Quick answer
Press flowers in a wooden press like the Drewart Flower Press with Maple Leaf by layering flowers between blotting paper and cardboard, tightening the bolts evenly, and waiting 2–4 weeks for completely dry botanicals ready for crafts.
Choosing the right flowers to press
Not every flower presses well. Flat, single-petal blooms like daisies, pansies, and ferns give the best results. Thick, fleshy flowers like roses or succulents take much longer to dry and may rot or lose shape. Pick flowers on a dry day, after morning dew has evaporated, to reduce moisture from the start.
Why a dedicated flower press works better than books
A wooden flower press applies even, adjustable pressure through nuts and bolts. Books can warp, and you cannot tighten them as the flowers shrink. The Drewart press uses solid alder plates with corrugated cardboard ventilators and blotting paper layers, which wick moisture away and allow airflow. This setup speeds drying and reduces mold risk compared to a heavy book.
Step-by-step flower pressing tutorial
- Prepare your materials: Open the flower press and separate the layers: bottom plate, a piece of cardboard, a sheet of blotting paper, then your flowers. Have extra blotting paper and cardboard ready for multiple layers. Check that blotting paper is clean and dry before use; old paper may transfer stains to your flowers.
- Arrange flowers on the blotting paper: Place flowers face-down or face-up depending on the final look. Leave at least 1/2 inch between each flower so they do not overlap. Gently flatten petals with your fingers, but do not press so hard that they tear. Overlapping flowers can stick together and ruin both specimens; spacing is critical.
- Layer and close the press: Place another sheet of blotting paper on top, then cardboard, then repeat for additional layers. Close the top plate and hand-tighten the four wooden nuts evenly—tighten each a little at a time in a star pattern. Tightening one nut fully before the others can warp the press or create uneven pressure.
- Tighten after 24 hours: After the first day, the flowers will have lost some moisture and shrunk. Re-tighten the nuts evenly. This step is often forgotten but prevents loose petals and wrinkled results. Skipping the re-tightening step is the most common cause of curled or misshapen pressed flowers.
- Wait 2–4 weeks, then check dryness: Leave the press closed in a warm, dry room away from direct sunlight. After two weeks, open a layer and test a flower: if it feels papery and bends without cracking, it is ready. Thicker flowers may need four weeks. Opening the press too early lets in humid air and can cause mold; be patient.
Our recommendation for pressing
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Drewart Flower Press with Maple Leaf: This Drewart wooden flower press is made from beautiful solid alder plates, inside which are layers of corrugated cardboard ventilators and blotting paper. Held together with four wooden nuts and bolts, pressure is applied evenly by turning the large wooden nuts on top of the press as the plants dry. The adjustable bolts let you increase pressure gradually as flowers shrink, preventing them from curling or losing shape during drying.
Drewart Flower Press with Maple Leaf