Welcome to an article that will help you make your own flower press from two old cork-backed placemats ~ although you can use these instructions with any boards/ply that is cut to size.
Dried, pressed flowers and herbs can be used in a variety of crafts, and as this is such an easy make, why not create your own pretty flower press?
It’s a simple make but one that will last you forever.
Notes
I’ve also given additional instructions for preparing the boards for painting, should you wish to customise your press once complete (as I have done in some of the images). However, by using a placemat with an existing image, it will still look good.
You will need a sturdy surface on which to make the press, as you need to both drill and hammer. A solid or portable workbench with clamps is ideal. However, you can still make this at home if you have a strong working surface that will survive being pummelled with a hammer. Better if you have some scrap wood over which you can drill holes without damaging any surface.
Please do go on to read the hints and tips on this accompanying article on how to use a press and dry pressing plants.
Equipment and materials
- Two cork-backed placemats, typically 29 cm x 21.5 cm (or two 4 – 8mm depth boards, cut to a similar size)
- Cardboard or an old cardboard box – enough to cut out six pieces of card using one of your placemats as a template
- 4 carriage bolts (M6) and wing nuts – 6mm thread x 65mm bolt length is ideal (and what I have used)
- 8 washers to fit the carriage bolts (and wide enough to cover the drilled hole, as this will depend on the drill bit size used)
- Cutting mat or other surface protector
- Sharp craft blade
- Straight edge
- Pen/pencil
- Centrepunch (or a large nail) and hammer
- Half moon cutter (if you have one – this is not essential but will give you the same results as my example)
- Drill and 8 or 9mm wood drill bit
- Sanding block or medium sand paper (about 120 grit)
- Clamps, if possible (though I did test that you can handhold the placemats as you are drilling, as they are simple and quick to drill through)
- Scrap piece of wood (to use as drill guard)
Additional equipment if painting the boards:
- White primer aerosol paint
- Paints or permanent markers of your choice
- Matt clear aerosol varnish
Additional materials for use
- Blotting paper or alternative – please see the guide on Using a flower press for a run down of materials and suggestions
Method
- First of all, cut out the six cardboard inners, using one of the placemats as a template. Draw an outline round the placemat onto the cardboard and cut out with your craft knife. Now use this first one as a template for all the others: draw round it, cut out and repeat until you have six pieces
- Next, mark where the drill points will be on each placemat: at each corner measure in 2 cm in from both edges and make a mark with your pen or pencil (you can cut a 2 cm x 2 cm square of card and use this as a guide if you wish)
- Put a placemat cork-side down on a robust surface, such as a concrete floor, over a table leg (protecting the table first) or a workbech. Place the centrepunch (or the large nail) on one of your corner marks and hit the centrepunch with the hammer. This will make a guide indentation for your drill, to stop the drill from slipping. Repeat until all eight marks have been punched (four at each corner of both placemats)
- Put a placemat cork-side down on the scrap piece of wood (if using). Position one of the punched marks over your scrap piece of wood and overhang the work surface (so you drill through into thin air, not your table!). Clamp down if possible
- Position the tip of the drill bit into the punched mark, and drill through the placemat right into the scrap wood. By using some scrap wood underneath you minimise tearing of the cork (though some may still happen – don’t worry this won’t affect the press’ use – see the next point)
- Drill all eight holes and then sand off any burrs and rough edges. (If the cork has ripped or torn at all during drilling, don’t worry! Just trim off the ripped edges with your craft knife and sand down. It won’t affect the press at all if some cork has been shorn off as this is outside the actually pressing area)
- Place a washer on each of the four carriage bolts and push them through the holes of one placemat – make sure the picture side of the placemat has the bolt heads (and the cork is “inside” the press)
- Now slice off a triangle on the corners of all six cardboard pieces. Just cut enough so they can fit in the press (if you have a half moon punch, as I have used, you can do this instead)
- Place all six cardboard pieces in the press and put the second placemat on top, feeding the carriage bots through the holes on this placemat. Keep the picture side upwards, so the cork is inside
- Pop the remaining washers on the bolts, then screw on the four wingnuts
Your press is now ready!! However, you can customise/paint the placemats. To do this:
- take off the boards from the press
- sand down the picture side of the placemat
- wipe off any dust and spray with the white primer (remember to do this in a well ventilated area)
- paint, draw, decoupage or decorate the placemat as you see fit
- once dry reassemble the press
To use (briefly)
- Sandwich plants, leaves and flowers between two pieces of blotting material (see advice here) within each layer of the press
- You can utilise up to seven layers for pressing plants, so you can do as little or as much as you like at the same time. You have two layers that are cork and cardboard, and five spaces between the cardboard laters (remember to use two blotting sheets with every layer)
- When you have loaded the flowers into the press, push down on the boards as much as you can with all your weight using one hand while screwing on the wingnuts with the other (or get someone to push down for you). This initial weight/pressure will enable you to tighten the press more and facilitate the flattening/drying process
- Plants will need at least two weeks to dry, thicker/more succelent-type plants will need longer
- Keep somewhere dry
- Check the press regularly to see if it needs tightening as the moisture is lost from the plants (you can do this without disturbing the plants)
- Replace the blotting paper when it becomes discoloured or damaged
- You may need to replace the cardboard layers from time to time as they become indented from use
Check out my some hints and tips on using your flower and herb press in the following article:
Using a flower press
Ink Sugar Spice ~ Lynn Clark 