How to Press Flowers for Resin Art

A pressed flower has no moisture left, no air trapped between thick petals, and a wide, flat surface that catches light. That makes it ideal for resin coasters, bookmarks, trays, keychains, and wall frames. Unlike 3D silica-gel-dried blooms, pressed flowers sit flush in a thin layer of resin, so bubbles are easier to escape and the finished piece is lighter and harder to crack.

Best for: flat pieces, bookmarks, coasters, trays, photo frames, jewellery.
Avoid for: deep 3D paperweights or preserving the original shape of a whole wedding bouquet.
Longevity: decades when sealed and kept away from direct sunlight.

Not every bloom presses well. You want flowers that are naturally thin, single-layered, and not too watery. Pick them just before they fully open, after dew has dried.

• Excellent pressers: pansies, violets, daisies, cosmos, ferns, baby's breath, lavender, single rose petals.
• Good with care: small roses, hydrangea florets, buttercups, marigolds.
• Difficult: orchids, lilies, thick peonies, succulents — these hold too much moisture or are too bulky.

Bright, saturated colours press best. Pale whites and soft blues tend to fade fastest; deep reds, magentas, and golden yellows keep their personality.

Clean, dry flowers press evenly and resist mould. Remove excess stems, leaves you don't want, and any damaged petals. If the bloom is thick, split it gently — slice a rose in half vertically so it lies flat, or separate hydrangea into tiny florets.

• Work within 24 hours of cutting for the freshest colour.
• Pat petals dry with a soft cloth or paper towel.
• Arrange the flower face-down on your paper — petals will flatten more naturally than face-up.

The book method costs nothing and works beautifully for small projects. Sandwich each flower between two sheets of parchment paper or blotting paper, then place it inside a heavy book.

• Use unlined, absorbent paper — never wax paper or glossy pages.
• Stack more books, a weight plate, or a flat box on top.
• Leave untouched for 2–4 weeks in a dry, dark spot.
• Replace the blotting paper after the first week if it feels damp.

For quicker results, a wooden flower press with wing nuts gives even pressure across the whole flower. You can also speed things up with a household iron.

• Flower press: 1–2 weeks, flatter and more consistent than books.
• Microwave press: 30–60 seconds in bursts, checking often — great for last-minute projects.
• Iron method: place the flower between parchment, press with a warm (not hot) dry iron for 10–15 seconds, let cool, repeat. Takes a few hours total.

Heat can dull colours, so keep the temperature low and never let the petals scorch.

This is the step that saves your pressed flowers from browning. Even tiny amounts of trapped moisture or natural oils will react with epoxy. A thin sealant creates a barrier between the petal and the resin.

• Mod Podge or clear acrylic spray — 2–3 very light coats, fully dry between each.
• Resin pre-seal — brush a tiny amount of mixed resin on the flower, cure, then proceed.
• Hair spray — a quick emergency fix, but not as durable as the options above.

Sealing also stops delicate petals from going transparent or wrinkling when the resin touches them.

Pressed flowers want to float, curl, or trap bubbles if you rush the pour. Use a shallow silicone mould and build the piece in layers.

• Pour a thin base layer and let it gel slightly (20–40 minutes).
• Place the sealed flower face-up on the tacky surface — it will stay put.
• Cover with another thin layer and pop bubbles with a heat gun or toothpick.
• Repeat layers until the mould is full, then cure in a shaded, dust-free place.

Always use a UV-resistant, non-yellowing casting resin for art keepsakes. Standard hardware epoxy will yellow and dull the colours within months.

Both methods are excellent, but they serve different pieces. Pressing gives you flat, translucent art perfect for surfaces and jewellery. Silica gel keeps the full 3D shape of a bloom, which is ideal for paperweights, deep frames, and preserving whole bouquets.

• Pressed flowers: flatter, lighter, fewer bubbles, best for trays, coasters, bookmarks, pendants.
• Silica gel dried flowers: lifelike depth, perfect for whole bouquets, floral domes, and 3D keepsakes.

For wedding bouquets and temple offerings we almost always use silica gel to keep the original shape. For pressed flower art — coasters, trays, bookmarks, and pendants — pressing is the cleaner choice. Read our full comparison in 5 Ways to Preserve Flowers at Home.

• Using fresh or damp flowers — moisture will brown and bubble.
• Skipping the sealant — petals will turn transparent or bleed.
• Pressing too many flowers at once — they can overlap and stick together.
• Pouring too deep in one go — trapped heat and bubbles will ruin the piece.
• Curing in sunlight — yellowing happens during the soft-cure phase.

A 10 cm silicone coaster mould, one pressed pansy or fern, a small amount of UV-resistant casting resin, and a little gold leaf are all you need. Pour a clear base, place the flower, add the gold leaf, then cap with resin. Let it cure for 72 hours and you have a handmade piece of pressed flower art you can use every day.

Pressing flowers for resin is forgiving, but it still takes time, space, and the right materials. If you have blooms you want to turn into a flawless resin frame, coaster set, or gift piece, ResinKriti presses and casts them by hand, sealed with UV-resistant resin and finished to a jewellery-grade polish.

Preserve My FlowersMore Articles