Laser Friendly Wood Types

By Mike Fruciano

The beauty in a wood product is the natural grain and color that make each wood type unique.  The structure of wood is primarily composed of a cellular structure and fibers with a resin that bonds it all together.  Hardwoods, such as oak and walnut, have tight fibers and lots of resins that make the wood feel heavy and the finish smooth.  Softwoods like pine have a light feel with open grain and do not contain as much resin as a hardwood.

These basic differences make some woods friendlier to laser engraving than others.  An ideal wood for laser engraving would be easy to engrave and create dark engraving.  Let's look at several wood types and the effect of laser engraving on each of them.

Maple

Considered to be a hardwood, maple works well with a laser and can engrave deep with moderate power settings.  Maple contains moderate amounts of resin and medium brown color when engraved.  some maple contains a lot of grain, which can affect the depth of engraving through the veins of grain.

Walnut

Also considered a hardwood, walnut engraves beautifully with a laser.  The density of this wood requires higher power settings for deep engraving.  Walnut contains plenty of resin as part of its make-up so it engraves a dark brown color.  Good walnut can be expensive, but it sure looks elegant when engraved.

Cherry

The light color of cherry makes it ideal for laser engraving. Cherry also has a high-resin content so the engraving is a dark brown color which creates excellent contrast.  good cherry wood has become increasingly difficult to find so the prices have recently jumped up for this laser-friendly wood.  cherry has a medium density and can easily be engraved with a laser.

Oak

This hardwood can have a lot of grain and has a very open grain structure.  The results when laser engraving can be mixed but usually engraves well.  Oak contains a moderate amount of resin so engraving color is light brown.

Alder

Referred to as the 'weed of the Northwest', alder is abundantly available from the Pacific Northwest and is very affordable.  The medium brown color of alder contrasts well with the dark brown engraving, making it one of the top picks for a laser-friendly wood type.  Alder has a medium density and engraves fast with a 25-watt laser system.

Specialty Woods

A large variety of exotic woods are available from custom wood suppliers in such unusual colors as blue, purple and orange.  Exotic woods are very expensive due to the limited availability.  These woods can be very hard and sometimes difficult to engrave requiring slow speeds and maximum power.  Engraving results can be spectacular due to the unusual color combinations and the dark engraving from such hard woods.

Rubber

Rubber wood is a common wood sourced from Asia and is used on many low-end gift items.  The nature of the rubber wood is a very open cell structure that holds almost no resin.  the result when laser engraved is usually poor as the engraving tales on a very light brown color and very low contrast with wood.

Rosewood

The beauty of rosewood is more than skin deep when engraved.  Grown mostly in Asia, rosewood has a medium density that engraves excellent.  A high-resin content in the rosewood creates a dark brown engraving that contrasts well with the rich, red tones of the wood.  But beware, some faux rosewood exists that consists of a red stain on a lower quality wood.  The results of engraving this faux rosewood are poor.

Rimu

Exclusively from the forests of New Zealand, Rimu is an outstanding wood for laser engraving.  Rimu is a medium density wood with high resin content that engraves a dark brown color.  Medium brown with dark streaks and accents, Rimu feels like quality and is easily recognizable due to its unique coloring.  This wood is becoming more accessible and is moderately affordable.

Melamine and Coated MDF

MDF (medium density fiberboard) is a compressed mixture of wood products and glue.  The MDF is easily fabricated into plaques and other shapes using standard fabrication equipment.  The glues used in the MDF make for difficult laser cutting messy engraving.  The MDF does make an excellent base material for laminating Melamine (a paper-based product) or colored foil (plastic-based) on to the top and sides.  The Melamine and foils are very laser friendly and produce excellent results.

Wood products are a natural for laser engraving and cutting, and can produce spectacular results using the right types of wood.  Since wood is an excellent renewable resource, it is readily available from all over the world and is an affordable way to bring quality products to your customers.

Mike Fruciano is the co-founder of LaserBits Inc.  The company's website, www.laserbits.com, features products and information specifically for laser system owners worldwide.