How to Make Parchment Like Paper for Writing

Last Updated: September 7, 2019 Approved

So you've decided that you want to make your paper look like parchment. Maybe you want to spruce up a school project, or maybe you just want to make parchment for fun. Whatever the reason, this article can help you easily create the perfect parchment.

Steps

1
Brew a cup of strong coffee, almost black, depending on how dark you want your paper to be.
2
Take a piece of paper and crumple it.

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3
Gently unfold it.
4
Dip a cotton ball in the cup of warm coffee and evenly distribute it throughout the paper.
5
Let it dry using a hair drier or fan.
6
Light a candle and gently burn the sides, careful not to catch fire, as it may eat up a big part of the paper. Make sure you do this far away from flammable objects.
7
Put the paper in a pan and turn to medium heat, use a spoon, or chopstick and gently press down on the paper for 30 seconds, this makes the paper have small brown spots.
8
Now you've got your parchment paper like they used in the early 1400's. Use a fountain pen to write with to make the parchment look old. You can also use it to make a birthday party invitation look fancy. Tie with a leather string or old brown string to make it really resemble a scroll-like letter.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I print successfully on this paper?

Community Answer

For best results, print your document or image first, and then follow these instructions.
Question

What do I do if I don't have a candle?

Community Answer

Use a long lighter or a match - but always do it over a metal sink, or outside with water nearby.
Question

What should I do if it doesn't yellow with the tea method?

Community Answer

Put in the tea longer, maybe 10 minutes. Or, you could mix some yellow paint with water (1:3 ratio) and paint it on the paper.