Screen Issues? Screen making is one of the most important parts of screen printing, but it’s also one of the easiest to mess up. Two longtime industry pros, Kevin Kauff and Dave Meekin, say they see the same problems over and over again when they visit print shops. Here are some common problems and solutions:

1. Most Screens Aren’t Exposed Long Enough

About 80% of shops underexpose their screens. Why? Printers worry that more exposure will wipe out fine detail. In reality, most shops could increase exposure time by 5–10% and get a much tougher stencil without losing detail.

If your screens:

• Get pinholes

• Break down early on press

• Have slimy “scum” during washout

• Are a nightmare to reclaim

…it’s probably underexposure.

Fix: Stop guessing. The solution starts with using a 21-step exposure calculator or step-wedge test rather than relying on social media recommendations, which cannot account for your specific light source, emulsion, and environment.

2. Coating Matters More Than You Think

Modern emulsions like to stick to themselves more than to mesh, so how you coat is critical.

Best practice:

• Coat at a steady speed (about 6 inches per second)

• Start on the shirt side of the screen to push air out

• Finish on the squeegee side to build the right stencil thickness

After coating:

• Dry screens flat, shirt side down

• Keep temps under 110°F

Making proper emulsion-over-mesh (EOM) thickness critical. (Measuring EOM is ideal) Standing screens up or blasting them with heat weakens the stencil before you ever print.

3. “Same Mesh Count” Does Not Mean Same Screen

A 230 mesh isn’t always a 230 mesh. The thread thickness matters, and many shops never specify it when ordering screens.

Different thread sizes change:

• Ink deposit

• How the emulsion lays down

• Print consistency

Also: tension matters—a lot.

• Get a tension meter (even if you don’t stretch screens yourself)

• Set a minimum standard (around 14 Newtons)

• Retire screens that drop below it

Inconsistent tension forces constant off-contact adjustments, leading to registration problems. Set a minimum threshold, and with certain processes like Digital Hybrid printing set an even tighter minimum, and replace screens that fall below it. You may have more than one minimum allowance depending the kind of printing you are doing – vector, halftone, special effect like HD, digital Hybrid.

4. Your Room and Your Film Can Ruin Everything

Humidity in the screen room should usually stay in the mid-40% to 50% range. Too much moisture weakens emulsions and throws exposure off. Keep wet processes separate from dry ones so conditions stay stable.

Film positives matter too:

• Vellum is often too light, forcing you to underexpose just to hold detail

• Halftones especially need dense, high-quality film or direct to screen

If you’re using a metal halide exposure unit, don’t forget: bulbs lose UV strength long before they burn out. You can be exposing “correctly” and still underexposing every screen.

Bottom Line

Screen printing isn’t about one magic setting, it’s a system. Emulsion, mesh, exposure, environment, and equipment all work together. Build a relationship with  your emulsion supplier (like Chromaline or Saati) instead of only trusting online advice. Matching the right products to your shop setup will save you time, money, and a lot of four-letter words in the reclaim booth.