How to Make Coffee Stained Paper

Co-authored by Claire Donovan-Blackwood

Last Updated: March 2, 2023 Approved

Coffee-stained paper is beautiful and unique. It has many uses, from school assignments to scrapbooking projects. You can use it to make an old-looking letter or ancient map. You can even stain a whole stack of papers and bind it into a sketchbook or journal! There are various ways of making such paper, and each one will give you slightly-different results!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Dyeing the Paper

1
Find a tray big enough to fit your paper. You can also use a baking pan, a rimmed baking sheet, a plastic tub, or even a plastic lid. The tray needs to be deep enough so that you can fill it with coffee and submerge your paper.
2
Brew a pot of strong coffee. The stronger your coffee is, the darker your paper will turn out. How much coffee you make depends on how big your paper and tray are. You need enough coffee to fill your tray.
- You can also use cold, leftover coffee.^{[1]
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3
Pour the coffee into a tray or tub. You want it to be deep enough so that you can submerge your paper. Somewhere around ½ to 1 inch (1.27 to 2.54 centimeters) deep would be ideal.
4
Submerge your paper into the coffee. Set your paper into the tray and press down on it with your hands. If the coffee is hot, or if you don't want to get your hands dirty, gently paint the paper with a paintbrush until it sinks to the bottom of the tray.^{[2]
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5
Let the paper soak for about 5 to 10 minutes. The longer you soak the paper, the darker it will become.^{[3]
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Research source} For extra texture, sprinkle some coffee grounds on top of the paper. This will give you some dark, age spots or speckles.
6
Lift the paper out of the coffee. Use both hands to lift the paper out of the coffee by one end. Hold the paper over the tray, and let the excess coffee drip out. Be very careful during this step; wet paper is fragile.^{[4]
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7
Dry the paper. There are two ways you can do this: baking it or with a hairdryer. Baking the paper will give you more texture and a darker color. Blow drying it will give you a smoother texture and a lighter color. Here are the two ways you can dry your paper:^{[5]
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- To bake your paper: set it down on a clean baking sheet, then bake it in a preheated oven at 200°F (94°C) for 5 to 10 minutes.
- To blow dry you paper: set it down on a waterproof tablecloth, then blow dry it. Flip it over onto a dry part of the tablecloth, then blow dry it some more. Blot any excess coffee with a paper towel.
8
Allow the paper to cool before using it. Once the paper is dry, remove it from the baking sheet or tablecloth. Set it down someplace where it won't be disturbed for a few minutes so that it can cool off.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Painting the Paper

1
Prepare a cup of strong coffee. You can brew some fresh coffee in a coffee maker, or you can make a cup of instant coffee. If you are making instant coffee, plan on using 3 tablespoons of instant coffee to about 6 ounces (cc milliliters) of water.^{[6]
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- If the coffee is too dark, don't worry, you can always lighten it with more water.
- The coffee can be cold as well.
2
Set the paper down onto a waterproof surface. It would be best to work over a waterproof tablecloth. If you don't have one, set up two baking sheets. Make sure that they are clean.
3
Paint the paper with the coffee. Use a wide paintbrush or foam brush to apply the coffee to the paper. Paint from side to side in rows using even strokes. Do not swirl the brush across the paper, and try not leave behind any white patches. You want it to be as even as possible.^{[7]
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- The paper will get wet, but don't let it get too soggy.^{[8]
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4
Flip the paper over. Carefully lift the paper up, and flip it over. Set it down onto a dry part of the tablecloth.^{[9]
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Research source} If you were working on a baking sheet, set it down on the second, dry baking sheet.
5
Paint the back of the paper. Use the same technique as before.^{[10]
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Research source} Once again, don't let the paper get too soggy.
6
Allow the paper to dry. Transfer the paper someplace where it won't be disturbed. Allow it to dry completely.^{[11]
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Research source} This can take several hours to overnight.
7
Smooth the paper out with an iron, if desired. If the paper is still damp the next day, or if it looks wrinkled, you can iron it. Sandwich the paper between two thin sheets of fabric, such as tea towels or cotton muslin.^{[12]
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Research source} Turn your iron on to the wool setting, and let it get warm. Pass the iron over the paper, then let the paper cool down.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Dabbing the Paper

1
Place a tablespoon of coffee into the center of a paper towel. Make sure that you use regular coffee grounds and not instant coffee. If you do not have a paper towel, you can use a round coffee filter instead—the kind that you can flatten out, not the pocket kind.
2
Twist the paper towel around the coffee. Gather the corners of the paper towel together. Twist the paper towel around the coffee, like wrapping a lollipop. Make sure that there are no gaps where the coffee can fall out of. If you need to, tie the bundle up with a piece of string.
3
Dip the packet into water. Fill a cup or bowl with hot water. Dip the bundle into the water, then squeeze out the excess.
4
Dab the paper with the packet. Repeatedly stamp the paper with the coffee side of the packet. The more you stamp, the darker the color will be. Experiment between stamping closer and further apart.
- You can also lightly brush the paper with water. This will help soften any harsh lines.
5
Allow the paper to dry. Once the paper is colored to your liking, transfer it to someplace where it won't get disturbed, and allow it to dry. This can take around 10 to 15 minutes.
6
Finished.

Expert Advice

Be generous with the coffee when you're stirring the mixture for your paper. This will help you get a better color.
Paint on the paper with your coffee mixture to create an artistic effect. Just make sure you don't completely soak the page when doing so as it might disintegrate.
Fully dissolve any instant coffee you use. Instant coffee can work as long as it's totally dissolved, but if you want a darker paper, some coffee grounds might get left behind on the paper. Your paper will still be able to go through a printer!

From Claire Donovan-Blackwood

Arts & Crafts Specialist

Community Q&A

Question

Can I print on the coffee paper?

Community Answer

You could try but it might damage either the paper or the printer, so I would recommend printing the text on the paper first and then staining it.
Question

Can I write on the coffee paper?

Community Answer

Yes, of course. But make sure you wait until it has dried completely before writing on it.
Question

If I print something and then stain it, will the ink bleed?

Community Answer

It's possible if you use an inkjet printer, but if you use a laser printer, you shouldn't have any problem with the ink bleeding.