TMP and CTMP fibres are viscoelastic materials, which behave very differently at different temperatures and loading rates, which should to be considered also in papermaking. The positive effects of increased web temperature on dewatering and web consolidation (sheet strength) in pressing and drying of TMP/CTMP based papers are well known since a long time. However, the effects of dry content during such conditions are less closely investigated. In this paper the effect of dry content on fibre-fibre bonds in consolidation of paper webs during press drying at high temperature is discussed. It is shown that the final paper strength is especially positively affected when a Z-directional pressure is applied in the dryness range 50%similar to 75 %.