When you start out screen printing you can probably get away with using the same screen for most all of your projects but as you advance and start to demand superior quality results from your work you might want to consider using different screens with different mesh counts for different kinds of projects. Honestly, I use the same mesh count for most of my projects and the same mesh colour, 110 and white. On occasion I choose a higher mesh count for printing small text prints that I use for my labels but still that’s only 156. Otherwise, my projects are predominantly on fabric so I use a 110 mesh count on most occasions. (I once borrowed a screen from someone which was at least a 300 mesh count and I struggled my whole way through printing my work because I was using a fabric substrate- almost pulled my hair out!) But I do recognize that my readers will be experimenting with all sorts of screen printing applications so here’s a short list of what you might want to use for a specific project.
This could also help you trouble shoot if you run into problems with your print quality- you can look here to see if you are using the right mesh count. Here it is. Have fun and Good luck!
Mesh Recommendations by Application
Graphics printing
- Line artwork 230 –305
- Halftone screens up to 70 lines/in. 305–380
- Halftone screens from 70-133 lines/in. 380 –420
- Objects (plastics, etc.)
- Opaque areas 255–305
- Halftone and fine lines 305–420
Garment printing
- Glitter 25–60
- Flock adhesive 45–125
- Puff-up colors 55–125
- Overprint 80 –110
- Pigment ink printing,areas/lines 110 –175
- Plastisol transfer 125–305
- Universal fabric 125
- Plastisol direct 125–305
- Pigment inks, half-tone 155–255
- Sublimation transfer 195–305
Textiles, flat films
- Heavy décor fabrics (terry cloth, denim) 45–123
- Smooth, dense fabrics (table cloths, curtains) 110–155
- Light, porous material 195–305
Ceramics
- Glaze printing, coarse, embossed effect 15–55
- Glaze printing, medium to fine 55–155
- In and under-glaze (direct printing) 110–255
Decals
- Areas/lines 195–380
- Fine lines/half-tone 255–420
- Gold and luster inks 305–420
Glass
- Automotive glass
- Black surrounds for rear/side windows 125–195
- Antennas 195–255
- Silver paste (defroster) 195–255
Architectural glass
- Windows, doors 55–195
- Mirrors 195–305
Cosmetic bottles
- Inks 195–305
- Precious metals 305–380
Beverage
- Bottles, glasses 125–305
Household
- Ovens, etc. (masks) 110 –175
- Ovens, etc. (lines and half-tones) 195–255
- Lampshades, furniture 125–255
Advertising
- Shop signs 110 –195
Printed circuit boards
- Overlay solder mask 30 –45
- Photosensitive solder mask 60 –175
Membrane keypads and overlays
- Insulation lacquer 90 –175
- Silver conductive paste 125–175
- Adhesive 125–195
- Transparent windows 305
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
I am hoping to print on these bags that appear to be cloth fabric, but are actually plastic. I haven’t ever printed on plastic. What would suggest for mesh count and what type of ink should I use? They would be handled quiet a bit so the ink nededs to hold up. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
Since it’s plastic it won’t be as absorbent as cloth so you will want to use a higher mesh count- but it still depends on if you have fine lines or not- don’t go lower than 156- 220 might work well. You will want to do a few tests to see. I know that Permaset inks can work well and they have a new group of inks that are meant to be used on multi-surfaces, they are called Permaprint. You might find acrylic inks are really bad at peeling away. You won’t likely be able to heat-set them since they are plastic so you should be aware of that and let your consumer know not to wash them for about a month. That’s how long it takes to ‘self-cure’. Or you can use a quick cure additive that you mix into your pigment just before you use it. Good luck and let me know how it turns out!
Hello! My company prints transfer sheets (sheets that pastry chefs use to apply a design to tempered chocolate) and we use colored cocoa butter as the “ink.” The sheets are a lightweight plastic (very thin). We usually use a 110 mesh for the majority of our projects, but we recently have explored doing smaller, thinner, more intricate designs. Do you have an idea of what kind of mesh count I should use? If it helps, the designs are applied on an 1 inch square and the pattern just repeats on the screen.
Thanks in advance.
try a 156 count- you shouldn’t need more than that to reproduce an intricate design. Too small and the cocoa butter won’t pass through the screen.
Hi,
We are trying to print onto card boxes for a project. What mesh count would you suggest for this?
