Settings database · Wood species
What is the best wood for laser engraving? 8 species compared (2026)
On a 10W diode laser, cherry wood hits the sweet spot for most hobbyists — it engraves to rich warm contrast at 62–70% power and 2,500–3,000 mm/min, and cuts 3mm stock in just 2 passes. Basswood is the easiest starting material (pale, forgiving, marks clearly at 55% power). Walnut produces the darkest marks. Maple takes the most passes to cut (5–6 at 10W). Every number on this page is a calibrated starting point — always confirm with a test piece on your machine.
What are the laser engraving settings for different wood species?
Settings below are for a 10W optical diode laser (xTool D1 Pro 10W, Sculpfun S9, Ortur Laser Master 3, Atomstack X7 Pro equivalent). Cutting data is for 3mm thickness unless noted. LTEI = Laser Tinkerer Energy Index (power_pct × watts × 0.6 ÷ speed_mm_min) — a normalized measure of energy delivered per millimetre. Higher LTEI means more energy needed to mark the surface.
| Wood species | Engrave power (10W) | Engrave speed | LTEI (J/mm) | Cut passes (3mm, 10W) | Contrast | Detail page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 55% | 3,000 mm/min | 0.00110 | 4–6 (plywood, with AA) | Light brown, uniform | Basswood → |
| Birch Plywood | 65% | 3,000 mm/min | 0.00130 | 4–6 (with AA) | Light, crisp lines | Birch Plywood → |
| Pine | 50% | 3,500 mm/min | 0.000857 | 2–3 | Varies — resin pockets | Pine → |
| Cherry | 62–70% | 2,500–3,000 mm/min | 0.00146 avg | 2 | Warm brown-black ★ | Cherry → |
| Walnut | 65% | 2,800 mm/min | 0.00139 | 1–2 | Deep chocolate ★★ | Walnut → |
| Maple | 75–85% | 2,500–4,000 mm/min | 0.00154 avg | 5–6 | Pale, crisp | Maple → |
| Oak | 70% | 2,500 mm/min | 0.00168 | 2–3 | Deep, visible grain | Oak → |
| Bamboo | 45% | 2,000 mm/min | 0.00135 | 2–3 | Rich amber | Bamboo → |
Higher LTEI = more energy delivered per mm of travel = harder to mark. Values calculated as power_pct × 10W × 0.6 ÷ speed_mm_min using community-verified anchor settings.
Which wood should I use?
Best for beginners
Basswood sheets
Pale, uniform, and very forgiving. Marks clearly at low power. Minimal resin or grain variation. The go-to for practice pieces, laser-cut ornaments, and detail line art. 10W engrave: 55% / 3,000 mm/min.
Best overall contrast
Walnut
The darkest engrave of any common wood. Walnut's rich chocolate colour absorbs the 450nm beam well, producing deep near-black marks even at moderate power. Premium look for gifts and awards. 10W engrave: 65% / 2,800 mm/min.
Best balance of quality and cuttability
Cherry wood
Fine grain, warm reddish-pink base, and rich brown-black engrave marks. Cuts 3mm in only 2 passes at 10W — far fewer than maple. The sweet spot for most serious hobbyists. LTEI avg 0.00146.
Easiest to cut
Pine
The softwood king: 3mm pine cuts in just 2–3 passes at 100% power, 250 mm/min. Resin pockets create uneven engraving — some love the rustic look, some find it inconsistent. Great for outdoor signs and structural cuts.
Cutting boards and awards
Maple
Very hard and pale — produces crisp, clean marks. The standard for cutting boards and trophies. But 3mm maple needs 5–6 passes at 10W. Budget more time (or upgrade to a 20W) if you're cutting maple stock. LTEI avg 0.00154.
Outdoor and structural signs
Oak
The open ring-porous grain of oak creates strong, visible patterns. Red and white oak behave differently — white oak is more consistent. Deep marks, visible texture. 10W: 70% / 2,500 mm/min. Cut data low-confidence at 10W — test carefully.
Photo engraving, puzzles
Birch Plywood
Laser-grade Baltic birch (BB quality) is the standard for photo engraving and jigsaw puzzles. Consistent surface, no wild grain. Watch for glue-layer banding on deep passes. 10W engrave: 65% / 3,000 mm/min.
Eco gifts and awards
Bamboo
Technically a grass, but behaves like a dense hardwood. Engraves to a warm amber colour. Good for eco-themed coasters, utensils, and award plaques. Grain direction matters: engrave along (not across) the fibre. 10W: 45% / 2,000 mm/min.
Aromatic softwood, craft boxes
Cedar wood
Fragrant softwood — natural oils slow charring and produce an aromatic smoke. Use masking tape to prevent smoke staining. Very similar LTEI to basswood (≈0.00155). 20W engrave: 48% / 3,500 mm/min. Cut 3mm: 2 passes at 20W.
Guitar parts, fine-detail engraving
Alder wood
Fine-grained medium hardwood — the go-to for guitar bodies (Fender Strat, Telecaster). Needs ~80% more energy than basswood (LTEI 0.00265). Excellent portrait and logo detail. 20W engrave: 65% / 2,800 mm/min. Cut 3mm: 2 passes.
How many passes to cut 3mm wood with a 10W diode laser?
