Pressed and Polished Bloom Box 🌸

Have you ever picked a flower on a walk, only to watch it wilt and shrivel by the next day? Or watched beatiful flowers wilt after a special event? Or tucked a clover between two pages of a book, only to forget about it?

That’s why the flower press was invented! With just a little pressure (and some patience), you can preserve flowers, leaves, shrubs, and petals in a way that keeps their shape and color for years. This isn’t your grandma's clunky wooden press either—this one is sleek, transparent, and way too pretty to hide on a shelf.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to build your own acrylic and brass flower press. It’s simple, portable, and easy to customize. Best of all, you’ll be able to watch your flowers transform as they flatten out, making a unique and timeless decoration for your home!!

Lets do it!🌸🔧

(creates 4 plates)

Materials:

1. 2x Eco Mid-weight Clear Acrylic Sheets (1/8 inch Thick / 3mm / 18" x 24")
2. 4x Brass Round Slotted Bolts (#8-32 x 1-1/2")
3. 4x Brass Hex Nuts (#8-32)
4. flowers and leaves

Tools:

1. Glowforge laser cutter (to cut out acrylic plates)

Software:

1. STL file of the plate (provided below)

Optional:

1. More than 4 plates can be made to fit the brass hardware.

Safety Equipment:

1. Safety glasses (for fun!)

Note: The plate model is scalable, the exact size of corner bolts might need to be adjusted depending on the size of the plate. Ensure you have the correct bolts before cutting.

First, decide what size you want your flower press to be. The attached .SVG template (and photo illustrations) display roughly 6.5" × 8", but you can scale yours up or down depending on what you want to press.

If you don't use the provided template:

1. In Glowforge's software, create identical rectangles for the acrylic sheets.
2. Add four small circles in the corners (about 1" from the edge) — these will become the screw holes.

💡 Tip: Keep your hole size just slightly larger than your screw diameter so they’ll fit smoothly later.

Time to cut!

1. Place your acrylic sheet in the Glowforge.
2. Run the cut file to carve out the press plates
3. Repeat up to 6 times per inch bolt. Ex: 6 plates for 1 inch bolt, 12 plates for 2 inch bolt, etc.

After cutting, peel away the protective paper and wipe down the acrylic for a clean, clear finish.

💡 Bonus: If you’re feeling extra, you can engrave a design or your initials onto the acrylic before cutting.

collect some flowers to press!

Get your hardware ready:

1. Brass screws + nuts

🔩 Additional: Rubber or silicone washers (not displayed) can go between the acrylic sheets and help spread pressure evenly to prevent cracking the acrylic.

Now for assembly- let's put it all together!

Thread each of the four bolts through the four holes

Stack down your first acrylic sheet (this will become the top layer)

Add your first layer of flowers and leaves, faced down. (we flip at the end!)

Thread the second acrylic sheet through the bolts over the first layer of flowers.

Add your second layer of flowers, again, faced down.

Repeat the acrylic --> flower --> acrylic process as many times as you have press plates.

Tighten with nuts until snug, but don’t overtighten.

Flip it over and enjoy your masterpiece!

1. Your flowers should now be flat, and frame ready for display

1. Try pressing leaves, ferns, or even delicate herbs.
2. Use background papers / leaves designs / or colors — creates interesting textures and beautiful designs.
3. Engrave floral designs on the acrylic for an extra-pretty press.
4. Stack multiple flower “sandwiches” in one press for maximum efficiency.

✨ And that’s it! You’ve just made a Glowforge-cut acrylic flower press that’s as sleek as it is functional.