A sheet of paper is made by dipping this porous mould into a steam-heated vat of pulp fluid, gathering some fibers, and then lifting out the mould with a special shaking action. As excess water drains away, a thinly compacted sheet of interlocking fibers is formed on the surface netting of the mould. The deckle is then held on top of the sheet to prevent the pulp from spilling off the ends of the mould and to also help crisply define the edges of the wet sheet of paper. The stack of wet sheets, each separated by a felt sheet, is then pressed to remove excess water. Typically, the sheets dry within four to five days in natural air.
Some large mills reduce the drying time by using a heated cabinet or hot cylinders.
Once completely dry, the sheets can be sized and finished to their completed states. The entire process from beginning to end product takes about three weeks' time. Depending upon the size of the mill and the degree of machination, this time can be reduced. Some imperfections will always occur when making handmade paper. These kinds of flawed paper are usually removed from the good sheets and set aside for repulping.