Heat press temperature and time guide

Pick your transfer and the material you’re pressing onto, and the calculator gives you the temperature, time, pressure and peel to start from.

What the result means

The calculator shows five values. Temperature appears in Fahrenheit and Celsius, because most vinyl instructions are written in Fahrenheit and many presses can switch their display to Celsius.

Time is the press time after a short prepress. Pressure is light, medium or firm. Peel tells you when to pull the carrier sheet or paper: hot (right away), warm (a few seconds later, when you can hold a hand on it) or cold (once it’s fully cooled).

Every result also carries a reminder to check the instruction sheet for your exact product. Two glitter vinyls from different brands can need different settings, and the sheet in the box always wins over a general chart, including this one. Treat the numbers here as the starting point for a test press.

Heat press settings chart

These are the starting settings the calculator uses. Each one comes from a named product’s published instructions, listed under the table with a link and the date it was last checked.

Transfer	Material	Temperature	Time	Pressure	Peel
HTV (Siser EasyWeed)	Cotton, polyester, blends	305°F / 152°C	10 to 15 s	Medium	Hot or cold
Glitter HTV (Siser Glitter)	Cotton, polyester, blends	320°F / 160°C	15 to 20 s	Medium	Warm
Sublimation (Sawgrass)	Polyester fabric	400°F / 205°C	45 s	Medium	Hot (check your paper)
Sublimation (Sawgrass)	MDF board	400°F / 205°C	60 s	Medium	Hot (check your paper)
Infusible Ink	Polyester or Infusible Ink compatible blanks	385°F / 196°C	40 s	Not given; don’t move the press	Cold
DTF (Ricoma)	Cotton, 50/50 blends	320 to 350°F / 160 to 177°C	10 to 15 s	Firm (6 to 7 on Ricoma’s scale)	Cold
DTF (Ricoma)	Polyester	280 to 300°F / 138 to 149°C	10 to 15 s	Firm (6 to 7 on Ricoma’s scale)	Cold

The Celsius values for Siser and Infusible Ink are conversions from the Fahrenheit numbers on the sheets, rounded to the nearest degree.

Combinations the calculator won’t give you a number for

Some pairs in the drop-downs return a warning instead of settings, because the transfer doesn’t bond to that material.

Sublimation and Infusible Ink both need polyester or a polyester coating. The ink turns to gas under heat and bonds with polyester fibers. On 100 percent cotton it washes out, and on a cotton blend the color comes out faded in proportion to the cotton content. Both also need white or light fabric, because they’re transparent inks and don’t cover a dark background.

Regular HTV and DTF on raw wood aren’t listed by any of the manufacturers above. For wood signs, use adhesive vinyl, or buy sublimation blanks with a polyester coating (Sawgrass gives MDF its own setting).

Canvas totes are cotton, so the calculator uses the cotton settings for HTV and DTF on canvas. Canvas is thicker than a t-shirt and holds more moisture, so give it a longer prepress, around 5 to 10 seconds, and press on a flat surface with the handle seams off the edge of the platen.

Worked example: one hoodie, two transfers

A customer orders a 50/50 hoodie with a full color DTF logo on the front and their name in glitter HTV across the back.

Front first. Choose DTF and Blend. The calculator returns 320 to 350°F (160 to 177°C), 10 to 15 seconds, firm pressure, cold peel. Ricoma’s sheet adds a 10 second prepress before the transfer and a 10 to 15 second cure press after peeling. Start at the low end, 320°F for 12 seconds, and raise it only if the film lifts at the edges when you peel. A first try at the low end won’t scorch the fleece. Let it cool completely before you peel.

Then the back. Choose Glitter HTV and Blend. The calculator returns 320°F (160°C), 15 to 20 seconds, medium pressure, warm peel. You don’t have to change the temperature between the two presses, only the time and the pressure.

Slide a pressing pillow inside the hoodie under the back panel, so the platen sits flat on the name instead of riding on the hood seam and the front logo. Peel the glitter carrier while it’s still warm. A carrier left to cool fully can pull the fine edges of glitter letters with it.

Settings for an EasyPress or other handheld press

A clamshell or swing-away press has a pressure knob. A handheld press like the Cricut EasyPress has none, so pressure comes from your hands. Medium means steady pressure with both hands. Firm means leaning some body weight into it, on a table at hip height so you can push down without straining.

Use the same temperature and time from the chart, then move the press as little as possible during the press. Sliding it smears glitter vinyl and blurs Infusible Ink. Press on a firm, heat resistant mat, never on an ironing board, which flexes and leaves weak spots.

When Cricut’s Heat Guide lists your exact blank and material, use its number for an EasyPress. It accounts for the plate size and the way that press heats, which this general chart can’t.

Why your press might not match the dial

Budget presses often run hotter or cooler than the display shows, and the platen is often hotter in the middle than at the edges. If a design lifts at the corners or scorches in the center, check the platen with an infrared thermometer or temperature test strips before you change the time. Fix the temperature first, then adjust the time.

Shirts also hold water. A 2 to 3 second prepress, which both Siser sheets call for, drives out moisture and flattens wrinkles so the vinyl presses evenly. Skip it and steam can lift the edges of a decal.

Printable heat press chart

The table above is also available as a one page PDF for Letter and A4 paper, set in black on white with thin lines and no filled cells, so it costs next to nothing in ink. Print it and pin it next to the press.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should I use for HTV?

Siser EasyWeed is applied at 305°F (152°C) for 10 to 15 seconds with medium pressure. Glitter HTV from Siser runs hotter, at 320°F (160°C) for 15 to 20 seconds. Other brands differ, so check the sheet for your vinyl.

What are good EasyPress settings for a cotton shirt with HTV?

Start with the vinyl maker’s number, 305°F for Siser EasyWeed, and press 10 to 15 seconds with firm two-handed pressure on a hard surface. If the Cricut Heat Guide lists your exact vinyl, use its setting.

Can I sublimate on a cotton shirt?

Not with standard sublimation ink. The ink bonds with polyester fibers and washes out of cotton. Use a high polyester shirt in a light color, or switch to DTF or HTV for cotton.

Do I peel HTV hot or cold?

It depends on the vinyl. Siser EasyWeed can be peeled hot or cold, Siser Glitter should be peeled warm, and most DTF films peel cold. The carrier sheet or the instructions will tell you, and the calculator shows the peel for each combination.

What temperature is DTF pressed at?

Ricoma gives 320 to 350°F (160 to 177°C) for cotton and 50/50 blends and 280 to 300°F (138 to 149°C) for polyester, 10 to 15 seconds, cold peel. DTF films from other suppliers can use hot or warm peel, so follow the sheet that comes with your transfers.

Why is my vinyl peeling off after washing?

The usual causes are a temperature lower than the press display shows, too little pressure, or a skipped prepress that left moisture in the fabric. Re-press the design for 5 to 10 seconds under a cover sheet, and give it a day before the first wash.

More calculators for vinyl and sublimation projects are in the craft tools section.