If you’ve followed my blog for any amount of time, you know I’m a flower pressing fanatic! My original post on how to make pressed flower art is a reader favorite, so I decided to test other methods. I’ve learned a ton, and now I’m giving you the skinny on how to press flowers four different ways.
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I have fond memories of pressing flowers with my own mother as a child. It’s a tradition that strikes a sentimental chord with me. Do you feel that way too?
Pressed flowers after using microwave methodSince we’re limited on travel these days, I’ve selected flowers from our garden for this guide. You can experiment with any flowers or leaves you have on hand. (Why not use this as an excuse to buy a pretty bouquet?)
If you want to make a masterpiece, you need to start off with the right supplies. Picking the right flowers at the right time is very important for flower pressing.
Esperanza stem before pressingIf you’re interested in preserving the 3-D shape of flowers, check out my post on how to dry flowers.
Over the years, I’ve learned some flowers were born to be pressed, and some weren’t. I might have scorched a flower or two in my ambitious attempts to press them. Whoops!
The best flowers for pressing include ones with a single layer of petals and flat faces. I’ve used everything from flowering shrubs like plumbago to roses, vincas, pansies, Esperanza, zinnias, and delphinium.
For larger bulbs or spherical flowers like peonies or ranunculus, you may have better luck preserving the whole flower. You can do this through various drying methods or by separating the individual petals from the stems. For thicker flowers (like roses), you can also split the flower in half before pressing.
Note: Avoid using flowers with fleshy, water-rich petals (e.g., begonias, portulaca). They may be prone to mold or scorch when pressed.
Pressing flowers in a book is one of the oldest, tried-and-true methods. I’m quite fond of the technique if you have the time and patience to wait. (If you don’t, I’ve got a solution for you below.)
Note: For best results, avoid using paper towels. Paper with texture or embossing may leave an imprint on the flowers.
Before you begin, separate any petals if needed. Then, arrange your flowers on one sheet of parchment paper with at least 3/4-inch of space in between. Try to press flowers of similar varieties or thicknesses together.
Place the second piece of paper on top of the arranged flowers. Take care to flatten the flower face in the shape you’d like to achieve when pressed. I find it easiest to fold my sheet of parchment paper in half. Then, I can sandwich my flowers inside like a book rather than cutting two sheets of paper.
Next, close the book and set a weight on top. You can also pile on more heavy books or a brick, but you’ll want something heavy enough to create even pressure.
The drying time will depend on the thickness of the petals. I waited only 2.5 weeks for my flowers to dry in the photo above. They came out paper-thin and had great color retention! For thicker flowers, you may choose to wait closer to four weeks.
Some people suggest replacing the absorbent paper every three days or so. However, I didn’t find that necessary with parchment paper.
Once you’re done, I recommend using these nylon tweezers to handle your dried flowers. Book-pressed flowers can have very delicate structures, and you don’t want to tear your pretty specimen!
Much like the book-press method, a homemade or store-bought wooden flower press can give you fabulous results. (Plus, you can decorate a wooden press or customize it to match your style-BONUS!)
Drill a hole in each corner of the boards, about 1 inch from the edge. Make sure you match the size of your bolts and line up the holes on both boards.
Cut the cardboard to fit inside the plywood or MDF, working around the four holes where you will insert the bolts. Lay a piece of blotting paper on top of the cardboard, and arrange the flowers on top as desired.
Again, you will place the flower between two pieces of blotting paper. Then place a piece of cardboard on either side, followed by the wood or MDF.
Insert the bolts, and tighten the wingnuts until secure. Drying times will again depend on the thickness of the flowers used.
Compared to book pressing, the pressure is more evenly distributed with a wooden press. Plus, you don’t risk damaging any books.
Perhaps my favorite method of pressing flowers for framing is using a microwave. When you’re short on time, this is the ideal option for you!
I wrote extensively about how to use one of these in my post on DIY pressed flower art. Go visit that post for a detailed tutorial using my favorite press, the Microfleur Max.
Arranging flowers in Microfleur flower pressGet 10% off your entire order of Microfleur products with the code FIRSTDAYOFHOME. Click [HERE] to redeem. Limit one per customer.
You’ll want to arrange your flowers on the fabric liner in the shape you want to achieve in the end. Always try to group similar flowers together.
With most microwave presses, you’ll want to heat the flowers for one long initial “burst.” I typically start with 25 seconds.
Plumbago flowers after pressing in microwaveContinue to microwave your specimen in 10-second bursts until the flowers feel paper-thin. Always air out the plates in between bursts to prevent browning or scorching. If scorching occurs, you can always reorder refill packs. (Ask me how I know.)
