How Weather Effects Screen Printing Ink

Screen printers who have their own shops have probably learned the hard way when dealing with screen printing ink and the climate in which they live. Properly storing your inks for winter and summer, based upon your location is crucial to prolonging the life of your inks.

In winter, water-based inks and emulsions can freeze since they have a high water content. It's best to keep these inks above ground, and in insulated rooms. The screen printing ink shouldn't get too cold since that will change up the viscosity, which will then make it much harder to print.

We suggest ordering a 3 month supply of all of your screen printing ink before winter. If that isn't an option for you then the best time to order a product, when you have to worry about weather, is on a Monday since the product will constantly be transit.

In the summer, store all screen printing ink in a cool area away from direct sunlight. Any excessive heat, about 180 to 240 degrees, can start the gelling process and make your silk screening inks thick and hard to print. Always get in the habit of mixing the inks before printing to help break down any false body that has occurred due to heat.

When dealing with heat there is usually humidity too. 100% cotton textiles will hold more moisture; more so then 50/50 blends of nylon. It's advised to dry 100% cotton textiles at a higher temperature. You will want your screen printing garment to reach 212 degrees Fahrenheit before the curing process can start. When drying your garments they will release moisture, so it is best to load up your dryer with test prints to test what cure temperature you should be using depending on the conditions of the day that you are printing.

Some people have problems with under curing in the summer due to them blasting the air conditioning, or due to the placement of their conveyor dryer. You want your conveyer dryer to not be in direct contact with drafts from windows, vents, fans, etc. These factors can cool down your dryer leaving you with a cooler dryer temperature then needed to ensure a solid cure.

If you have a question about your inks, or the printing process call us at 818-718-0888.