As a general rule of thumb, 4-5 sheets of newspaper should produce two small sheets of recycled paper. [2] X Research source This ratio may vary depending on the type and thickness of the paper that you pulp. If you want your recycled paper to be “plain” with a consistent color, be mindful of the variety of scraps that you use. If you use mostly white paper scraps, for instance, your finished product will more closely resemble a standard piece of printer paper.
Consider adding a few tablespoons of cornstarch after a few hours to firm up the consistency. This step is not mandatory, although some recycled paper crafters swear by it. If you add cornstarch, stir it thoroughly into the mix, and add a bit of hot water to aid the soaking. [4] X Research source
If you don’t own a blender, then shredding and soaking should suffice. However, this added act of mechanical pulping will make your finished product much smoother.
Try to fit a border around the screen to hold in the pulp. An old wooden picture frame will do, but you can also glue or staple thin pieces of wood around the outside of the screen to make your own “frame. " If the screen is made from metal, be sure that it is not rusty. The rust may stain your paper.
Alternately: lay the screen into the bottom of the pan before you add the water and pulp. Then, pour the paper pulp over the screen. When you lift the screen out of the water, it should still sift out the pulp from the liquid.
Try not to place the drying paper under direct heat, or very close to a powerful heating source. This might cause the paper to crinkle and dry unevenly.
If the paper grit is too rough, it’s probably because you didn’t grind up the pulp finely enough. If it’s falling apart, then you may not have used enough water to bind the paper fibers together. If the paper is too colorful (to the point that it’s difficult to see the words that you write,) then you may need to use more consistently-colored source paper. Try using all white paper next time.
