- Project Ready Wood
- Plywood
- Lumber
- Wood Turning
We carry thin wood in 1/16", 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" and 3/4" that will work great for your laser cutter or engraver. Try our thin Alder, Basswood, Walnut, Cherry or Hard Maple. We also have lots of other hardwood species for you to try. Our "Project ready" thin wood is guaranteed flat and knot free, so it's ideal for laser cutting as well as scroll sawing. We have a wide variety of sizes to choose from, and can also do custom sizes. Be sure to read this article on proper storage and care of hardwoods.
"Best wood" depends on your machine, how much power it has and the speed you at which are engraving/cutting. Most people who do laser cutting prefer a soft wood that doesn't have a lot of hard grain.
Look for light colored wood to contrast the dark laser etching marks. Alder is a favorite, and we carry thin Alder sheets in 1/16", 1/8", 3/16", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", and 3/4" that are sure to please. Basswood also works great, along with Aspen, Poplar, Hard Maple, Cherry, and Walnut. Try some of our different hardwoods to see what works best you.
Alder is a soft wood, sometimes with knots present. It works great for laser cutting and engraving and produces and nice dark burn. Alder darkens a good bit when a finish is applied and looks similar to Cherry.
As a soft wood Basswood is very easy to work with and cuts well. Great for laser engraving and cutting as well as carving and woodburning/pyrography. Can easily be painted, stained and finished.
Cherry has long been a popular wood for cabinet and furniture making in the United States. Cherry is known as one of the best all-around woods for workability. Easy to cut. Laser engraves well. Takes nails and screws well. Glues well.
Fairly easy to work with, though slightly more difficult than Cherry or Walnut due to Hard Maple’s higher density. Hard Maple laser engraves, turns, glues, and finishes very well.
Baltic Birch Plywood comes in large sheets and is one of the few wooden sheet-good materials that is consistently dense enough through its thickness to be cut with a laser. And while it is more stable than solid hardwood the thin stock like 1/8" and 1/4" is simply to thin and wide to always stay perfectly flat. Most pieces will lay flat enough to cut right on your laser bed but consider making a jig or frame to hold more unruly pieces flat. Usually all you need is a few pieces of tape to hold it down to a flat surface.
We’re not a huge corporation that doesn’t care, we’re a small family owned and operated business, and each order is important to us. We’re excited to serve you and will do our best to ensure your satisfaction. Please advise us immediately if you are not happy with something. We will make it right.