# How long can a screen last?



## mouseinthehouse (Jan 5, 2010)

I'm intending to do up my designs first, then print the T shirts one by one as my orders slowly trickle in (if they do at all, fingers crossed!), so I need my screens to be able to last for a while. Typically how long can I expect my screens to last? Do the number of emulsion coats you apply make a difference? What should I do in order to preserve a screen for as long as possible?

Thanks in advance!


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## out da box (May 1, 2007)

A coated and properly exposed screen should last indefinently depending on how you clean the ink out after every print run. 10k prints?


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## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

This depends on several factors as emulsion deteriorates over use (squeegee blade wears down the emulsion). If this is a low detail design on a low mesh count, it can last a very long time. If the design has fine detail or halftones, something with high detail, you will see noticeable deterioration of the stencil. Even a high detailed stencil should last at least for 5k prints tho.

OutDaBox made a good point about cleaning, if you aren't careful you will deteriorate the stencil very easily while cleaning out the ink (too much friction, stop scrubbing so hard )


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## in2infinity (Dec 8, 2009)

I've seen screens with a million impressions. So they *can* last a long time.

As mentioned above, cleaning is very important. Also, make sure when you print that you don't have anything with hard edges in the area your squeege travels over. Doing t-shirts you shouldn't ... just make sure you're not pushing or pulling over the edge of the platen or anything like that. Any hard edges you drag over will wear through the emulsion much faster.


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