How to Screen Print a Tent Canopy
For the avid camper, a tent is a home away from home. Just like you may consider repainting your house in a color suited to your personality, you can screen print your tent canopy to reflect your own style and taste or to set your tent apart from the rest of the campground. You could screen print your name or an image, or create a design to cover the whole canopy.
Things You'll Need
- Screen for printing Cardboard Emulsion fluid with sensitizer Piece of glass (smaller than your screen) Old sheets or tarps Printing ink Squeegie Hair dryer
Instructions
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Plan your design. Draw your design onto thick, durable cardboard (such as the back piece of a notebook) and cut it out.
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Mix the emulsion with the sensitizer according to manufacturer's instructions. Spread the emulsion on both sides of your screen as thin and evenly as possible. Place the screen in a dark place until dry.
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Place your cardboard cutouts on your screen near the middle, reversed from how you want them to appear. Put a piece of glass over your cutouts and put the whole screen in the sun until the emulsion hardens.
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Remove the glass and cardboard cutouts. Rinse your screen under water until the area of your design is free from emulsion. For best results use a hose with a high-pressure nozzle.
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Lay your tent canopy on some old sheets or a tarp and cover the rest of your tent to protect it from ink splatters. Make sure the canopy is flat and free of wrinkles. Place your screen on your canopy and make sure it is in the position you want.
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Pour a bit of printing ink on the screen and use your squeegie to pull it over the screen, making sure the screen does not move. (Have someone else hold the screen still for best results.) If your tent is nylon, you will have to mix Nylabond or similar additive designed to help the ink adhere to nylon.
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Remove the screen. Use a hair dryer on a low setting to dry the ink. Make sure the ink is completely dry and cool before you try to move it.
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Tips & Warnings
Wash your screens with a photo emulsion remover immediately after use so you can use them again.
Be careful when handling emulsion. Wear rubber gloves and safety goggles when handling.
