Screen printing ink cost calculator

What does the ink on one print actually cost? Put in what you pay for a gallon, how big the design is and how heavy you lay it down. You get cost per print, prints per gallon, and the ink a whole job needs. No signup.

Your numbers

Ink price per gallonwhat you pay for a gallon of this ink

$70

Design sizewidth × height of the print, in square inches

100 sq in

Ink coveragehow much of that area actually gets ink, per color

50%

Ink depositthickness laid down; measure your own if you can

3 mils

Colors (including underbase)each color is its own layer of ink

Pieces in the job

100

Ink wasteleft in screens, buckets and on the flood bar

20%

Ink cost per piece

$0.11

Prints per gallon (one color)

1,232

Ink for this job

$11.36

Gallons for the job

0.16 gal

Ink cost per color, per print

$0.06

The math: a gallon is 231 cubic inches. One print of one color puts down the design area × the share of it that gets ink × the deposit thickness. Waste is added back on top, because the ink left in screens and buckets was paid for too. The numbers start as examples; set them to your own ink and your own prints.

Know your costs on every quote

InkTracker builds quotes from your own price chart and live garment costs from S&S Activewear, SanMar and AS Colour, so the margin on every job is in front of you before you send it. Start a 14-day free trial.

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