Thanks in advance.
I would use 156 at least depending on how fine the detail is. and remember it must be printed off-contact or else the printing will be smudgy.
Hey, thanks for reply.
off-contact?
Sure- you might want to read my blog post on printing on paper- it’ll explain the off-contact technique.
I’m printing on wine glasses and beer mugs using glass ink with a hardner additive. What mesh count would you reccomend? I presently use white 110 and yellow 120. The “hand” is a very obvious and I’d like it to be less obvious.
Thanks in advance.
You’ll likely need a different pigment. One that’s very very opaque. Permaset opaques are the best. Use the Permaprint line- it is formulated to be printed onto things like glass and plastic and it won’t wash away. Your mesh count is not really the problem. The mesh count should correlate more with the type of image you use not the substrate you print onto. Hope this helps. Good luck.
That’s a pretty wide range for plastisol on garments. Would I just use a higher count for more detailed stuff or does it not drastically change the final product?
you need higher mesh counts for finer detail.
hi, I have done screen printing before in 6th form when doing my A levels, only i never had to worry about mesh count as the technician always did that for me, but im now at college and am looking to extend my portfolio and doing my own screen printed t-shirts. I have also designed band T-shirts for my boyfriends band, only i am reluctant to print them as im confused on the type of mesh count to use. the designs are quite detailed and the highest mesh count i can find is 120. as my designs will be printed on to fabric do you reckon this will be a high enough count? i will also be using water based fabric inks. i would really appreciate it if you could give me any advice.
thanks.
Mesh count mostly depends on the print type & quality.
Hi,
I’m confused by a screen-manufacturing company that is using the following notations for mesh count:
24-140 white
36-100 white
43-80 white
48-70 white
61-64 white
77-48 white
90-48 yellow
100-40 yellow
120-34 yellow
140-34 yellow
150-34 yellow
165-34 yellow
if you could tell me which of these numbers is the ‘mesh count’ referred to in your article it would be really helpful. Also, what difference does white/yellow mesh make ?
I’m intending to screen print onto cotton garments using plastisol inks with medium detail, which of the above might be suitable for my purposes ?
Thanks in advance.
To be honest I’m not sure what the second number means- the smaller number could be a tension number. But you should be ok with a 100-140 white. But ask the manufacturer. Yellow would be fine as well but often is used for finer detail since the light while exposing bounces around a bit less with yellow.
Hi,
thanks for the rapid response ! I’ve mailed the company but of course it’s the weekend, you’ve helped me get my ducks on a row for when they do reply on monday
Having problems with gooping a 24 ct mesh screen. It keeps bubbling up on me.
Any ideas what I am doing wrong. It is my first glitter job.
You may need to increase the distance of your off set.
Hello and thank you for the informative post!
I’m going to be printing on felt and paper for the same project. I wanted a 185 mesh count screen, but the company only has 195. Do you think that little difference will be OK. Thank for letting me know your thoughts!
Brian
Depends mostly on your image and not the substrate. If you image has fine detail and you are not using an opaque pigment you should be fine.
It’s large 26×40 prints, without too much detail and no halftones. I’ll be using opaque red, navy and off white. On navy and off-white felt.
I wanted to be able to use the screens I buy for future projects with more detail. Maybe just more passes on the felt for this project?
thank you!
Ok, in that case it’s too high of a mesh count. Opaques need to have a very low mesh count because of the larger particle size. You will have tons of issues getting the ink through the screen and your prints will not turn out well. I would suggest less than 110- ideally an 80 mesh count or even a 96.
Hi,
I am fairly new to screen printing and have been using #110 white screens for most of my work with plastisol inks on mostly t-shirts and sweatshirts. The problem I am having is after buring my image I am having a hard time washing out my screens with smaller texts and finer lines. Should I use a higher mesh count screen. Any help would be appreciated.
Your exposure issue probably has less to do with the mesh count and more to do with the blackness of the fine lines. Mind you moving to a higher mesh count will improve the clarity of lines but if they arenot washing out it’s a problem with the shooting of the screen. Two things to pay attention to: the vacuum suction- if it is not great then light can bounce around and blur your lines or it can be that the lines are not black enough and since they are thin a bit of light is ruining the exposure. I find that my line lines need to be done with a real positive and not just a photocopy/ pen/ printout etc. Hope this helps.