Note: Using succulents or flowers with fleshy petals may cause scorching when microwaving.
Take care when you remove flowers, since petals may stick to the inner liner. It helps to stretch the fabric liner in opposite directions or use nylon tweezers to help release the flower.
You can also use a book in the microwave instead of a press. Just please make sure there are no metal accents on the cover that might create a fireworks show!
You can also apply heat to dry flowers using a household iron. I must admit, this is my least preferred method because I just don’t think the quality compares to the other methods. However, it’s a good one to have if you need pressed flowers ASAP and don’t have another microwave option.
I used parchment paper to sandwich the flowers and position them into place before ironing them. A good hard surface with a thin towel underneath also helps.
For a fun kids’ craft, use wax paper to create a “suncatcher” with the flowers preserved in between. The wax paper will seal itself around the flowers, and you can staple thick cardstock as a frame for display.
Turn off any steam settings, and iron the flowers for about 15-30 seconds at a time on low heat. Let the flowers cool briefly before attempting to press again.
Once the petals have partially dried out, you can choose to finish drying using the book or wooden press method above.
Results of pressing flowers with an ironAs you can see, the results of ironing don’t measure up to the other methods, in my opinion. The parchment paper tends to wrinkle, which causes ripples in the petals of the flowers as well.
Plumeria blossom before and after pressing with ironI decided to create a little chart for an easy comparison across the methods (nerd alert!).
The best technique to press flowers and keep the color and texture was the book method. The microwave flower press is a close second and definitely wins in terms of convenience. I would not suggest ironing unless you’re in a pinch or need some quick flowers for a kid’s craft.
If you want another method for preserving flowers, try drying flowers with silica gel. It’s the best way to maintain the texture of your blossoms.
Now that you know how to make pressed flowers, you can preserve flowers from any occasion. Consider preserving flowers from your wedding, vacation, or other life events. I’ve even had readers preserve flowers from a funeral to remember loved ones.
I have a tutorial on making wedding table numbers with pressed flowers if you need inspiration. Talk about gorgeous! For a home decor project, visit my article on making pressed flower wall art with a spray painting technique.
In upcoming posts, I’ll share some fun ideas for using dried flowers in everything from jewelry to shadow boxes. Stay tuned for more, my friends!
Learn how to press flowers with four different methods. Find out which flower pressing technique works best for your craft project!
from votes Print PinPrep Time
10
minutes
mins
Active Time
20
minutes
mins
Total Time
30
minutes
mins
Project Type
Floral
Cost (US$)
10
Yield
1
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Microfleur Max Press▢
BestNest Nature Press, 12″ x 18″▢
Fresh flowers
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Heavy Book
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Parchment paper or absorbent paper
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2
12×12-inch pieces of plywood or MDF
(or store-bought wooden flower press)
▢
Cardboard
(2 pieces cut to fit plywood/MDF)
▢
Parchment paper or blotting paper
▢
4
bolts and wingnuts
(if making DIY press)
▢
Microfleur Flower Press
▢
Tweezers
(optional)
▢
Standard iron
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Parchment paper or absorbent paper
Arrange flowers on parchment paper, and place another sheet of paper on top.
Close book and set a heavy object on top to apply pressure.
Wait 2-4 weeks for flowers to dry completely.
Drill four holes in the corners of the plywood/MDF, or use a store-bought wooden press.
Arrange flowers between two sheets of parchment paper and then two pieces of cardboard.
Sandwich the pressed flowers between the two pieces of wood/MDF. Then, tighten the bolts and nuts through the holes in each corner.
Wait 2-4 weeks for the flowers to dry completely.
Place flowers on the inner lining of the microwave flower press, and cover with the remaining lining and felt pieces.
Microwave the flowers for an initial "burst" of about 25 seconds or per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Open the press to release moisture before continuing to microwave in 10-second intervals. Release moisture in between bursts to prevent scorching and burning.
Gently peel flowers away from the fabric lining once flowers are completely dry.
Place flowers between two sheets of parchment paper or other absorbent paper.
Turn off any steam settings, and iron the flowers on low heat in 15-30 second intervals.
Let the flowers cool before continuing to press.
Each method has trade-offs between the time required and the quality of the finished pressed flowers.
The best method for preserving flowers and keeping texture and color is either the book press or DIY wooden press, followed closely by the microwave method.
Given the convenience and quality, microwaving is my preferred method of pressing flowers for craft projects, resin jewelry, and pressed flower art.
Tried this project?
