Want to know how to cut wood with Cricut Maker? You have come to the right place. Cricut Maker can cut wood, opening up a new world of crafting possibilities. The Cricut Maker is a commercial-grade machine for serious craftspeople. It can cut the heaviest of all Cricut machines – more than hundreds of materials from delicate paper to leather.
But there are some things you need to understand when cutting wood with Cricut Maker. So, use this post as your guide for cutting wood with Cricut Maker. We will cover everything below, including blades, mats, and tips and tricks for achieving the best results.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF WOOD TO CUT WITH CRICUT MAKER
So, what type of wood can you cut with Cricut Maker? Here are the types and a short description of each one given below:
Balsa wood: This is a soft wood that can break easily. It’s suitable for some craft projects but just be aware that it’s brittle.
Basswood: This wood is much better for crafting projects.
Wood veneer: Cricut brand has recently launched a line of wood veneer.
BLADE TO CUT WOOD WITH CRICUT MAKER
You need a knife blade to cut wood with Cricut Maker. This is the only knife blade used when cutting balsa and basswood. Remember that the knife blade needs to be calibrated before first use.
This knife blade goes on the cutting side of Cricut Maker. It has a protective cap that will cover it when not in use. Make sure to remove it before putting it in Cricut Maker.
ADD WOOD TO A CRICUT MAT
Now that you’ve wood and blade be ready to learn how to cut wood with Cricut Maker. One of the most important things is properly attaching wood to the mat. You need a mat with a firm grip. Plus, the wood itself can only be 11 inches wide. You’ll need that extra inch as support for the white rollers. We’ll talk about taking them down a bit further down in the post.
First of all, press the wood well on the mat. Then, as extra insurance, you’ll want to add some tape to the edges to ensure it doesn’t move, as you can see below.
DESIGNS THAT CUT WELL
You must keep things in mind while planning wooden crafts with Cricut Maker.
The width of the cut shouldn’t be smaller than the diameter of the pencil.
Ensure all cuts are at least ¼” away from the edge of your wood (if the blades cross the edge of your wood, there’s a high chance the blade will be damaged).
Knife blades are recommended for details of 3/4 inch and above. Therefore, finer details may not work with thick materials such as wood.
Also, you can keep reading because we have some project ideas below to get you started.
CRICUT DESIGN SPACE AND CUTTING WOOD
First, the knife blade only works on a computer. This design isn’t compatible with the Cricut Design Space app. This is due to the length of time for the cut.
Once you’ve designed your project, you’ll want to mirror your cut in the Cricut Design Space. The cut will be the cleanest against the mat, so you want it to be “in front” of you. Also, you can keep this in mind when placing your material on the mat. Lay down the best part of the wood.
PREPARE YOUR CRICUT MAKER
You’ll want to push the white wheels to the right. Your material should never go under white or black wheels when cutting wood. These cuts take a long time! Once you start cutting into the Cricut Design Space, the machine will do one pass and then calculate the length of time. Be prepared to tie up the machine for a while, depending on your design’s complexity.
CHECKING WOOD CUTS ON CRICUT MAKER
Start checking cuts at about the halfway point. Cricut Design Space will count how many passes you’ve left. Press the pause button on the machine itself. Then use a weeding tool to lift the edge and see if the material has been cut.
The corner cuts will be the last. But keep checking every pass. You can cut too deeply and cut through the mat. If you check and the material isn’t cut, simply touch “C” on the machine to continue cutting. If material is still not cut, you can use this “C” to make extra passes after the cut is done.
FINISHING CUTS
You can cut through the Cricut Maker until all the cuts are fully cut. Please be aware that it will shorten the mat’s life as the blade will start to etch in some areas. You can remove the mat from your machine and finish the cut with a craft knife. It’s optional but can help prevent too much damage to the mat.
Also, you want to remove the wood from the mat carefully. Keep in mind that the front side of your mat is the good side! Gently peel the mat off the wood and see if there are any breakages.