Five Tips for Printing With Your Pre-Burned Screen

Congratulations on your first pre-burned screen! We've already taken care of a lot of the hard work for you, but there are still just a few quick things needed before you start printing.

1. Taping Off Edges

Emulsion coats can't reach all the way to the edge of the frame. Use screen tape or other low tack tape (not duct tape or paper tapes) to bridge the gap. This will prevent ink from passing through the edges and help prevent contaminants from making their way between the mesh and frame.

2. Setting Off Contact

Keep a little room, ideally about an 1/8" gap, between the screen mesh and the item you're printing to allow a clean release when printing. Be careful to keep the gap slight as too much off contact can cause flooding issues and difficulty with multi-color registration.

3. Registration Marks

Use these to center the screen on your press or the surface you'll be printing on. Once aligned, tape them off to prevent ink from passing through. Tape these on the flat side of the screen so they're not in the way of your squeegee when printing.

4. Squeegee Pressure / Angle

Ideally you should be printing with a quality squeegee that is at least 2" wider than the image you're printing. Hold the squeegee firmly in both hands at an angle of about 75 degrees, and pull with consistent, even pressure. Experiment with different angles and pressures to see what suits you best.

5. Have Fun!

This may go without saying, but don't forget to stay calm and have fun! Learning any new craft can at times be difficult. We aim to try and make screen printing as easy as possible, and are here for you if you need help! Just give us a call at (866) 774-6869, or email us at info@screenburning.com

Happy Printing!