Skip to main content
Ingenium Logo

You are leaving IngeniumCanada.org

✖


This link leads to an external website that Ingenium does not control. Please read the third-party’s privacy policies before entering personal information or conducting a transaction on their site.

Have questions? Review our Privacy Statement

Vous quittez IngeniumCanada.org

✖


Ce lien mène à un site Web externe qu'Ingenium ne contrôle pas. Veuillez lire les politiques de confidentialité des tiers avant de partager des renseignements personnels ou d'effectuer une transaction sur leur site.

Questions? Consultez notre Énoncé de confidentialité

Ingenium Canada Science and Technology Museum

Langue

  • Français
Search Toggle

Menu des liens rapides

  • Tickets
  • Ingenium Locations
  • Shop
  • Donate
  • Join
Menu

Main Navigation

  • Plan Your Visit
    • Health and Safety
    • Hours
    • Admission
    • Location and Directions
    • Accessibility
    • Browse All Visitor Information
    • Buy Tickets
    • Online Resources for Science at Home
    • About the Museum
  • What's On at the Museum
    • Events
    • Exhibitions
    • Spaces and Studios
  • Bookings and Rentals
    • School Programs
    • Birthday Parties
    • Summer Camps
    • Venue Rentals
    • Travelling Exhibitions
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Group Visits
  • Educational Programs
    • School Programs
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Program Location
      • At the Museum
      • At Your School
      • Online
      • Browse all Educational Programs
    • Popular Links
      • 3D Educational Resources
      • Digital Learning Kits
      • Games and Apps
      • Online Resources for Science at Home
      • Tell Me About
      • Try This Out
  • Collection and Research
    • Research Institute
    • Research Projects
    • Collection Resources
      • Ingenium Collection
      • Collection Highlights
      • Conservation and Collection Services
    • Library and Archives
      • Library and Archives Services
      • Library Catalogue
      • Digital Archives
    • Open Access
      • Ingenium APIs
      • Open Data
      • Open Documents
  • Projects and Initiatives
    • Ingenium Channel
    • Curiosity on Stage
    • Women in STEM
    • Aquatic Science Initiatives
    • Climate Science
    • Innovation Storybook

Make Your Own Paper

Hours and Location

Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday
Address
1867 St Laurent Blvd, Ottawa, ON
Admission
Browse all Visitor Information for Canada Science and Technology Museum
Browse All Visitor Information

Make Your Own Paper

Making your own paper
Download activity PDF

We all know that recycling is good for the planet — but how exactly does it work? In this experiment, discover how to make brand-new paper from the old.

What you need

  • A sturdy picture frame (the size you want your paper to be)
  • A sheet of screening (can be bought at hardware stores)
  • Duct tape
  • Scissors
  • Shallow bin (bigger than your frame)
  • Tap water
  • Used paper (printer paper works best)
  • Heavy books
  • Absorbent cloth or paper towel
  • Towel
  • Bowl
  • Optional: Blender, food processor, or mortar and pestle

Safety first!

Adult supervision may be needed when using scissors. Be careful of the edges of cut screening; it can be quite sharp.

Make it

Make the frame

  1. 1. Create your mould by laying the picture frame (without its backing or glass face) over top of the screening. Cut the screening to just a bit larger than the frame.
  2. 2. Duct tape the screening to the outside of the frame. Make sure the screening is stretched as taut as possible.

Make the pulp

  1. Rip your used paper into reasonably small pieces.
  2. Put your ripped paper inside your blender or mortar and pestle, along with enough warm water to completely cover it. Blend it all together. If using a blender or food processor, make sure to slowly pulse it. If you have neither, put the paper inside a bowl with warm water and mash it to a pulp with your hands.

Make the paper

  1. Fill the bin about halfway with warm water.
  2. Put your mould inside the shallow bin, screen side down.
  3. Pour your blended mixture on top of the mould. Bring the mould to the surface of the water.
  4. Move your mould back and forth gently, to even out your mixture. You can also use your fingers to even out any spots that need it.

