How to Make Paper Out of Recycled Paper

Hello! I will teach you how to make paper out of recycled paper with these simple and easy steps.

You will need:

• Paper Scraps

Laminated paper are harder to blend and turn into pulp. I used scrap papers like old newspaper, construction paper clippings, scratch papers, etc.

• Water
• Wide plastic tub
• Mould and Deckle

Mould and Deckle is not available in our country. I bought 2 silk screen frames instead. I removed the screen on the other one so it could serve as the “Mould”.

• Home Kitchen Blender

I bought a cheap Power Juicer because my mom won’t let me use our kitchen blender for craft projects. Using a Power Juicer is much more time-consuming because it's smaller and less powerful than our kitchen blender. I can only add a handful of scraps to turn into pulp. And oh, please don't use your blender or juicer for your smoothies anymore. Scrap papers may contain harmful chemicals or bacteria that may stick around. Better be safe.

• Sponge
• Absorbent cloth or towel

I used old cotton shirts that my brothers aren't using anymore. You can use towels if you want to.

• Hairdryer (optional)
• Heavy books

Cut the scrap paper into small pieces. Small enough for your blender to make it into a pulp easier. My power juicer had a hard time blending larger pieces.

Put the scraps and enough water then blend, blend, blend!

Pour the mixture into a wide plastic tub. The tub should be wider than your Mould and Deckle.

Mould and Deckle are basically 2 frames of the same size. One has a screen mesh attached and the other one doesn't. You can buy this online or DIY one. Here's a video on how it looks like and how to make it: click here.=

I used a silk screen frame since Mould and Deckle isn't available in our country.

Steps on making the sheet:

1. Hold the Mould screen side up, and place the Deckle on top.
2. Hold them together at a 45 degree angle, dip the Mould and Deckle to the bottom in a scooping motion, holding the Mould and Deckle horizontally.
3. As you lift it out of the water, give it a shake back and forth, and left to right to make an even sheet. Let the water drain.

Remove the Deckle from the Mould.

Carefully place the Mould upside down into the cloth. I recommend using a really absorbent cloth or towel that is made of wool or pure cotton.

Sponge out water as much as you can.

I found it hard to transfer the sheet into the cloth using the Mould with Silk Screen since it has really fine holes. Sponging water out took me a long time. I had to press harder while sponging so that the sheet would unstick from the silk screen.

Remove the Mould and voila!

The purpose of "Pressing" is to avoid "Paper Buckling". When paper gets wet, it expands and cause the paper to buckle. If we don't apply constraints on the paper, the paper will dry buckled.

How to avoid it?

Place another cloth or towel on top of your wet sheet. Take it outside in a flat pavement or floor then stack heavy books on top of the cloth.

*I borrowed these medical books from my brother. :P

Leave it for a few hours. We're trying to let the cloth/towel to absorb the water from the sheet of paper.

Remove the books. Carefully peel the paper and let's start the drying process.

Find a flat and non-absorbent surface. Stone surface, glass surface, etc.

Place your wet sheet there.

Let it dry for 1 to 3 days. It depends on how dry the room is or how thick your paper is.

To speed up the process, you may use a hair dryer.

You may cut the edges straight to make it more presentable.

And there you have it! Write on it, use it in your junk journal, give it away, or whatever you like. And most of all, have fun making recycled paper!