Posted By TeckWrap Craft On August 21, 2022
Sublimation Temperature Chart
The beauty of sublimation printing is the availability of many sublimation blanks. Do you know what that means? You can custom–print on many kinds of products! This means more personalized gift ideas and more merchandise to sell to your loyal customers.
Before anything else, there’s one thing you need to know — the heat press settings of each sublimation blank differs. Their temperature, time, pressure and kind of heat press machine used differs. That’s what you’ll learn here today.
Save or print out this guide to have a reference to your future sublimation projects. In this guide, you’ll also get to learn about different sublimation blanks available and some nifty tips to remember during sublimation printing.
Sublimation Heat Press Settings: Time, Temperature and Pressure
| Product | Temperature Settings (in °C) | Sublimation Time | Pressure | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polyester fabric | 200 to 205 °C | 35 to 40 seconds | Medium pressure | Pre-press the shirt for 5 to 10 seconds before the actual printing of the sublimation design to eliminate moisture. |
| Ceramic sublimation mugs | 190 to 200 °C | 20 seconds | Medium to firm pressure | After pressing, do not remove the mug on the mug press machine. Let it cool and stay for one minute. |
| Ceramic sublimation plate | 190 to 200 °C | 60 seconds | Medium pressure | Make sure to remove plastic coating before pressing the design. |
| Sublimation tumbler (made of metal) | 160 to 170 °C | 25 seconds | Medium to firm pressure | Always use a thermal tape especially when printing on curved surfaces of the tumbler. |
| Sublimation umbrella | 190 to 195 °C | 45 seconds | Medium pressure | Make sure that the rib and rib tip of the umbrella does not come in contact with the heat as it is made of plastic and may melt. |
| Neoprene fabric (mouse pads, coasters, vapor foam kit) | 200 to 205 °C | 40 seconds | Medium pressure | Make sure to totally clean the heat press machine before printing. Any dirt or dust may leave unwanted print marks on the neoprene fabric. |
| Sublimation metals (Mobile phone covers, keyring, metal plates, trophy covers) | 190 to 200 °C | 60 seconds | Medium pressure | Place an absorbent sheet on the bottom of the heat press machine. |
| Sublimation face mask | 240 to 245 °C | 45 seconds | Medium pressure | Remove the inner cotton layer (if present) on the mask before pressing it. |
| Sublimation over heat transfer vinyl | 175 to 180 °C | 30 to 35 seconds | Medium pressure | Press the vinyl first on the fabric and let it cool before sublimating. |
| Canvas material | 185 to 190 °C | 40 seconds | Medium pressure | Pre-press the canvas material before sublimating the fabric. |
| Polyester cushion covers | 200-205 °C | 35 to 40 seconds | Medium pressure | When printing on polyester cushion covers, pre-press the fabric for 5 to 10 seconds just like pressing a shirt. |
Sublimation Printing Tips
- Avoid over-pressing or using too much heat to avoid the image to become blurry or dull. Use a calibrated heat press and use the correct pressure recommended for the product.
- The cardinal rule in the sublimation process is longer press time requires lower temperature and lighter pressure and shorter press time means higher temperatures and more firm pressure.
- Always use a thermal tape when pressing the design to keep the transfer paper from moving and the image from ‘ghosting’.
- Avoid the plate of the heat press machine from touching the sublimation paper and merchandise to avoid scorch marks. It is advisable to use a Teflon sheet over the merchandise when sublimating.
- Always check the manufacturer or product recommendation when it comes to time and temperature settings of the heat press machine.
- Heat presses should be clean and dry before use to avoid unwanted print transferred on the merchandise.
- You cannot sublimate on 100% cotton fabrics. You can print on 60% polyester and 40% cotton fabric and use a sublimation coating to spray on the merchandise before printing on it.
- Choose a sublimation paper that dries quickly and with a high transfer rate. You want sublimation prints to have vivid colors when transferred to a merchandise.
- Always pre-press fabrics for about 5 to 10 seconds before the actual printing. You want to remove the moisture from the fabric before printing so the print adheres well to the material.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Best Sublimation Transfer Paper?
One of the best and affordable sublimation transfer papers in the market now is from TeckWrap Craft. As compared to other sublimation transfer papers on the market, TeckWrap Craft's sublimation paper has a faster drying time plus a 98% transfer rate. You can order TeckWrap Craft’s sublimation paper at the site and have it shipped right to your doorstep. Make sure to check out the other high quality end products at TeckWrap Craft like heat transfer vinyl, adhesive craft vinyl, crafting tools and craft blanks.
