How to Screen Print at Home

Reviewed by Kelly Medford

Last Updated: December 4, 2024 Approved

Screen printing is a printing technique used to quickly stencil an identical image on multiple objects, often clothing. You build a screen and stencil, then push ink through the mesh and onto your shirt, paper, or object. Being able to screen print at home enables you to create unique pieces of clothing and other objects, and you can replicate the design on as many objects you want by using the same screen.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Building the Screen and Frame

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1
Purchase a canvas stretcher frame at a craft or art supplies store. These are basic, inexpensive frames made of wood for mounting a canvas. For a little more money you can purchase an aluminum frame that will last longer, as repeated washing will warp a wooden canvas.^{[1]
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- Many art stores now sell pre-made silkscreens as well, so you could purchase a standard screen if you don't want to make a custom one.
- Ensure that your frame is big enough for your design. If you don't know your design yet, or want a versatile frame for multiple designs, aim for 12x18" at the minimum.
2
Purchase your mesh. You want a nice, fine mesh that allows the ink to pass onto the shirt, paper, or design. Mesh-count measures how loose or tight the mesh is, where higher numbers indicate a tighter mesh. The tighter the mesh, the more intricate your details can be. Mesh count is the number of threads in one square inch.
- For the classic "athletic" or collegiate print that looks worn/speckled, aim for a loose 85 mesh count.
- For a "do-it-all" mesh, aim for 110-130 mesh count.
- For paper or plastic printing, go for a mesh count near 200-250.
- In general, lighter colored objects work best with higher mesh counts. So if you're doing white paper, aim from 230-250.
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3
Staple the mesh into the frame. Make sure you pull the screen tight before you start stapling. You want it to be as taut as possible without ripping. Stretch the mesh across the frame and staple around the wood every 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 cm.).
- You will likely need an electric staple gun to securely adhere the mesh.
- You can also use framing nails.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Crafting Your Design

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Create a stencil of your design. Silkscreens can only apply one color at a time, so create a simple shape or outline to begin learning. Whatever you draw will eventually be the inked part of the print. To make your own print, you need:^{[2]
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- Poster board, thin cardboard, or other thick & sturdy paper.
- Pencil
- X-acto knife or another precision knife
2
Know the artistic limitations and challenges of screen-printed designs. Screen printing isn't difficult, as what you draw is exactly what you get on the final print. However, there are certain principles and limitations to screen printing that you should know as you design your print:
- You can only print 1 color at a time.
- High contrast images (like black on white) work the best, as you cannot use shading.
- For complex designs, you need to make multiple prints, one for each color, and layer them after the ink has dried.^{[3]
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Sketch your design onto the poster board. Sketch out the blocks of your design. You can upload photos or other images into photo editing software as well and use those. To do so, reduce the drawing to a basic two-tone outline then print it.
- To make a stencil on Photoshop, for example, you would take a black and white image and click Image → Adjustments → Threshold, then set it up near the highest it can be.^{[4]
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Everything that you cut away will be un-inked on the final print, and everything covered by the stencil will be covered in ink. For example, imagine you are printing the red logo of a bulls-eye on a white t-shirt. When you cut out the stencil, all of the rings that you cut away will be white, and all of the rings that are covered by the stencil will be red.
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Alternatively, draw your design on transparent paper. For complex prints, it can be very difficult to cut out the entire outline. In this case, use thick black ink on transparent paper to make your stencil.
- Your stencil or drawing needs to block light, as this is what etches the design into the screen and allows you to print. Everything covered by a stencil or black ink will not get exposed to light, leaving it "open" and allowing ink to pass onto the shirt or item.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Printing With your Screen

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Coat your silk screen with a thin layer of photo emulsion. Pour a line of emulsion along a side of the screen and use the squeegee to spread a thin line along the entire screen. Photo emulsion reacts to light, hardening when exposed, so anything not covered by your stencil will turn into a barrier preventing ink from getting through.
- Apply emulsion to the flat side of the frame, not the side surrounded by wood.
- Do this in as dark a room as possible to prevent the emulsion from hardening before you're ready.^{[5]
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Expose it to as little light as you can. A closet or bathroom will work well, as long as you can close some curtains.
3
Set up an "exposure area" while waiting for the emulsion to dry. You'll need to expose the emulsion to a direct, strong light to prepare it. Following the specification on the photo emulsion bottle, set up a light above your flat black surface. Each emulsion has different times, watts, and distances needed for proper hardening, so be sure to read the bottle before beginning. The lamp should always be 1-2 feet above the emulsion.
- If the emulsion calls for 30 minutes at 200 watts, set up a lamp with a 200W bulb 1-2 feet above a table. The screen goes under the light.
As you're moving the screen, cover it with a towel so it does not react to incidental light. Place it under the lamp in your station, leaving the towel on for now.^{[6]
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Put your stencil backwards on the middle of the screen. The screen should be emulsion side up. The mesh will be lifted a few inches off the table and resting on the frame. Place your stencil in the middle of the screen with 4-5 inches of space between the design and the edge of the frame.
- You must place your stencil down in reverse to get the right image. Look at your stencil the way you want it, then flip it over before you put it down. Otherwise, you will get a mirror image when you start printing.
- If there is a breeze, or your stencil is very light, place a clear piece of glass on top of it to keep it from moving.
- Do not push, prod, or move your screen, light, or stencil once it is placed and set.^{[7]
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Turn on the light for the recommended time. Simply follow the instructions on your emulsion bottle and remove the screen when it is done. When it is done, remove the stencil and set it aside for later. If you smell anything burning during this process, turn off the light immediately.
- If you prepared the emulsion correctly, you should see the faint outline of your stencil in the emulsion when the design is removed.
7
Blast off the emulsion with cold water. Take any high-powered water source (shower, faucet, hose) and wash off the screen, focusing on your image. The water will wash away the unhardened emulsion around your design. You should see the outline of your stencil appear. Keep on spraying until you can see your image well. ^{[8]
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- Let the screen dry before moving on to the next step.
8
Line up your screen above the object you're printing on. The mesh should be touching whatever you're printing on, like paper or a shirt.
- If you're using a shirt, slide some cardboard between the layers of the shirt to prevent the ink from bleeding through.
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Squeegee some ink over your design. Put a thin line of ink just above your design. Then drag the squeegee over your design firmly, coating the entire stencil in ink.^{[9]
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- The harder you press the darker your image will be.
Pull the screen off the t-shirt/paper with even pressure, then hang the shirt up to dry. Your design will be printed.^{[10]
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You can use your silkscreen again with another t-shirt if you want, adding more ink as necessary. Simply wipe down the backside after every shirt and reapply ink. If you're using the same print for multiple days in a row, rinse and dry it at the end of each day.

Community Q&A

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Question

How careful do I have to be with the mesh and frame?

Community Answer

You have to be very careful with the mesh and frame since any type of cut can allow the paint to spread and damage the image that you are printing.

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Question

How do you print your home directory to the screen?

Warren

Top Answerer

Designs are printed on transparent sheets of plastic (which can be done with a standard inkjet printer). They are then placed on top of the coated screen for exposing.

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Question

Does the ink smear when washed?

Warren

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Set the ink properly by letting it dry and then ironing with a piece of parchment paper on top, and it shouldn't smear.

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Tips

You can purchase pre-made screens at many arts and crafts stores, but these vary in price and can be quite pricey.

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Warnings

Do not leave ink on the screen to dry. It will render the screen unusable.

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Always wear gloves and cover your surface with newspaper or plastic when handling permanent ink.

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Do not choose overly detailed images for screen printing. The details might not materialize as you expected.

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