How to Press Flowers: A Beginner's Guide That Actually Works

Most flower pressing guides tell you to put a flower in a book and wait.

That works, sometimes. It also produces brown petals, wavy book pages, and the occasional patch of mould that makes you give up on the whole idea. We have made every one of those mistakes, usually more than once.

This guide is the version we wish we had started with. Same simple method, but with the small details that decide whether you end up with a keepsake or a compost heap.

What you need

You do not need much, and you almost certainly have most of it already.

• Fresh flowers. Picked today if possible, ideally late morning once the dew has dried.
• Scissors or secateurs.
• A heavy book. A phone directory, an old encyclopedia, anything thick and flat that you do not mind putting weight on.
• Blotting paper. This is the one thing most guides skip, and it is the single biggest difference between flowers that press beautifully and flowers that go brown. More on why in a moment.
• A little patience. Two to three weeks for most flowers.

Why blotting paper matters more than the book

Pressing is not really about pressure. It is about moisture removal.

A flower is mostly water. Flatten it and that water has to go somewhere. If it has nowhere to go it sits against the petals, and that is what causes browning, translucent patches and mould.

Ordinary book pages absorb a little, which is why the book method half works. But book paper is slow, it warps as it takes on that moisture, and printing ink can transfer onto damp petals. Kitchen roll is worse: the quilted pattern embosses itself into your flowers permanently.

Blotting paper is unsized, thick and highly absorbent. It pulls moisture away fast, holds it, and leaves no texture behind. It is also the cheapest upgrade in this entire hobby.

If you change one thing about how you were taught to press flowers in a book, make it this.

Step 1: Choose flowers that want to be pressed

Some flowers are naturally suited to this and some will fight you.

Easy for beginners: pansies, violas, daisies, cosmos, larkspur, ferns, buttercups, forget-me-nots. Anything naturally flat with a single layer of petals. There is a fuller list in our guide to the easiest flowers to press.

Harder: roses, peonies, ranunculus, carnations. Thick, layered, full of moisture. Not impossible, just not where you should start. For roses, press petal by petal rather than whole. For anything chunky, see how to press big, thick flowers.

Skip anything wilting, bruised or browning at the edges. Pressing preserves what is there, it does not improve it. A tired flower becomes a tired pressed flower.

Step 2: Prepare them

Trim the stem to the length you want. Remove excess leaves and anything damaged.

If the flower is bulky at the back, snip the base flat so it sits properly. For anything thicker than about a centimetre, consider slicing it in half vertically and pressing one side.

If the flowers are damp from rain or watering, let them air dry for an hour first. Wet flowers are the fastest route to mould.

Step 3: Build the layers

Here is the order, from bottom to top:

1. Open your book roughly in the middle
2. One sheet of blotting paper
3. Your flowers, face down, not touching each other
4. Another sheet of blotting paper
5. Close the book

Space matters. Overlapping petals stick together and dry unevenly. Give each flower room to breathe.

Then add weight on top. More books, a brick, anything heavy and evenly distributed.

Step 4: Change the paper

This is the step almost nobody mentions, and it is the one that saves your flowers.

After 24 hours, replace the blotting paper. The first day is when the flower releases most of its moisture, and that paper is now damp. Leave it in place and you are effectively storing your flower in a wet environment for the next three weeks.

Swap it again after another two or three days, then roughly weekly.

This is why blotting paper is worth buying properly rather than improvising. You will go through several sheets per batch, and dry paper is doing the actual work.

Step 5: Wait

Two to three weeks for most flowers. Thicker blooms can take four. We go into the timings properly in how long it takes to press flowers.

Resist checking constantly. Every time you open the press you interrupt the flattening. Once a week when you change the paper is plenty.

You will know they are ready when they feel papery and slightly stiff, and no longer cool to the touch. Cool means moisture is still present.

Common problems and what causes them

Brown petals. Moisture stayed too long. Change paper sooner and more often. Some flowers, especially white ones, will always darken slightly. That is normal, and there is more on it in why pressed flowers turn brown.

Mould. Too much moisture, too little airflow, or flowers that were damp when they went in. Discard affected flowers so it does not spread, and start again with dry blooms and fresh paper.

Wavy, wrinkled petals. Not enough even weight, or the flowers shifted. Keep the stack flat and undisturbed.

Faint printed text on the petals. Ink transfer from book pages. This is permanent. Blotting paper prevents it entirely.

Flowers stuck to the paper. Usually a sign they were pressed slightly damp. Peel gently with tweezers, or slide a thin knife underneath.

You will notice that most of these come back to the same thing: moisture, and what you are using to manage it.

When a book is no longer enough

The book method is a genuinely good place to start, and plenty of people never need anything else. But it has real limits, and you will meet them eventually.

• Capacity. A book holds a handful of flowers. A press holds dozens in layers.
• Even pressure. Books press hardest at the spine and least at the edges. A press with tightening bolts applies the same pressure everywhere.
• Your books. Pages warp and stain. Once it happens, it does not undo.
• Changing paper. In a book it means dismantling everything. In a press you loosen the bolts, swap the sheets, tighten again.
• Speed. Better airflow and firmer, more even pressure mean faster results.

If you are pressing occasionally for fun, a book and good paper will serve you well. If you are pressing flowers from a wedding, a funeral, a first bouquet or anything you cannot replace, use a press. You do not get a second attempt at those.

Storing and using your pressed flowers

Keep finished flowers flat, dry and out of direct sunlight. Sunlight fades them faster than anything else. Between sheets of paper in a closed box works well.

Then: framed art, cards, bookmarks, candles, resin, journals, gift tags. Or simply keep them, which is reason enough.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to press flowers?
Two to three weeks for most, up to four for thicker blooms. Changing the paper regularly speeds it up.

Can I use a microwave or an iron?
You can, and it takes minutes rather than weeks. Colours tend to be less true and petals more brittle. Fine for a quick craft, not for anything you want to keep.

Can I reuse blotting paper?
Yes. Let it dry out fully and it is good for several rounds. Replace it once it is stained or feels limp rather than crisp.

Why did my white flowers turn brown?
White petals show moisture damage most. Press quickly, change paper often, and accept a little ivory tone as part of the charm.

Do I need a flower press to start?
No. A book and blotting paper will get you going today. Move to a press when you want more capacity or you are pressing something irreplaceable.

Where to go next

Start with the paper. It is the cheapest change and it makes the biggest difference, whether you are using a book or a press.

• A4 Flower Press Paper is the one to buy for book pressing.
• Lilabelle, the extra large press when you are pressing bouquets or big blooms.
• Blotting paper refills once you are pressing regularly, because dry paper is what does the work.

Happy pressing. Tag us at @berstukstore, we love seeing what people make.