Laser Engraver Settings by Material — Complete Chart

Important Caveats Before You Start

Wattage labeling: Many diode laser machines advertise electrical input wattage, not optical output wattage. A machine marketed as "40W" may deliver 10–20W of actual optical power. The tables below are organized by optical output (10W optical and 20W optical). If you are unsure of your machine's actual optical output, check the manufacturer specification sheet for "optical power" or "laser power output."

Test on scrap: These are starting-point settings derived from typical diode laser performance. Your machine, your material batch, and your air assist setup will all vary. Run a small test pattern on a scrap piece before committing to any full job. For cutting operations, a fast test grid across a few cm of material tells you exactly which speed cuts through. This step is not optional for production work.

Without air assist: If your machine does not have air assist, reduce speed by 30–40% from the cutting settings in these tables, and expect more charring on cut edges. Air assist has a significant impact on effective cutting power.

Materials not listed: If a material is not in this table, either it is not laser-compatible or it requires additional research before use. See the materials you should not laser guide before experimenting with unknown materials.

10W Optical Output Diode Laser — Settings by Material

Settings assume air assist enabled unless noted. Speeds in mm/min. "Cut" = through cut; "Engrave" = surface marking.

20W Optical Output Diode Laser — Settings by Material

Settings assume air assist enabled unless noted. Speeds in mm/min. At 20W optical output, speeds increase significantly vs 10W for the same material.

Material-Specific Notes

Cork

Cork is low-density, highly porous, and absorbs laser energy very readily. Use significantly lower power settings than wood of similar thickness. Cork can catch fire at the slower speeds used for denser materials — keep speed up and power down. Cork coasters and cork board engraving produce attractive results at correct settings; over-powered settings produce heavy charring.

Rubber Stamp Material

Laser-safe rubber stamp blanks (sold specifically for laser engraving) produce clean stamps with good resolution on diode lasers. Not all rubber is laser-safe — standard rubber eraser material often contains fillers and plasticizers that produce irritating fumes. Purchase rubber stamp blanks from laser-specific suppliers and confirm they are certified laser-safe.

Fabric and Felt

Natural fiber fabrics (100% cotton, wool, linen, silk) cut and engrave on diode lasers. Synthetic fabrics (polyester, nylon, acrylic) melt rather than cutting cleanly, and some release irritating fumes. Always check fabric composition before lasering. Felt made from polyester blends is common — confirm you have wool felt, not synthetic felt. Air assist at moderate flow prevents the fabric from catching fire on slow-moving sections. Pin or weight fabric flat before cutting to prevent movement.

Foam Board

Standard foam board (polystyrene foam core with paper facing) should only be engraved, not cut, on a diode laser. The polystyrene core produces styrene fumes when heated. Engraving settings should be minimal — just enough to mark the paper surface without heating the foam beneath significantly. For cutting foam board, consider mechanical cutting. This is one of the materials where the fume profile warrants additional caution, particularly in enclosed spaces.

Cardboard

Single-ply cardboard and corrugated cardboard cut well on diode lasers at high speed. The fire risk is real — cardboard can ignite and sustain flame if the laser dwells too long on any area (slow speed, corner pauses in the design, or stops). Monitor cardboard cutting in real time. Do not leave the machine unattended. A spray bottle of water nearby is sensible precaution.

Adjusting These Settings for Your Machine

The process for calibrating any new material:

1. Find the material in the table for your machine's power level and note the starting settings.
2. Create a test pattern: for cutting, a series of 20mm lines at 80%, 90%, 100%, 120% of the listed speed. For engraving, a series of filled squares at the listed speed but at 80%, 90%, 100%, 110% of the listed power.
3. Run the test pattern on a scrap piece of the same material from the same batch.
4. Inspect results: for cutting, find the slowest speed that cuts through cleanly. For engraving, find the power level that produces your desired depth and darkness.
5. Note the confirmed settings for future use. Store them as a named material preset in LightBurn for fast access.

Building up a library of confirmed settings for your specific machine and your specific material suppliers is one of the most valuable things you can do as a laser operator. The second job on any material goes faster than the first because you already know the settings.

For deeper material-specific guidance, each material has its own dedicated guide with additional context on material selection, technique, and troubleshooting:

• Wood settings guide
• Acrylic guide
• Leather guide
• Slate guide
• Anodized aluminum guide
• Materials you should not laser

If your machine is not cutting or engraving as expected even with these settings, see the laser not cutting through guide — focus errors and dirty lenses are the most common causes of settings that "should" work but don't.