{"id":6760,"date":"2025-04-18T04:27:06","date_gmt":"2025-04-18T08:27:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/?p=6760"},"modified":"2025-04-18T04:27:10","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T08:27:10","slug":"screen-print-your-guide-to-screen-printing-supplies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_ca\/screen-print-your-guide-to-screen-printing-supplies\/","title":{"rendered":"Screen Print: Your Guide to Screen Printing Supplies"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#screen-print-your-complete-guide-to-screen-printing-supplies\">Screen Print: Your Complete Guide to Screen Printing Supplies<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#introduction\">Introduction<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#getting-started-with-screen-printing\">Getting Started with Screen Printing<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#what-is-screen-printing\">What is Screen Printing?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#basic-supplies-you-need\">Basic Supplies You Need<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#essential-equipment\">Essential Equipment<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#printing-tools\">Printing Tools<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#setup-equipment\">Setup Equipment<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#choosing-the-right-supplies\">Choosing the Right Supplies<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#for-t-shirt-printing\">For T-Shirt Printing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#for-art-prints\">For Art Prints<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#advanced-equipment\">Advanced Equipment<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#color-separation\">Color Separation<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#cost-saving-tips\">Cost Saving Tips<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#smart-shopping\">Smart Shopping<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#efficiency-tips\">Efficiency Tips<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#troubleshooting-guide\">Troubleshooting Guide<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#common-problems\">Common Problems<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#environmental-considerations\">Environmental Considerations<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#eco-friendly-options\">Eco-Friendly Options<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#future-trends\">Future Trends<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#industry-development\">Industry Development<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#resources-and-learning\">Resources and Learning<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#getting-help\">Getting Help<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#practice-projects\">Practice Projects<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#maintenance-tips\">Maintenance Tips<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#daily-care\">Daily Care<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#monthly-tasks\">Monthly Tasks<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"screen-print-your-complete-guide-to-screen-printing-supplies\">Screen Print: Your Complete Guide to Screen Printing Supplies<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"introduction\">Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hi! I&#8217;m here to help you learn all about&nbsp;<strong>screen printing<\/strong>. This fun way to make&nbsp;<strong>t-shirts<\/strong>&nbsp;and other cool stuff isn&#8217;t hard when you know what to do. Let&#8217;s start with the basics and work our way up!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"getting-started-with-screen-printing\">Getting Started with Screen Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-screen-printing\">What is Screen Printing?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Screen printing puts ink on things through a mesh screen. It&#8217;s like making a stamp, but better! You can print on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>T-shirts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hoodies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Paper<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wood<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Metal<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Glass<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"basic-supplies-you-need\">Basic Supplies You Need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Screens and Mesh<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wood or metal frames<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Different mesh counts:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>110 for thick ink<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>156 for regular shirts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>230+ for fine details<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Inks<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Plastisol ink<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; great for shirts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Water-based ink<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; eco-friendly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Discharge ink<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; for dark fabrics<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Pro Tip<\/strong>: Check out our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_ca\/product\/screen-printing-royal-blue-plastisol-ink-hf-1405\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">premium plastisol inks<\/a>&nbsp;for professional results.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"465\" height=\"429\" src=\"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0a8e64df3f6b5813685f78c5ed71c76.png\" alt=\"Screen Print\" class=\"wp-image-6765\" title=\"plastisol inks\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0a8e64df3f6b5813685f78c5ed71c76.png 465w, https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0a8e64df3f6b5813685f78c5ed71c76-300x277.png 300w, https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0a8e64df3f6b5813685f78c5ed71c76-13x12.png 13w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 465px) 100vw, 465px\" \/><figcaption>plastisol inks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"essential-equipment\">Essential Equipment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"printing-tools\">Printing Tools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Squeegees<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Different sizes needed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Durometer (hardness) matters<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep them clean<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Emulsion Items<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Photo emulsion<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scoop coater<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Exposure unit<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"setup-equipment\">Setup Equipment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Printing Press<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Single color to start<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Multi-color when ready<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Table clamps<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Drying Equipment<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Heat gun<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Flash dryer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Conveyor dryer<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"choosing-the-right-supplies\">Choosing the Right Supplies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"for-t-shirt-printing\">For T-Shirt Printing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Mesh Selectio<\/strong><strong>n<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>156-200 