Laser Settings for Wood: Cutting & Engraving Guide
Wood is the most popular material for desktop laser users, but dialing in the right speed, power, and number of passes depends on your laser type, wattage, and the specific wood you are working with. This guide provides tested baseline settings for the most common diode and CO2 machines so you can start cutting and engraving with confidence.
Understanding Wood Laser Settings
There is no single "correct" setting for wood. Several variables interact to determine whether you get a clean cut or a charred mess:
- •Laser type — Diode lasers (typically 5-40 W optical) and CO2 lasers (40-100 W) operate at different wavelengths and power levels. CO2 lasers cut wood far more efficiently per watt.
- •Wood type — Softwoods like basswood cut easily; hardwoods like oak and walnut need more power. Density and resin content both matter.
- •Thickness — Doubling thickness usually means more than doubling the number of passes or significantly reducing speed.
- •Air assist — Blowing air into the cut clears debris, reduces charring, and helps prevent flare-ups. It is essential for wood cutting.
- •Focus distance — An out-of-focus beam spreads energy over a wider area, reducing cutting depth and engraving sharpness. Always verify focus before a job.
Diode Laser Settings for Wood
Settings below are tested starting points for basswood. Adjust speed down or passes up for denser woods.
xTool S1 20W
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 300 | 85 | 2 | Cut |
| Basswood | 3 mm | 4000 | 30 | 1 | Engrave |
| Basswood | 6 mm | 200 | 100 | 3 | Cut |
xTool D1 Pro 20W
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 300 | 80 | 2 | Cut |
| Basswood | 6 mm | 180 | 100 | 3 | Cut |
| Basswood | 3 mm | 4000 | 30 | 1 | Engrave |
xTool S1 40W
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 400 | 65 | 1 | Cut |
| Basswood | 6 mm | 300 | 85 | 1 | Cut |
| Basswood | 3 mm | 6000 | 20 | 1 | Engrave |
xTool D1 Pro 10W
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 200 | 100 | 3 | Cut |
| Basswood | 3 mm | 3000 | 35 | 1 | Engrave |
Sculpfun S30 Pro Max 20W
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 250 | 90 | 2 | Cut |
| Basswood | 3 mm | 3000 | 25 | 1 | Engrave |
| Basswood | 6 mm | 180 | 100 | 3 | Cut |
Sculpfun SF-A9 40W
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 400 | 60 | 1 | Cut |
| Basswood | 6 mm | 300 | 80 | 1 | Cut |
| Basswood | 3 mm | 6000 | 20 | 1 | Engrave |
Atomstack X20 Pro 20W
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 280 | 85 | 2 | Cut |
| Basswood | 6 mm | 150 | 100 | 3 | Cut |
Atomstack A5 Pro 5W
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 150 | 100 | 4 | Cut |
| Basswood | 3 mm | 1500 | 50 | 1 | Engrave |
Creality Falcon 2 22W
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 300 | 85 | 2 | Cut |
| Basswood | 6 mm | 200 | 100 | 3 | Cut |
| Basswood | 3 mm | 4000 | 30 | 1 | Engrave |
LONGER Ray5 20W
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 280 | 85 | 2 | Cut |
| Basswood | 6 mm | 160 | 100 | 3 | Cut |
| Basswood | 3 mm | 3500 | 28 | 1 | Engrave |
Ortur Laser Master 3 10W
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 200 | 100 | 3 | Cut |
| Basswood | 3 mm | 3000 | 35 | 1 | Engrave |
TwoTrees TS2 10W
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 200 | 100 | 3 | Cut |
| Basswood | 3 mm | 3000 | 35 | 1 | Engrave |
CO2 Laser Settings for Wood
CO2 lasers use mm/s speeds that look much slower than diode numbers because each watt is far more effective on wood. One pass is usually enough for 3-6 mm stock.
OMTech 40W CO2
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 20 | 55 | 1 | Cut |
| Basswood | 6 mm | 12 | 70 | 1 | Cut |
| Basswood | — | 300 | 20 | 1 | Engrave |
OMTech 50W CO2
| Material | Thickness | Speed mm/s | Power % | Passes | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood | 3 mm | 25 | 45 | 1 | Cut |
| Basswood | 6 mm | 15 | 60 | 1 | Cut |
| Basswood | — | 350 | 18 | 1 | Engrave |
Tips for Laser Cutting Wood
- •Always use air assist when cutting. It clears smoke from the kerf, reduces charring, and prevents flare-ups.
- •Pin or weight your material flat. Even slight warping lifts the surface out of focus and causes uneven cuts.
- •Test on scrap first. Wood varies from sheet to sheet, and a quick test square saves wasted material.
- •Watch for flare-ups and keep a fire extinguisher nearby. Resinous woods and thin offcuts can ignite.
- •Multiple passes at lower power often produce cleaner edges than a single pass at maximum power.
- •Apply painter's tape to the wood surface before cutting to reduce smoke staining around the kerf.
Tips for Laser Engraving Wood
- •Lower power gives a lighter engrave; higher power burns deeper and darker. Adjust in 5 % increments until you find the contrast you want.
- •Use 254 DPI (0.1 mm line interval) as a starting point for photo engraving on wood.
- •In LightBurn, Jarvis or Stucki dithering produces the best photographic results on wood surfaces.