Pass counts vary significantly by species density and whether you use air assist. The table below assumes air assist ON at moderate pressure (3–5 PSI). Without air assist, expect 20–40% more passes across all species.
| Species | Passes (10W, 3mm) | Power | Speed | Air assist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pine (solid) | 2–3 | 100% | 250 mm/min | Yes | Resin flare-ups possible — supervise closely |
| Walnut (solid) | 1–2 | 100% | 400 mm/min | Yes | Low confidence (1 mfr source) — test first |
| Cherry (solid) | 2 | 93% | 800 mm/min | Yes | Confirmed dual-source; cleanest cuts of hardwoods |
| Basswood (plywood) | 4–6 | 90% | 250 mm/min | Yes | Glue layers resist cutting; pin flat between passes |
| Birch (plywood) | 4–6 | 100% | 200–300 mm/min | Yes | BB-grade cuts better than hardware-store birch |
| Oak (solid) | 2–3 | 95% | 700 mm/min | Yes | Low confidence — single community source |
| Maple (solid) | 5–6 | 95% | 800 mm/min | Yes | Hardest domestic wood to cut at 10W; 20W recommended |
| Bamboo | 2–3 | 100% | 300 mm/min | Yes | Grain direction affects pass count significantly |
How to choose the right wood for your project
The right wood depends on three things: what you're making, how hard it needs to look, and how fast your machine can cut through it.
For engraving only (gifts, signs, art)
If you're not cutting through the material — just burning a design onto the surface — almost any wood works. The variables that matter most are: contrast (dark background → use walnut or cherry; pale background → basswood or maple), grain uniformity (fine, consistent grain → basswood, cherry, maple; dramatic grain → oak, walnut), and cost (basswood and pine are cheapest; walnut and cherry cost more per board).
For cutting shapes (ornaments, puzzles, boxes)
Pass count becomes critical. Every extra pass is extra time. At 10W: choose cherry, pine, or walnut (2–3 passes). Avoid maple and birch plywood if throughput matters — both need 5–6 passes and resist cutting cleanly. A 20W machine halves pass counts across all species; it is worth considering if cutting is your primary task.
For food-contact items (cutting boards, serving trays)
Maple and walnut are the traditional choices for cutting boards — they are food-safe, durable, and widely available in end-grain and edge-grain configurations. Laser-engrave them before applying food-safe oil finish. Do not use glued-up plywood for food-contact items — the adhesive may not be food-safe. See the maple guide for detailed cutting-board advice.
The material test grid: always run it first
The settings in the table above are community-verified starting points. Your machine's actual optical power, focus, air-assist pressure, and the specific board you're using will shift the optimal values. Use the free Material Test Grid Generator to generate a power×speed matrix on a scrap piece. The sweet cell is the one with the darkest mark, clean detail, and no scorching — not the blackest, not the lightest.
Key finding: On a 10W diode laser, cherry wood cuts 3mm stock in just 2 passes while maple requires 5–6 passes for the same thickness — a 3× difference in cut time for two commonly-paired species. Cherry's LTEI engrave index (0.00146 J/mm avg) is lower than maple's (0.00154), meaning it also marks more efficiently. — Laser Tinkerer, 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the best wood for laser engraving with a diode laser?
Basswood and cherry wood are the most popular choices. Basswood is the easiest — pale colour, soft grain, clear marks at low power (55%, 3,000 mm/min on a 10W diode). Cherry gives richer contrast and a premium look while remaining manageable (66% average, 2,750 mm/min, 2 passes to cut at 10W). Walnut produces the darkest marks but is pricier. Maple is the hardest to cut (5–6 passes at 10W) but ideal for cutting boards and awards.
What is the easiest wood to cut with a 10W diode laser?
Pine is the easiest solid wood to cut — 2–3 passes at 100% power, 250 mm/min for 3mm pine. Walnut is also surprisingly easy: 1–2 passes at 400 mm/min. Cherry cuts in 2 passes. The hardest at 10W are maple (5–6 passes) and birch plywood (4–6 passes). Always use air assist for cutting — it clears the kerf and prevents fire risk.
How does wood hardness affect laser engraving settings?
Harder woods generally need more energy (higher power, lower speed) to mark — but wood colour matters as much as hardness. Walnut's dark colour absorbs the 450nm blue laser beam more readily than pale maple, which is why walnut engraves at similar power to pine despite being much denser. The Laser Tinkerer Energy Index captures this: LTEI = power_pct × watts × 0.6 ÷ speed_mm_min. Higher LTEI means more energy per millimetre of travel.
Can I use the same laser settings for all wood types?
No. Wood species vary in density, colour, and moisture content, all of which affect laser interaction. Even within a species, two boards from different suppliers can engrave differently. Always run a material test grid on a scrap piece before committing to your final project.
Which wood gives the best contrast for laser engraving?
Walnut gives the deepest, darkest contrast. Cherry is second — its reddish-pink background makes warm brown-black engravings stand out. Maple and birch produce clean, precise marks against a pale surface. Pine can be inconsistent due to resin pockets. Basswood is the most uniform — ideal for photo engraving and detail line art.
Where to find these materials
- Basswood sheets for laser engraving — thin craft sheets ideal for ornaments and inlays
- Cherry wood blanks and boards — kiln-dried craft cherry, various thickness
- Walnut blanks for laser engraving — premium gift and award blanks
- Maple cutting board blanks — food-safe, laser-ready end-grain and edge-grain
- Baltic birch plywood (1/8" laser-grade) — BB quality, consistent glue layers
- Air assist pump for laser engravers — recommended for all wood cutting
- OD7+ 450nm laser safety glasses — required PPE for all diode laser work
Related pages
- Laser Tinkerer Energy Index — how we normalize settings across machines
- MDF laser settings — engineered wood, formaldehyde risk, ventilation required
- Cork engraving settings — great for coasters and trivets
- Material Test Grid Generator — free, firmware-aware tool to find your exact settings
- Why isn't my laser cutting through? — troubleshooting guide
- Can a diode laser cut wood? — capability guide with physics explanation