How to Antique Paper

Common tea bags can give paper an antiqued look.

Antiqued paper is appropriate for a project with a vintage look. Making new paper look old is a relatively easy with a process called tea staining. The process works for any paper, from copy paper to heavy card stock, but the stain takes best on heavier paper, according to the authors of “Vintage Collage-Works.”

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• 2 tea bags
• Baking dish
• Measuring cup
• Paper towels

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

2. Crumple paper into tight ball. Open and repeat this process several times until you like the way the paper looks and feels.

3. Place paper in baking dish that is large enough for the paper to lay flat.

4. Pour 1/4 cup boiling water into cup, add two tea bags and seep until tea becomes dark.

5. Spread tea on paper, using only enough to cover the paper. Give the paper time to soak up the tea until it reaches the desired color.

6. Sponge up excess liquid with a paper towel.

7. Bake paper until it dries, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• If the paper is too wrinkled after drying, iron it on the dry, medium heat setting.

• Different teas will produce different effects, so experiment.

• Keep an eye on your paper while heating and singeing, no one wants the fire department or EMS to be involved!

References

• Vintage Collage-Works: Artful Ideas with Antique Ephemera; Maryjo Koch and Sunny Koch