Laser Settings for Wood
Wood is the most common laser material and one of the most variable. Species, density, moisture, resin content, and for plywood the glue and inner layers all change how a setting behaves, even between two sheets from the same supplier.
21 community settings from 10 machines. Select a material for its full settings, notes, and photos.
Wood engraving settings
| Material | Machine | Thickness | Speed | Power | Density | Passes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BambooWood | xTool F1 Ultra | — | 350 mm/s | 100% | 160 LPCM | 1 |
| Black WalnutWood | xTool P3 | — | 600 mm/s | 50% | 160 LPCM | 1 |
| Black WalnutWood | xTool F1 Ultra | — | 400 mm/s | 100% | 160 LPCM | 1 |
| Black WalnutWood | xTool F1 | — | 200 mm/s | 100% | 160 LPCM | 1 |
| Acacia Cutting Board with Drip Ring and Corner HoleWood | xTool S1 | 12.7 mm | 210 mm/s | 25% | 86.61 LPCM | 1 |
| Acacia Paddle Shaped Cutting BoardWood | xTool S1 | 12.7 mm | 210 mm/s | 25% | 86.61 LPCM | 1 |
| Acacia Wood Cutting BoardWood | xTool S1 | 12.7 mm | 210 mm/s | 25% | 0.05 LPCM | 1 |
| Small Cutting Board with Handle - AcaciaWood | xTool P3 | — | 600 mm/s | 40% | 160 LPCM | 1 |
| AcaciaWood - Acacia | xTool F1 | — | 150 mm/s | 100% | 300 LPCM | 1 |
| Walnut HardwoodWood | Thunder Laser Nova 24 | 19 mm | 500 mm/s | 55% | 762 LPI | 1 |
| Stanley Wooden Handled HammerWood | xTool P3 | — | 400 mm/s | 80% | 200 LPCM | 1 |
| Vallet BoxWood | xTool F1 Ultra | — | 380 mm/s | 80% | 140 LPCM | 1 |
| Pocket KnifeWood | xTool S1 | — | 210 mm/s | 25% | 210 LPCM | 1 |
| Wood Pendant JewelryWood | OMTech AF Series (80W) | — | 200 mm/s | 35% | 762 LPI | 1 |
| TruFlatPlywood - MDF | Thunder Laser Bolt | — | 300 mm/s | 30% | 508 LPI | 1 |
| AcaciaWood - Acacia | Aeon Laser MIRA 7 Pro S Redline | — | 300 mm/s | 45% | 508 LPI | 1 |
| TruFlatPlywood | Aeon Laser MIRA 9 | — | 250 mm/s | 45% | 1016 LPI | 1 |
Wood cutting settings
| Material | Machine | Thickness | Speed | Power | Passes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8-inch White PlyCoreWood | xTool P3 | 3 mm | 20 mm/s | 85% | 1 |
| 1/4-inch EcoBirch WhiteWood | xTool P3 | 6 mm | 15 mm/s | 80% | 1 |
| 1/8” MDFOther | Glowforge Pro | — | 170 mm/s | 0% | 1 |
| TruFlatMDF | Aeon Laser MIRA 9 | — | 15 mm/s | 75% | 2 |
| TruFlatPlywood - MDF | Thunder Laser Bolt | — | 10 mm/s | 75% | 0 |
| TruFlatPlywood | Aeon Laser MIRA 9 | — | 15 mm/s | 75% | 2 |
Wood scoring settings
| Material | Machine | Speed | Power | Passes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TruFlatPlywood | Aeon Laser MIRA 9 | 300 mm/s | 0% | 1 |
Tips for lasering wood
- Test on the same sheet
- Run your test grid on an offcut of the sheet you will use. A walnut setting can scorch maple, and two batches of the same plywood can cut differently.
- Plywood has hidden layers
- Glue lines and voids inside plywood stop a cut that looked fine on the surface. Laser-grade plywood uses glue designed for lasers and has fewer voids.
- Control smoke staining
- Air assist, masking tape or transfer paper on the surface, and cutting face-down all reduce smoke marks around cuts and engravings.
- MDF and resin
- MDF cuts cleanly but produces heavy smoke and fumes; ventilate well. Resinous woods like pine engrave unevenly because the grain burns at different rates.
New to these terms? Read how laser settings work, or convert LPI and line interval with the line density converter.
Before you run these settings
Settings vary between individual machines, even of the same model: lens, focus, alignment, air assist, and the exact material all change the result. Run a small test grid on scrap from the same sheet first, never leave the laser unattended, and never cut PVC or vinyl.
Machines with these settings
- xTool P3 laser settings (5)
- xTool S1 laser settings (4)
- xTool F1 Ultra laser settings (3)
- Aeon Laser MIRA 9 laser settings (2)
- xTool F1 laser settings (2)
- Aeon Laser MIRA 7 Pro S Redline laser settings (1)
- Glowforge Pro laser settings (1)
- OMTech AF Series (80W) laser settings (1)
- Thunder Laser Bolt laser settings (1)
- Thunder Laser Nova 24 laser settings (1)