most common<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lower for white ink<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Higher for details<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ink Choice<\/strong><strong>s<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plastisol (76% prefer)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Water-based options<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Special effects inks<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"for-art-prints\">For Art Prints<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Fine Detail Wor<\/strong><strong>k<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>230+ mesh count<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Water-based inks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Good registration<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"advanced-equipment\">Advanced Equipment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"color-separation\">Color Separation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>CM<\/strong><strong>YK Proces<\/strong><strong>s<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Four-color printing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Halftone dots<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Color matching<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sp<\/strong><strong>ecial Effect<\/strong><strong>s<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Glitter inks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Puff inks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Metallic finishes<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cost-saving-tips\">Cost Saving Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"smart-shopping\">Smart Shopping<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Clean screens (40% savings)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bulk ink purchases<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Equipment maintenance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>DIY where possible<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"efficiency-tips\">Efficiency Tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Plan print runs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mix custom colors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Save unused ink<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reclaim screens<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"troubleshooting-guide\">Troubleshooting Guide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"common-problems\">Common Problems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ink Issue<\/strong><strong>s<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bleeding<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not covering<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Drying in screen<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Emulsion Problem<\/strong><strong>s<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Won&#8217;t wash out<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Breaks down<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Under exposure<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"environmental-considerations\">Environmental Considerations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"eco-friendly-options\">Eco-Friendly Options<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Wa<\/strong><strong>ter-Based Ink<\/strong><strong>s<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>22% yearly growth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Less pollution<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Better feel<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>En<\/strong><strong>ergy Savin<\/strong><strong>g<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>LED exposure units<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Solar power options<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Efficient dryers<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"560\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/bfd221d62170aa38623ed92696b3a6d.png\" alt=\"Screen Print\" class=\"wp-image-6767\" title=\"plastisol inks\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/bfd221d62170aa38623ed92696b3a6d.png 560w, https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/bfd221d62170aa38623ed92696b3a6d-224x300.png 224w, https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/bfd221d62170aa38623ed92696b3a6d-9x12.png 9w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 560px) 100vw, 560px\" \/><figcaption>plastisol inks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"future-trends\">Future Trends<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"industry-development\">Industry Development<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Di<\/strong><strong>gital Integratio<\/strong><strong>n<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hybrid systems<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Automation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Color matching<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sustainable Practice<\/strong><strong>s<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eco inks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recycling<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Water reduction<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"resources-and-learning\">Resources and Learning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"getting-help\">Getting Help<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>On<\/strong><strong>line Communitie<\/strong><strong>s<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lo<\/strong><strong>cal Classe<\/strong><strong>s<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Su<\/strong><strong>pplier Support<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"practice-projects\">Practice Projects<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Si<\/strong><strong>mple Design<\/strong><strong>s<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Co<\/strong><strong>lor Tests<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Special Effects<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"maintenance-tips\">Maintenance Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"daily-care\">Daily Care<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Cl<\/strong><strong>ean Screen<\/strong><strong>s<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ch<\/strong><strong>eck Equipmen<\/strong><strong>t<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Or<\/strong><strong>ganize Supplie<\/strong><strong>s<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"monthly-tasks\">Monthly Tasks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>De<\/strong><strong>ep Clea<\/strong><strong>n<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Eq<\/strong><strong>uipment Chec<\/strong><strong>k<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Supply Inventory<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Screen Print: Your Complete Guide to Screen Printing Supplies Introduction Hi! I&#8217;m here to help you learn all about&nbsp;screen printing. This fun way to make&nbsp;t-shirts&nbsp;and other cool stuff isn&#8217;t hard when you know what to do. Let&#8217;s start with the basics and work our way up! Getting Started with Screen Printing What is Screen Printing? [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6764,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[214],"class_list":["post-6760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-screen-print"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6760","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6760"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6760\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6768,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6760\/revisions\/6768"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6764"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}