What Paper Should I Use in my Flower Press?

As a professional flower preservation artist, one of the most common questions I get asked is about the paper and cardboard I use in my flower presses. It’s an important question to ask, as trying to press flowers using the wrong type of paper is likely to result in mouldy, wrinkled or poor quality pressings.

I use quality blotting paper for all of my flower pressing - it is brilliant at absorbing moisture from flowers. I’ve tried lots of different varieties - varying thicknesses, textures and sizes, and have now found the perfect paper to use. It’s A4 in size so fits perfectly inside the Meadow and Thyme flower press, it’s thick enough to quickly draw out moisture but not so thick that it won’t shape well around the flowers it is in contact with, and it only has a very light texture so it won’t leave unwanted marks on delicate petals. You can find packs of this excellent blotting paper in my webshop.

I pair my blotting paper with sheets of greyboard to build the layers within my flower presses. I’ve found greyboard to be the most reliable type of card to use - it is nice and rigid so it will really help to flatten your pressings, and it doesn’t have any ridges or patterns that might show through onto your pressed flowers.

You can reuse your blotting paper and greyboard many times, and compost it when it’s time to replace it. I must admit it’s quite a treat when I decide it’s time to use some new blotting paper - there’s something extra special about a brand new crisp sheet to place your flowers on!