Test it

Lift the mould out of the water, and place it on the towel. Wait one minute, and then use your cloth or paper towels to dab out any excess water. Leave until completely dry.

Explain it

When you blend your pulp, the water softens the fibres of the paper, enabling them to mix. Then, when you lift your screen up, the small and unwanted particles are filtered out. This process leaves you with clean, malleable pulp that joins together to make one full sheet of paper.

Observe it

When you put paper into your city-collected recycling bin at home, the process that is used to recycle it into new paper is actually quite similar to your at-home version. The old paper is turned into a pulp by a pulper, just like a blender or mortar and pestle. Then, it is passed through a screen to get rid of the unwanted parts. Although the machinery is a lot more complex because of how much paper needs to be made, it works on exactly the same principles.

Go further

You can make your own custom, decorative paper by adding materials during Step 7 (above). You can try adding flower petals, confetti, pressed plants — anything you can think of! It’s best to use thin materials, as they do not cause the paper to rip.

Materials to Make your own paper
Make your own paper step 2
Make your own paper step 4
Make your own paper step 7
Make your own paper step 8

Program Details

SCITECH
Canada Science and Technology Museum
Duration
2 days
Difficulty Level:
Hard
Program Location
Online
  • View all programs at the Canada Science and Technology Museum
  • View other programs related to Engineering & Technology

Footer

About Canada Science and Technology Museum

Canada Science and Technology Museum
The Canada Science and Technology Museum tells Canada's innovation story in an immersive, educational, and fun way.
Read more about the museum

Contact Us

Canada Science and Technology Museum
1867 St Laurent Blvd
Ottawa ON K1G 5A3
Canada

613-991-3044
1-866-442-4416
contact@IngeniumCanada.org
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Museum

    • About the Museum
    • Visitor Information
    • Careers
    • Accessibility
  • Visit

    • Online Resources for Science at Home
    • Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
    • Canada Aviation and Space Museum
    • Canada Science and Technology Museum
    • Ingenium Centre
  • Support

    • The Foundation
    • Ways to Donate
    • Membership
    • Corporate Memberships
    • Volunteering
    • Partnerships
    • Online Boutique
    • Venue Rentals
    • Book a Travelling Exhibition
  • For Media

    • Newsroom
    • Awards
    • The Channel

Connect with us

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest Ingenium news straight to your inbox!

Sign Up

Legal Bits

Ingenium Privacy Statement

© 2023 Ingenium

Symbol of the Government of Canada
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Health and Safety
    • Hours
    • Admission
    • Location and Directions
    • Accessibility
    • Browse All Visitor Information
    • Buy Tickets
    • Online Resources for Science at Home
    • About the Museum
  • What's On at the Museum
    • Events
    • Exhibitions
    • Spaces and Studios
  • Bookings and Rentals
    • School Programs
    • Birthday Parties
    • Summer Camps
    • Venue Rentals
    • Travelling Exhibitions
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Group Visits
  • Educational Programs
    • School Programs
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Program Location
      • At the Museum
      • At Your School
      • Online
      • Browse all Educational Programs
    • Popular Links
      • 3D Educational Resources
      • Digital Learning Kits
      • Games and Apps
      • Online Resources for Science at Home
      • Tell Me About
      • Try This Out
  • Collection and Research
    • Research Institute
    • Research Projects
    • Collection Resources
      • Ingenium Collection
      • Collection Highlights
      • Conservation and Collection Services
    • Library and Archives
      • Library and Archives Services
      • Library Catalogue
      • Digital Archives
    • Open Access
      • Ingenium APIs
      • Open Data
      • Open Documents
  • Projects and Initiatives
    • Ingenium Channel
    • Curiosity on Stage
    • Women in STEM
    • Aquatic Science Initiatives
    • Climate Science
    • Innovation Storybook