Stack of folded blank T-shirts in gray, black, navy, red, green and white

How to Start a Screen Printing Business From Your Garage

ByGarage Business Blueprint

Screen printing is one of the most practical maker businesses you can run from a garage. Local teams, schools, small businesses and event organizers all need shirts, and many prefer a nearby printer.

What the Work Involves

Each color in a design gets its own mesh screen. You coat the screen with light-sensitive emulsion, expose your artwork onto it, wash out the image, then push ink through onto the shirt with a squeegee. The ink is then cured with heat so it survives the wash.

Between jobs, you reclaim screens by stripping the old emulsion so they can be reused.

Equipment and Realistic Costs

Starter packages bundle most of what you need. As of October 2026, ScreenPrinting.com lists its Riley Hopkins 250+ Enhanced kit at $3,599.95. It includes a four-color, two-station press, a 16-by-16-inch flash dryer, an LED exposure unit, screens, plastisol inks, emulsion and cleanup chemicals.

A flash dryer partially cures ink between colors and can handle small runs. For larger orders, a conveyor dryer cures shirts more consistently. Lawson lists its compact Kick-Start infrared conveyor dryer at $2,400 plus shipping, and it runs on a standard 120-volt household-style outlet.

When choosing ink, plastisol is the easier place to start. According to ScreenPrinting.com, it needs roughly 300–330°F to cure and won’t dry in the screen. Water-based ink gives a softer feel but can clog mesh if left out, and it needs more dryer capacity.

Space, Ventilation and Safety

  • Plan zones for printing, a dim area for coating screens and a washout spot with water.
  • Ventilate well, and read the safety data sheet (SDS) for every emulsion, cleaner and solvent you buy. Wear gloves and eye protection when reclaiming screens.
  • Flash dryers and conveyor dryers get very hot. Keep them clear of rags, cardboard and solvents, and never leave them running unattended.
  • Solvent-soaked rags may need a flammable-waste container. Don’t pour ink or sludge down the drain; filter out the solids instead.

Under EPA rules, a business producing 100 kilograms or less of hazardous waste a month counts as a very small quantity generator. It still has to identify that waste and send it to an authorized handler. State and local rules can differ, so check with your state environmental agency and your sewer or septic authority. Zoning and home-occupation rules also vary, so confirm them with your city or county.

Pricing Your Jobs

A pricing guide from Printavo suggests building each quote from several pieces: the blank garment plus a markup, a print fee that climbs with the number of colors, and setup costs for artwork and screens. Listing setup separately shows customers why small orders cost more per shirt.

Charge extra for flashing and additional print locations, and set an order minimum that covers your setup time.

Common Mistakes

  • Mixing up markup and margin. A 50% markup is only about a 33% margin.
  • Copying competitors’ prices instead of pricing from your own costs.
  • Underestimating cleanup time, waste handling and how much power your dryers draw.
  • Buying a big press before you’ve landed steady local customers.

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