Home › Screen Printing › Silk Screen Stencils: Types, Supplies & Which to Use
| Stencil type | Detail | Durability | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo emulsion (direct emulsion) | Very fine lines and halftones | Thousands of prints; reclaimable | T-shirt shops, any production work |
| Capillary film | Fine, very even edge | Long runs | Shops wanting a consistent stencil thickness |
| Adhesive vinyl (Cricut / cutter) | Simple shapes and bold text | A few dozen prints | Hobby and one-off projects |
| Hand-cut paper or film | Bold shapes only | A handful of prints | Art projects, kids, quick tests |
| Drawing fluid / screen filler | Hand-painted, loose look | Short runs | Fine art printmaking |
Full walkthrough with pictures of each step: how to make a screen for screen printing.
Yes. Cut the design from adhesive vinyl, weed it, and stick it to the underside of the mesh so the open areas are your design. Tape the edges and print with plastisol as normal. It is a cheap way to try screen printing, but vinyl edges are rougher than emulsion, fine lines lift, and the stencil wears out after a few dozen prints. For anything you will reprint, switch to photo emulsion — a screen printing kit has what you need.
Bold designs and thick inks print through low mesh (around 110); fine detail and halftones need higher mesh (around 156–230). Our mesh count chart lists mesh by job, and we stock pre-stretched aluminum screens in 20" x 24", 20" x 28" and 23" x 31".
Photo emulsion stencils are removed with emulsion remover so the screen can be used again — see how to clean and reclaim screens and our screen printing chemicals.
Prices are today's web prices. Product names and types are from the makers as shown on our product pages. We sell stencil supplies; we do not burn screens for customers.
It is the layer on the screen mesh that blocks ink everywhere except the design. Most are made with photo emulsion exposed through a film positive.
Photo emulsion. It holds fine detail, stands up to plastisol for thousands of prints, and the screen can be reclaimed and reused.
Yes, cut adhesive vinyl and apply it to the underside of the mesh. It works for simple designs and short runs; emulsion is better for detail and reprints.
Screen, degreaser, emulsion, a scoop coater, film positives, an exposure light or unit, water for washout, and blockout or tape for touch-ups.
A fully exposed emulsion stencil can print thousands of shirts. Vinyl and paper stencils last from a handful to a few dozen prints.
Buckets of Ink in Tempe, AZ stocks Ulano emulsions, waterproof inkjet film, exposure guides, blockout and screens for pickup or shipping. Call 480-229-7806.
Related guides: How to make a screen · Exposure time · Emulsion guide · Screen printing kits · T-shirt screen printing
