Before you go any further, lets go back to technical part, silk screening. If you already decided to build an Online Clothing Line, the most important thing is the method of printing technique you want to use. There’s few type of printing techniques can be use, but the most economical technique is “silkscreen print“. It’s not practical for huge volume but it’s a good and most recommended method for beginner.

There’s a few step you must do before start printing the T shirt. Basically, things you’ll need to do before printing is measuring a T shirt size and preparing for a silkscreen frame. So here we are going to teach you how to make your first silk screen frame. It’s worth putting a bit of effort into this step, because a well-built frame will last a lifetime.


First, things you’ll need:

  • Brushes
  • Polyurethane Finishes
  • Wood : Pre-routered Framing Material Or Kiln-dried 2x2s
  • Wood Glues
  • 1-inch Wood Screws
  • C-clamps
  • Medium-grit Sandpaper
  • Miter Saws
  • Variable-speed Drills
Second, choose supplies.
  1. Decide how large your frame will be.
  2. Choose a type of frame. Your options, essentially, are two: framing wood that is pre-routered for stretching the silk screen (and often precut in standard sizes), and plain wood (2-by-2) that you buy at a hardware store or lumberyard. Option 1 is easier but more expensive.
  3. Buy your supplies.
Third, built frame from pre-routered wood.
  1. Cut wood to the desired size, unless it’s precut, using a mitre saw.
  2. Join pieces two at a time to form corners, using screws and wood glue.
  3. Allow to dry.

  4. Coat with polyurethane finish to seal and protect the wood.

Fourth, built a Frame from a scratch.

  1. Buy kiln-dried lumber (2-by-2). Eyeball it to choose the least-warped pieces.

  2. Cut to the desired length, using a mitre saw. If you’re an experienced carpenter, try lap-joint construction for greater stability.

  3. Join pieces two at a time to form corners, using screws and wood glue.
  4. Allow the frame to dry.
  5. Sand any sharp corners or edges to protect your fabric.
  6. Coat with polyurethane finish to seal and protect the wood.

That’s all, you just create your first Silk Screen Frame. But, if you not really clear on the steps above works, you can have a look at this beginner video below. Hopefully, this video will help you to get a clear picture of how to make a silk screen frame. All the Best! 🙂

Recommended products you should have a look:

The Complete Book of Silk Screen Printing Production
Printing by Hand:
A Modern Guide to Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens