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Emulsion & exposure · 3 of 7 · 1 min read

Drying screens and the darkroom

Humidity decides how long coated screens take to dry. ScreenPrinting.com says about 30 minutes or less at around 80°F and 30% humidity with airflow, but 24–48 hours (or never fully dry) at 60%+ humidity with little airflow. Chromaline suggests 60–80°F and 30–40% relative humidity for screen-making.

A home darkroom can work in a closet, bathroom or garage if you cover humidity control, air circulation, screen storage and light-safe lighting: for example a dehumidifier, a screen rack, fans and a hygrometer, plus access to a washout sink or booth (ScreenPrinting.com).

Sources for this guide (22)
  1. Davis International, Emulsions
  2. Vastex, Emulsion information
  3. Dalesway, Screen printing emulsion
  4. Murakami, Emulsion coating tips (PDF)
  5. Murakami, Successful emulsion coating
  6. Ulano, QT-750 tech data sheet
  7. Screen Printing Magazine, Stencilmaking in the age of CTS
  8. Screen Printing Magazine, An update on UV LED screen exposure (2014)
  9. ScreenPrinting.com, Compression vs. vacuum exposure units
  10. Printavo, Exposure calculator
  11. ScreenPrintingNow, How to use an exposure calculator
  12. ScreenPrinting.com, 4 steps to consistently reclaim screens
  13. Chromaline, Causes of pinholes during screen making
  14. Chromaline, Underexposed screen tech tip (PDF)
  15. Chromaline, 10 common reasons for stencil breakdown on press
  16. ScreenPrinting.com Help, How do I figure out exposure times?
  17. ScreenPrinting.com Help, Over- vs. under-exposure
  18. ScreenPrinting.com Help, Which emulsion should I use?
  19. ScreenPrinting.com Help, How long do screens need to dry?
  20. ScreenPrinting.com Help, Making a darkroom at home
  21. ScreenPrinting.com Help, Do I need a pressure washer?
  22. ScreenPrinting.com Help, How do you reclaim screens?

Ranges are starting points from these sources. When a source and your ink’s tech data sheet disagree, follow the tech data sheet.