Order questions
How do I place an order?
1. Request an estimate
Wave experimental is your partner for all sorts of graphics production for marketing initiatives, commercial spaces, events, and interior design. Let us know what you’re looking for and we’d be happy to show you some products that can fit your design.
To request an estimate please fill out our Estimate Request form here.
If you do not receive an estimate in 24hrs, please check your emails spam folder, and add hello@wavexperimental.com to your list of “safe senders”. This will ensure you receive all of our communications.
We also offer complimentary material samples for pickup at our office. For courier or mail you only cover the cost of shipping.
2. Send us your artwork
Make sure to read our guides on File Setup and submit your Print Ready Artwork. Please make sure your files are in the appropriate format to not cause any delays.
Remember to request a hard proof for large or color sensitive projects.
If you need design help please contact us. Wave Experimental can help set up your project for a perfect print at an hourly rate - please allow extra production time for project with graphic design.
For large files please provide a Link to hosted artwork (Drop Box, WeTransfer, Google Drive, or Private Server) otherwise artwork and documents can be mailed to hello@wavexperimental.com
3. Submit payment
Submitting payment online is easy via your project invoice link. This may be the same link you have received as an estimate.
Artwork approval process begins once payment has been received.
We accept Visa, Mastercard, and Paypal. For larger orders we also accept Check, or Bank transfer.
If you are tax exempt please provide your tax exempt form at this time.
4. Approve your order
Once we have reviewed your submitted files for production you will be sent an email with the order specifications and a digital proof for approval.
If everything is correct, approve your order via text or email in order for production to begin.
If you have reason to decline your proof, please re-submit an updated file and the proof approval process will begin again.
5. Turnaround and shipping
Turnaround begins once your soft proof is approved and ends once your product is ready for pickup.
By default all orders are set for pickup at our office, if you need delivery please notify us and we can provide a quote depending on your location. Delivery is included with all installations.
Shipping time is calculated after your finished product has left our production office but is not included in the turnaround estimate. If you need your project finished in a specific timeframe please contact us or comment on your estimate request.
You can read more about rush orders here.
What is meant by print ready artwork?
Print ready files are set up so there wont be any delays in production. You or a graphic designer can ensure your files are ready by following the checklist below before you submit your artwork to us.
Files for print:
Files are scaled to final size including bleed
300 DPI Resolution
Safe zones on edges are clear of important text and graphics
Color mode is set to RGB
All Pantone spot colors should be converted in order to avoid color profiling issues
All transparency effects and layers must be flattened and rasterized.
All images are embedded
All fonts converted to outlines
Acceptable File types with the above settings are:
.PDF .Jpeg .Tiff .Ai
White Ink Printing / Spot Varnish: When setting up your file, place the part of your design you would like produced in white or Spot Varnish as a separate layer titled WHITE or CLEAR
Files to Cut (in addition to the above):
A file with cutting information is any file that will be finished in a shape other than a square or rectangle. This may include vinyl letters, profile cut stickers, and custom cut shapes.
Dieline or Cut-line should be labeled CUT and set up as a layer separate from your printed art in illustrator. This is the exact line that our machines will follow to cut your custom shape
Cut lines must be vector artwork
All Lines have been joined
No clipping masks
Lines are in one layer with no grouping
Vectors have been checked for: Double lines, Overlaps, and stray dots / lines in outline preview mode (Adobe Illustrator)
Add at least ⅛’’ total bleed for color artwork around this cut line outside of your final shape to allow for machine tolerance
Cut text- if you are ordering a cut vinyl product you do not need to add any additional bleed or layers to your file, just submit your final vector artwork to final size and be sure to follow all of the steps in the file check below
Acceptable File types with the above settings are:
.Ai .DXF .EPS .PDF.
Minimum size -The minimum allowed size for cut details is 1mm wide at its thinnest point, files smaller than this may produce unusable graphics and may be rejected for production until updated.
What if I need help with my artwork/design?
We realize sometimes graphics can get a little complicated, and we’re here to help.
For complex files / setups we offer graphic design billed hourly and can take your existing files to print perfect specs.
Graphic Design for services such as file setup, vector editing, typesetting, color profiling is billed at a rate of $75.00 per hour in half hour increments with a one hour minimum per project.
In order to focus on high quality production of graphics and signage we do not offer graphic design for the purpose of:
Brand Identity Development
Marketing Campaigns
Web Design
On occasion we will help with the production of mechanical’s and the adaptation of logos and assets for signage based on existing brand assets.
If you are looking for this kind of design help we can refer you to one of our production partners here
How long will my prints take to complete?
Production begins once payment has been submitted and your soft proof has been approved.
Standard print projects typically take 2-5 business days to complete without delays.
Common delays include:
Errors in print ready file setup
Supplier or carrier delays for special order materials
Delays in submitting or approving final artwork
Lack of payment or deposit
Turnaround time is an estimate based on similar projects and is not a guarantee. If your project is absolutely time critical please request Rush production as these will have the highest priority for early completion. Only jobs purchased as rush will be guaranteed a full refund if not completed by the stated due date.
Rush : A rush fee (5-25%) is applied to a project to ensure turnaround during timeline critical projects and is included to cover extra costs during production including expedited shipping of materials, overtime / additional labor, and the interruption of production for ongoing jobs.
Our ability to offer rush may be dependent on current projects and workload.
What is the minimum quantity I can order?
We can print as little as one sticker. However, due to the time and effort needed to setup a printing machine it would hardly make sense to do so. In order to cover this cost we recommend a minimum of 4 sq ft of any given material or printing process we offer, which can range anywhere from $15 - $45
This minimum can also be applied to cover the cost of a hard proof, custom sample, or color test.
What if there’s an issue with my order?
We want you to LOVE your prints and take pride in the quality of our work, if we make an honest mistake Wave Experimental will do everything in our power to make it right. In the event that there is ever an issue with your order please contact us for help.
If you want to learn more, download our full policies on refunds/color/material policy.
What if I have to cancel my order?
Please contact us as soon as possible to avoid any issues.
Orders must be cancelled prior to the start of production to qualify for a full refund.
Any transaction fees, material, or labor costs incurred before cancellation will be deducted from any reimbursement at our discretion.