- •Run air assist off or on a low setting when engraving. High airflow blows away char, which can reduce contrast.
Wood Types Guide
Not all wood behaves the same under a laser. Here is a quick overview of the most common types:
Basswood / Balsa
Very soft, cuts easily with low power. Light color gives excellent engraving contrast. The default test wood for most hobbyists.
Birch Plywood
Affordable, consistent thickness, and widely available. Good for cutting projects. The cross-ply layers add strength but can cause slightly uneven edge color.
MDF
Engineered wood that cuts cleanly but produces messy, dark edges. Releases formaldehyde fumes — always use proper ventilation or an enclosure with filtration.
Hardwoods (Oak, Walnut, Maple)
Need more power and slower speeds to cut. The trade-off is beautiful, high-contrast engraving results. Walnut in particular produces a stunning natural dark engrave.
Plywood (General)
Varies widely in quality. Cheap plywood often has thick glue layers that resist laser cutting and leave uncut spots. Look for "laser-grade" or Baltic birch plywood for best results.
Troubleshooting Wood Cutting Problems
Not cutting through
Check focus distance first — this is the most common cause. Then verify the lens is clean. If settings look correct, add passes or reduce speed by 10-20 %. Cheap plywood with thick internal glue layers may simply not cut cleanly with a diode laser.
Scorched / blackened edges
Usually means the speed is too slow or air assist is off. Increase speed, enable air assist, and consider using multiple faster passes instead of one slow pass.
Uneven cuts (cuts through in some spots but not others)
The material is likely warped or has inconsistent thickness. Pin it flat with magnets or weights. For plywood, try a different supplier — sheet quality varies significantly.
What the Research Says
Data from peer-reviewed studies on laser cutting and engraving wood, compiled to help you make informed decisions.
Optimal CO2 Parameters for Wood
A 2024 study on CO2 laser cutting of spruce (Ružiak et al., Materials) found that 200W at 50 mm/s produced optimal results regardless of wood grain direction, with kerf widths up to 0.75mm. The ANN prediction model achieved R² = 0.93–0.99 accuracy.
Surface Quality vs. Speed
Research on beech wood veneers (Dogan et al., 2024) showed surface roughness (Ra) can be reduced from 17.3 to 11.1 μm — a 35.8% improvement — by optimizing speed and power. The key finding: lower power + higher speed = smoother cuts. A 2025 study in Forests confirmed that 50% laser power at 15 mm/s gives the lowest roughness, while 50% at 30 mm/s gives the thinnest kerf.
Air Assist Impact on Wood Cutting
Hobby laser tests (HobbyLaserCutters.com, 2021) measured air assist benefits across multiple wood types with 20W diode lasers. Results: 20–73% fewer passes needed with air assist enabled. The benefit was most dramatic on 15mm Paulownia — reducing from 15+ passes to just 4 passes at 600 mm/min. Air assist also reduces charring and fire risk.
Kerf Width Reference
Typical kerf widths for wood: 0.25–0.51mm (industry data) up to 0.75mm at lower speeds (Ružiak, 2024). For dimensional accuracy, offset your laser path by half the kerf width. The kerf shape is conical (V-shaped), narrowing with depth, and varies between earlywood and latewood in the same piece.
Sources: Ružiak et al. (2024) Materials; Dogan et al. (2024) J. Materials Science; Forests 16(5), 785 (2025); HobbyLaserCutters.com (2021).Full bibliography →
Frequently Asked Questions
What speed and power to cut 3mm wood?
For a 20 W diode laser, start around 250-300 mm/s at 80-90 % power with 2 passes. A 40-50 W CO2 laser can cut 3 mm basswood in a single pass at 20-25 mm/s and 45-55 % power. Always test on scrap first because settings vary with wood density and moisture content.
Can a diode laser cut wood?
Yes. A 10 W diode laser can cut 3 mm basswood or plywood with multiple passes. A 20 W diode handles 3 mm in 2 passes and 6 mm in 3-4 passes. Higher-power 40 W diode modules cut 3 mm in a single pass. Thicker or harder woods may exceed practical diode limits.
How many passes to cut 6mm plywood?
With a 20 W diode laser, expect 3 passes at full power and around 150-200 mm/s. A 40 W diode can often do it in 1 pass. CO2 lasers (40-50 W) typically cut 6 mm plywood in 1 pass at 12-15 mm/s. Add air assist and ensure the material is flat for clean results.
Why is my laser not cutting through wood?
Common causes: incorrect focus distance, dirty or damaged lens, insufficient power or too few passes, warped material lifting off the bed, or wood with dense glue layers (common in cheap plywood). Check focus first, clean the lens, then add passes or reduce speed.
What is the best wood for laser engraving?
Basswood and birch plywood are the most popular choices. Basswood has a light, uniform color that produces strong engraving contrast. Birch plywood is affordable, consistent in thickness, and widely available. Hardwoods like walnut and cherry produce beautiful dark engraves but need more power.
Diode vs CO2 laser for wood?
CO2 lasers (40-100 W) cut faster and handle thicker stock in fewer passes because wood absorbs the 10,600 nm wavelength efficiently. Diode lasers (5-40 W) are more affordable, compact, and perfectly capable for 3-6 mm material. For cutting above 10 mm or production volume work, CO2 is the better choice.
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