Preheating cannabis starting material is an important prerequisite for extracting rosin. Whether you’re pressing flower, dry sift, or bubble hash, warming the material between heated rosin plates helps prepare the cannabis for extraction. Although pressing material without preheating will still give you results, you can achieve a more efficient extraction and better yields with a quick preheat before full pressure is applied.

Benefits of Preheating

Preheating cannabis prepares the trichomes to release their resin. Heat decreases the viscosity of resin, making it more runny and easier to flow out of the material as rosin. Warming the trichomes before full heat and pressure is applied primes the oil to be thoroughly squeezed out of the material. Cold trichomes don’t release their resin easily, which is why heat is so important for rosin extraction. Giving the material some heat before extraction readies the trichomes to express their magic. 

Preheating leads to a better flow of rosin during extraction, which increases yields. It all comes down to preparation of the trichomes. 

Learn more about trichomes in our Guide To Trichomes and Solventless Extraction. 

How To Preheat Cannabis for Pressing Rosin

3. Now that the bag is packed and pre-pressed, it’s time to set it between the plates. First, make sure the plates are heated to the temperature you’re planning to use for extraction. Not sure about the right temperatures to use? Check out Rosin Press Temperature Guide for more info. 

4. Place the rosin bag inside of a folded sheet of parchment paper in between the rosin plates. Then, close the plates so that the hot surface of both top and bottom plates are pressed against the material. We don’t want to apply any pressure at this point, just to touch the plates up to the rosin bag. The bag should be snuggly held between the plates. 

5. Leave the bag between the plates to preheat for 30-45 seconds. 

For a full review of how to press rosin, check out our guides How To Press Flower Rosin Starter Guide and How To Press Bubble Hash Rosin Starter Guide.

Conclusion

You can press rosin without preheating the material, but we’ve found that preheating drives better results. Preheating cannabis primes resin inside the trichomes, giving it lower viscosity and greater ability to flow out as rosin. For an efficient press with maximum yields, spend that extra 30 seconds to warm the material before applying pressure. 

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What does it mean to preheat cannabis for rosin?
Preheating involves warming up the cannabis material between heated rosin press plates for 30-45 seconds before applying pressure for extraction. 

Why should you preheat cannabis for pressing rosin?
Preheating cannabis primes the cannabis oils to release more readily from the trichomes by lowering the viscosity and making the resin more runny. 

How long should you preheat cannabis before pressing rosin?
30-45 seconds is enough time to preheat cannabis between rosin press plates before starting the extraction. 

How hot should the rosin plates be for preheating cannabis?
You can use the same temperature to preheat the material as you will use for the extraction. For more info about temperature see Rosin Press Temperature Guide. 

Do you have to preheat cannabis before pressing rosin?
While it is recommended to preheat material, you can still press rosin without preheating. However, preheating is a best practice that can help increase your yields.