# Screen printing onto cardboard! Anyone done this?



## purevinyl (Sep 13, 2011)

Hi guys

Has anyone printed onto cardboard? 

I've had a customer ask about printing their logo to cardboard boxes!

Anyone got any advice on this?

Can you just print using normal plastisol ink?

Thanks


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## ffokazak (Feb 23, 2006)

I have used acrylic, but yeah, whatever ink you want. 

I have printed plastisol onto paper, and ran it through the dryer the exact same as a t-shirt with great success. That is what I would do, fire the boxes through the conveyor. {Testing the results to make sure the heat doesn't warp the box, of course. } My project was for my brothers wedding invites. the result was perfect, with the plastisol taking a kind of glossy finish. 

Good luck!


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## purevinyl (Sep 13, 2011)

Brilliant thanks for you're very fast reply!

I'll have to give it ago, was wondering about the ink making the cardboard soggy?

Also anyone heard of printing onto plastic bags?

Thanks


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## professaurus (Feb 16, 2008)

just use water based ink for flatstock, they air dry


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## Unik Ink (Nov 21, 2006)

Yeah, we print waterbased ink on all of our boxes that customer shirts go out in.


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## ffokazak (Feb 23, 2006)

Yup Ive also printed on plastic bags, I used my vaccuum pallet, and some Gloss Vinyl ink. 
Another great result!

They were for those plastic mailers you see.


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## tpitman (Jul 30, 2007)

Use waterbased ink for boxes. Speedball acrylic inks are good for this if you don't stock waterbased inks for printing shirts. For plastic bags check with Nazdar for the proper ink. Might help to find out what kind of plastic it is. Plastisol won't stick to plastic bags.


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## Teestretcher (Sep 7, 2012)

Do you just let the water based ink air dry? or do you run the boxes through the dryer?


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## jsf (Aug 4, 2009)

Waterbase inks will dry instantly, no worries. Give it a GO!


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## tpitman (Jul 30, 2007)

The reason for heat-setting waterbased inks on t-shirts is primarily to make them wash-fast.


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## headfirst (Jun 29, 2011)

We've even done it with plastilsol in the past. Just get ink on it.


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