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Even if you're a beginner at pressing flowers, this easy-to-follow tutorial will guide you through how to press flowers step-by-step. Pressing flowers is easy, and there are so many beautiful craft projects in which you can use them. From this beginner tutorial, you'll learn how to press flowers into a book, how to press large flowers, and how to turn pressed flowers into flower art, greeting cards, keepsakes of special occasions, and more!
If you've been following this blog for a while, you'll already know that I'm a big fan of flower pressing. Some of my favorite craft projects using pressed flowers include these paper lanterns and these glass jar lanterns. I also never get fed up with looking at the framed floral wall art I made with delicate meadow flowers either.
I get so many questions regarding my pressed flower projects that it occurred to me that I've never made a tutorial for pressing flowers. Well, in this post, you'll learn everything you need to know about pressing flowers at home.
Some of my fondest childhood memories involve crafting in some way or another. I'm so happy that my boys seem to have inherited a love for crafting too. When they were little, my boys and I spent hours crafting together at the kitchen table.
When they were asked to create a collection of herbarium sheets for a school project, my boys saw it as an adventure.
One Saturday, we loaded up the car with boots, some gardening gloves, secateurs, and buckets of water and headed out to marshes. Throughout the morning, we collected all sorts of wild flowers and the boys found no end of 'cool' creepy crawlies to observe! Back at home, we unpacked our 'treasures' and went straight to work pressing flowers to create the herbarium sheets. It was a great opportunity for me to teach them both the easiest way to press flowers for creative projects.
Now that my boys are older, I cherish those memories and I know that the bond we forged through creativity will never dissipate.
The tutorial I'm sharing today is the same tutorial that I used to teach my boys how to press flowers all those years ago. It worked for them and it will work for you too, as long as you follow the tips below for getting the best results. (Also see the FAQ at the end of this post for more information).
Before we start with the tutorial, there are a few tips to help you get the best results from your pressed flowers.
Always choose dry flowers for pressing. If you are picking fresh blooms from the garden, pick them on a sunny day after the morning dew has completely evaporated. If you try to press flowers whilst they are still wet, they may end up going moldy and will be useless for your project.
The easiest flowers to press are those with a single layer of petals. Love In A Mist, Pansies, Wild Roses, Violas, Calendula, and Daisies are all good choices. That doesn't mean that you are restricted to using just this type of flower. For this tutorial, I'm using some flower heads from a bouquet of fresh flowers from the grocery store together with some garden flowers.
Experiment and have fun. You'll soon learn which are the best flowers for pressing and which ones to avoid.
Tip: Sometimes even flowers with flat blooms and a single layer of petals will come apart after pressing. I recommend using a pair of tweezers to pick up and reconstruct the delicate flower petals for use in your craft project.
Thicker flowers with lots of layers of petals may need to be cut in half before pressing. Press both halves of the bloom separately and reconstruct it after the drying process is complete.
Because of their high water content and the thickness of the flowers, large flowers with fleshy petals are not suitable for pressing.
Keep flower stems in a vase of fresh water until you are ready to press them. Cutting the flower stems at an angle allows the flower to take up more water so that they will keep fresh before pressing. Remove any leaves and plant material below the water line to avoid the water becoming slimy.
Pressing flowers into a book is the absolute easiest way to press flowers. My boys used the book pressing method to press the flowers they collected for their herbarium projects and it worked like a dream.
Step 1: Cut flower heads to size with secateurs or scissors or trim flower stems to the length required. (Choose a book big enough to fit the length of the flower stem).
Cut flower stems to size reading for pressing into a bookStep 2: Open up a large book and place a piece of paper inside.
Step 3: Place each flower face down on the paper. Leave some space between the flowers to avoid them overlapping and sticking together.
Make sure flowers don't overlap when pressing them into a bookStep 4: Cover the flowers with another piece of paper.
Cover flowers with white paper ready for pressingTip: If you have more flowers to press, instead of continuing to add pieces of paper and flowers on the same page, I recommend leaving a few pages of the book in between layers.
Step 5: Once all of your flowers are between layers of paper, carefully close the book.
Step 6: Place the book in a warm dry place out of direct sunlight.
Step 7: Place a heavy item (or a stack of books) on top of the book.
Drying time will vary between two to three weeks. After they've been drying for a couple of weeks, check the pressed flowers to see whether they are dry enough. Depending on the water content of the flowers you've used, you might need to replace the paper although, I've never had to do that myself.
Once the flowers have completely dried out, they are ready to use for crafting.
Yes, but I don't recommend pressing flowers with an iron. I tried this method and found that the flowers tended to look squashed and bruised. If you are in a rush, pressing flowers with an iron first may speed up the drying process before pressing flowers in a book.
Step 1: Set the iron on medium heat (no steam).
