and one of our friendly team will be more than happy to walk you through the process.

Painting & Decorating

All of our products are sent out in their raw / bare wooden state ready for painting and decorating. If you have ordered a "flat pack kit" this will require assembly first before painting as none off the kits we supply are designed to be painted first as there is no way for us to make an allowance for painting as this can affect the tabs and slots on the product, due to there being so many variables such as the paint thickness, brush technique, number of coats and brand. We always design our products to have tight tabs and slots so that product is more rigid and stronger.

Unfortunately, we do not offer a painting and decorating service as we are a high-volume shape manufacturer and CNC cutting service.

Can you assemble a kit for me?

Some of our items come pre-assembled as they require certain tools and equipment to assemble, for some kits we do offer an assembly service but this would carry a surcharge for the time and materials used. If this is a service you require please contact us to discuss this further.

My product came with wall brackets, where do they go?

If you have purchased one of our shelving kits we supply these with metal brackets and screw cups. Often there is no set fixed position for the brackets on our kits as we have no way of knowing where you intend to hang this or what services are located within the wall the item is being hung on. Please use the brackets supplied with the kit and adequately space them evenly on the product to disperse both the product and the its load across its width evenly. If you have received both large and small brackets with your kit, please use the large brackets at the top and the smaller ones at the bottom. Use the screw cups provided with the small screws for fixing the bracket to the product as the screw cup stops the small screw from protruding through the material.

What glue would you recommend using?

We would recommend using a glue like Evo-Stick wood adhesive or similar as these types of glue are really easy to work with and can be painted straight over once they have cured fully.

Do I need to prime / seal or sand my item before I decorate it?

MDF is a very versatile board that has a smooth finish by default, it is not necessary to prime or seal MDF depending on the application or finish you are trying to achieve. In terms of sanding, most of the CNC routed products we manufacture made from MDF will have been sanded in our workshop before being sent out.

Some paints do require a primer or a seal to be used as a base coat depending on what type of paint or brand you are using, it is worth checking this in the manufacturers instruction or guidelines which is often found on the back of most tins and containers or through the manufacturers website.

What paint would you recommend?

This depends on the type of finish you require as there are so many paint types and brands to choose from. We would always recommend using a paint that you are comfortable with using and we always recommend testing or researching the paint before attempting to decorate your product. All of our CNC routed products are sanded before they are dispatched, however they may require additional light sanding to achieve the finish you require.

Can I use other methods to decorate my item?

Yes you can! Our products are very versatile and can be decorated with a wide range of products like paints, gel pens, glitter, inks and so much more....

Packaging, Breakages, Returns & Mistakes

How will my order be packaged?

Here at DoodleTech we try our best to use sustainable packaging to pack any order where viable. This includes us buying job lots of brand new boxes from other companies when they are surplus to requirement to save them from going to landfill. We use recycled boxes and cardboard based shredded packaging that we shred ourselves in house to reduce waste, help the environment and save some trees. All recycled cardboard used is thoroughly checked to ensure it is clean and fit for purpose, this includes any box we turn into sheet matting. One of the other reasons we use recycled cardboard is to keep our costs down what entails us to pass this along to the customer allowing us to keep our item prices as low as possible.

We use a range of packaging methods depending on what service is being used to carry to your order, for smaller orders that are shipped through Royal Mail, they will be sent in a large letter padded jiffy bag or cardboard large letter box. Any other order will be sent out in a new or used cardboard box or other appropriate packaging with adequate filling to ensure it reaches its destination undamaged.

One of my items has been broken in transit, what should I do?

Unfortunately, from time to time these things happen from the courier mishandling parcels, despite our best efforts to protect your items when packaging your order. If you do receive an order that has been damaged in transit, please contact us as soon as possible within seven days of receiving your order and we will replace the damaged goods free of charge. We will however require proof of damage and photos off the packaging it was sent in before we send a replacement out. Items that have been decoratedwill notbe refunded nor replaced.

Can I return my order for a refund?

Yes, please see our returns policy for eligibility.

What do I do if there is a mistake with my personalised order or there is a spelling mistake on my personalisation?

Please check your personalisation is spelt correctly and any punctuation is correct before checkout as we engrave or carve exactly what has been left by yourself at the time of purchase. If the personalisation was spelt incorrectly at the time off ordering, we will not replace the order, however if there has been a mistake on our part then we will send out replacement(s) free of charge on a quicker delivery service.

Payments & Bulk Buy Discounts

Can I have discount?

We offer set pricing on our website where we also offer large bulk buy packets of our products that already have a discounted rate per unit applied. On our website we run special promotions and flash sales which are advertised through our social media such a Facebook and Instagram so it's worth following us on there for the latest up to date deals.

Do we offer bulk buy discounts?

Yes we do, if you are looking for large quantities or wholesale wooden craft supplies then you have come to the right place. We have a large fleet of laser cutters and CNC routers with a huge amount of processing power allowing us to manufacture large quantities in a short time frame. Please contact us to discuss this further.

What payment types do you accept?

Our website supports and accepts all major credit/debit cards, Apple Pay and BACS transfer from a generated price quote and invoice.

Postage & Delivery Questions

How much will my order cost to post?

The postage price varies between orders as the postage bands is based on the overall order weight, as this determines the courier required. To see our postage bands please see our shipping policy for a full breakdown.

Who will deliver my parcel?

The overall size off the order will determine what shipping method is selected upon packaging and dispatching your parcel. For smaller orders and singular items we use Royal Mail, medium sized orders will be shipped with Evri / Parcelforce. Larger orders and next day delivery orders will be sent with Parcelforce or with an alternative courier depending on your location.

How long will my order take to reach me?

All orders sent with Royal Mail and Evri take approximately 2-5 working days for delivery.

If your order is shipped using Parcelforce, it will either be sent using a 24 or a 48 hour service depending on the order size / value.

Cut off times and turnaround times are not included in this delivery timeframe.

Can I collect my order from you?

Yes you can, please contact us prior to placing your order to arrange a suitable collection time.