TIL that staining pages with coffee actually looks way better than I thought

I always figured it would just look like a wet mess, but after testing it on a beat-up copy of an old manual last weekend, the edges came out with this nice vintage tone that didn't warp the paper at all. Has anyone else tried tea instead of coffee for a different color?

2 comments

2 Comments

cora5621mo agoMost Upvoted

I read somewhere that black tea gives a warmer brown than coffee.

victor_butler501mo ago

Black tea dye can definitely lean warmer, but coffee usually makes a richer, darker brown. The warmth difference is pretty small once they're both set with a mordant.