Step 2: Place the flowers between two sheets of absorbent paper on a hard surface (tabletop ironing board).
Step 3: Gently press the iron on top of the upper sheet of paper at intervals of a few seconds. Do not move the iron back and forth as the flowers may get damaged.
Step 4: After pressing flowers with an iron, continue to the book method for pressing flowers.
Pressing flowers with an ironNow that you've learned how to press flowers into a book, let's take a look at some of the different methods of pressing flowers.
Pressing flowers in a wooden flower press is very similar to pressing them in a book. The difference is that instead of having to place a heavy object on top of the press, pressure is applied to flowers in a flower press using bolts and wing nuts.
You can easily make a flower press from left-over pieces of wood.
Step 1: Line up the wood and drill holes in each corner big enough for the bolt to go through.
Step 2: Cut pieces of cardboard and paper to fit the size of the wooden press. Don't forget to leave space for the bolt holes.
Step 3: Place a piece of cardboard onto the base of the press.
Step 4: Top the cardboard layer with a piece of paper.
Step 5: Place a second sheet of paper on top of the first.
Step 6: Continue adding cardboard and paper in layers until the wooden press is as thick as you want it to be.
Step 7: Finish with a cardboard layer.
Step 8: Push the bolts through the holes and tighten them with wing nuts.
Your homemade flower press is ready to be filled with a variety of flowers or leaves.
If you don't want to make a flower press yourself, you might consider getting a ready-made flower press kit. Flower presses are inexpensive to buy, come in all sorts of designs, and can even be personalized with your name.
Below, you can see some of my favorite flower press kits to buy. Flower presses also make great gifts for the crafty people in your life.
A note about the listed products: If you order a product from one of the partners via links on this page, I receive a small commission. I only recommend products that I have already used myself or have selected with care. You pay the same price whether you use my affiliate links or not. Please read my full disclosure here.
Turn on your JavaScript to view contentDid you know you can press flowers in a microwave oven? With the Microfleur Max, you can do just that. After adding your flowers to the Microfleur Max, place it in the microwave. With the oven on a low setting, microwave the flowers for a short length of time. Check the flowers and allow time for resting/airing in between short bursts of time in the microwave.
Turn on your JavaScript to view contentUsing a microwave press is a good method if you need pressed flowers in a rush. You'll know immediately how the flowers turn out and can quickly grab some more from the garden if you've accidentally 'overcooked' them.
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Tip: You can also use a book to press flowers in a microwave. For your safety, be sure to check that the book has no metal parts (check the spine) before using it in a microwave oven.
In my opinion, the best way to press flowers is the book method as hardly any supplies are needed plus the flowers retain their color nicely. The book pressing method is definitely the easiest way for beginners to press flowers.
A flower press also does a great job of pressing flowers, looks pretty and there's not much chance of losing your flowers or forgetting where they are!
Although I've never tried it myself, pressing flowers with a microwave looks like another simple way to press flowers. The only downsides are the price (If using the Microfleur Max) and the risk of scorching delicate flower petals. Alternatively, if you plan on making lots of projects with pressed flowers, the Microfleur Max would be a good investment. (Maybe you could add it to your Birthday/Christmas wish list).
Single-layer flowers (L) press better than thicker flowers (R)Pressing flowers is a beautiful way of preserving summer blooms. Some great craft projects you can make with pressed flowers include:
Paper lanterns
Framed floral wall art
Glass luminaries
Whether you're just looking to preserve your beautiful blooms or some flowers from a special occasion pressing flowers is easy and fun! There's no end to the craft projects you can make with your beautifully pressed flowers.
I hope you enjoyed learning how to press flowers with me today and hopefully I've inspired you to have a go at it yourself.
Have more questions? If they are not covered in the FAQ below, let me know in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them.
Plain white paper, craft paper or blotting paper are all good for pressing flowers into a book. Avoid absorbent paper towels as their perforated pattern transfers to the pressed flowers. Wax paper and parchment paper are not absorbent enough and may cause pressed flowers to become moldy. Tissue paper is too thin and may disintegrate during the drying process.
Can I press flowers directly into a book?Unless you are using an old book that you don't mind getting stained, I would not recommend pressing flowers directly into the pages of a book. Using sheets of absorbent paper to hold the flowers is a great way to avoid staining book pages.
How long do pressed flowers last?Pressed flowers will last a long time after pressing. I press the beautiful blooms from my garden as they come into flower to use in craft projects throughout the year. It's always a treat for me to come across pressed flowers that I'd forgotten all about.
How to store pressed flowersStore pressed flowers in a cool place in a folder (laid flat) or in a container placed on a flat surface.
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