Do you love the rustic charm of tea stained paper? If so, you’re in luck! In this article, I’ll show you how to easily create your own tea stained paper at home. Whether you want to use it in your reading journal, for crafts, or for any other creative project, this DIY method is perfect for achieving that aged look.

Gather Your Materials
To get started, here’s what you’ll need:
- Tea bags (chai works great, but feel free to experiment with different flavors)
- Boiling water
- Large jug or container
- Deep pan that can fit A4-sized paper
- Regular printer paper
- Spoon for pressing and stirring
- Oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius)
Brewing the Tea
- Preheat your oven to ensure it’s ready when you need it.
- Fill your kettle and set it to boil.
- Take a large jug or container and place the tea bags inside. Use about six tea bags for a stronger stain.
- In a separate mason jar, fill it almost to the top with boiling water, approximately 600 milliliters or two and a half cups.
- Carefully pour the boiling water from the mason jar into the jug with the tea bags. Stir the mixture gently with a spoon.
Soaking and Staining
- Allow the tea bags to steep in the water for about 15 minutes.
- After steeping, gently press out any excess liquid from the tea bags and remove them from the jug.
- Now, take a deep pan that can comfortably fit a regular A4-sized sheet of paper. Pour a small amount of tea at the bottom of the pan.
- Place one sheet of regular printer paper on top of the tea and press it down gently with a spoon.
- Repeat this process, adding more tea and sheets of paper until you have your desired amount (around 30 sheets).
- Note that the more sheets you add at once, the lighter the stain will be. For darker sheets, add tea individually, and for lighter sheets, add them in chunks.
Baking the Paper
- Once you have all the sheets in the pan, it’s time to bake them. Place the pan in the preheated oven for five minutes.
- After five minutes, check the sheets to see how dry they are. If they need more time, put them back in the oven for another five minutes.
- Typically, after three intervals of five minutes (15 minutes total), the sheets should be dry. However, if you want some sheets to have darker spots or a more varied appearance, add more tea to those specific areas and bake for an additional interval.
- Once you’re satisfied with the dried sheets, remove them from the oven and let them air dry completely.
And there you have it! Your very own tea stained paper.
Inspiration Through Uniqueness
One of the best things about tea stained paper is its unique character. Each sheet will have its own variation of dark and light spots, giving your projects a one-of-a-kind aesthetic. Simply browse through your stack of tea stained paper and let the sheets inspire your creativity. You’ll find that the distinct qualities of each sheet evoke different ideas and directions for your spreads.
I hope this tutorial has been helpful in creating your own tea stained paper. Remember, I’m not an expert, but this simple method has yielded great results for me. If you have any tips or alternative techniques, please share them in the comments below. And don’t forget to check out the Marmalade Cafe for more inspiring ideas and crafts.
Happy tea staining, and enjoy your creative endeavors!