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Question

How do you make paper look old without tea?

Nicole Bolin
Crafts & DIY Specialist
Nicole Bolin is a Crafting Specialist and the CEO of Stencil, a DIY Craft Studio in Phoenix, Arizona. Nicole specializes in interior design and various craft and DIY projects. Nicole holds a Certificate in Interior Design from the New York Institute of Art and Design. She opened Stencil in 2017 to teach others to create DIY projects that fit their home and lifestyle.

Nicole Bolin

Crafts & DIY Specialist

Expert Answer

If you don't have tea, you can use coffee to age paper in a similar manner. You can also crumple the paper up to give it an aged look.

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Question

What kind of tea is best?

Community Answer

Any tea that isn't herbal or fruity, a black tea like English Breakfast or Earl Grey will work best.

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Question

How do I prevent the tea from getting too uneven?

Community Answer

When the tea begins to pool in certain areas, use a tissue/paper towel to blot the splodge of tea. The tissue will absorb some, leaving an even spread of tea behind.

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Question

Is it okay to print on it after soaking?

Community Answer

It would be risky, as the texture of the soaked paper might not be able to go through the printer right. Generally, it's best to print before aging the paper.

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Question

Can I stain the paper, and then write on it?

Community Answer

Yes, if you're careful, and the paper is thick enough. Make sure it is completely dry before attempting to use it, however, or it will be more likely to tear.

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Question

Can I tea stain paper that has crayon or pencil crayon coloring on it?

Community Answer

You must not do this. The wax from the crayon or pencil crayon will make it crumble after you bake it.

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Question

How do I avoid ink running when a liquid touches it?

Community Answer

You need to use waterproof inks. Anything printed with an ink-jet printer will run when water touches the ink. Laser printers and copiers should work better and stand up to the water in the tea.

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Question

Do I have to bake it?

Community Answer

Baking the paper will reduce drying time as well as enhancing the old, rugged and rustic look that you are trying to obtain. It is not necessarily to bake the paper, but it is highly recommended.

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Question

Can I tea stain something if it has marker on it?

Community Answer

That would not be ideal, as the ink from the marker will run. You could stain it and then put marker on it.

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Question

How long does it take to dry?

Community Answer

It would normally take about 2-3 hours to dry fully. However, the first method in the article discusses placing the paper in the oven for 5-6 minutes at its lowest temperature setting. After this, it should be dry.

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Question

Do you need to use a teabag or can you use other materials, like coffee or paint?

Community Answer

While you can use other materials such as coffee (which will be a little darker), paint will change the color, not age the paper. See further, https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Coffee-Stained-Paper.

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Question

Can I use a pencil and stain it with tea without the pencil mark fading?

Amy Gremillion

Community Answer

It will probably fade some, but if you sharpen the pencil so it writes really dark, you might still be able to read it afterward.

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Question

Can I age colored paper without ruining the printed words on it?

Amy Gremillion

Community Answer

That depends more on the type of ink that was used to print on the paper, rather than the color of the paper itself. If it was printed on a laser printer, it should be fine, but if it was an inkjet printer, it will fade.

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Question

Do I have to add hot water to the cup for the second method?

Community Answer

If you want your water to be hotter, yes - or use a kettle instead of a microwave.

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Question

Can I write on the paper before soaking it?

Community Answer

Yes. Just be sure to use a waterproof ink pen or pencil.

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Question

I already colored on the paper with Crayola Supertips. Will this process make the marker smear?

Amy Gremillion

Community Answer

It probably will smear, since that particular marker is made to be washable.

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Question

Does it make grey lead run or smudge?

Amy Gremillion

Community Answer

If you don't rub the paper, pencil marks shouldn't run or smudge too much. However, the water might cause it to fade a little.

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Question

Is tea stained paper archival?

Amy Gremillion

Community Answer

Black tea contains tannic acid, so no, your paper won't be archival-quality if you use this method.

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Question

Is it safe to draw on it with a pen after or will the paper be too brittle?

Community Answer

You can using just normal A4 printer paper with no problems at all.

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Question

I'm trying to make an entire journal look aged and worn. What steps should I take to make sure I don't harm the writing?

Community Answer

Just really be careful when you put the tea on the paper. You should test it on some other paper first with some random writing to see if it works.

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Question

Can I roll up the paper after staining it?

Community Answer

Yes, but make sure it's fully dry before rolling it up or it might rip.

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Question

Can I use permanent marker without it running down the paper?

Community Answer

You can, but it would be better to use a printer as permanent marker is likely to bleed when wet.

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Question

Can I use pencil on the paper after the tea dries?

Amy Gremillion

Community Answer

Yes, but it might not write as well on the treated, wrinkled surface of the paper.

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Question

Can I use a Biro pen?

Amy Gremillion

Community Answer

The ink might smear when you add the tea, so it's best to use a permanent marker with a pen tip.

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Question

Can you use any type of paper, or is one preferred?

Community Answer

You can use any type of paper, but the thicker the paper is, the longer it will take to dry.

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Question

What kind of ink pen is best to use for aged paper?

Amy Gremillion

Community Answer

A waterproof pen is a good idea because it won't smudge when you add the tea. However, any kind of black pen will work. Just try to make your writing look as antique as possible!

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Question

Can I still stain the paper if I have drawn on it with normal pencil?

Community Answer

Yes, but the existing pencil marks might affect the coloring or quality of the stain.

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Question

How do I make the edges of the paper look old?

Community Answer

Earlier in the document, the author stated that rubbing the edges would make the document look worn out/used. You could also tear the edges, just be careful.

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Question

Do I have to use an oven for the first one?

Community Answer

Not necessarily. The oven is just to speed up the drying time, but it also has a neat effect of making the edges curl and turn brown. If you don't need that extra detail, you can use a hair dryer, a fan, or just let it air-dry.

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Question

Can I microwave the paper instead?

Community Answer

No, it won't result in the same curling and it'll just heat it up a bit. A microwave doesn't work in the same way an oven does.

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