Confined space dissolution and recrystallization were used to synthesize MFI films on a dense substrate by the steaming of pre-coated microcrystal monolayers. The water content in the autoclave dictated the morphology of the zeolite films. Continuous films were synthesized on a silicon wafer and quartz; however, a non-continuous film was observed on glass. A Pt barrier layer on the silicon wafer ensured that the silica for seeded growth came from the crystals, which resulted in in-plane growth and gave smooth MFI films.