If you have been thinking about buying a Cricut machine, then it is really important to do your research to find out which machine would be right for you. There are various different options to choose from as there are different lines of Cricut products, like the Maker, Explore, and more.
The type of crafting that you want to do will influence the decision that you make when it comes to choosing a machine, and if you want to cut wood with your Cricut, then this will help to narrow down the choices that are available to you.
In this article, we are going to answer the question ‘Can a Cricut Cut Wood?’, as well as take a look at the different Cricut machines to find out which ones will be able to complete this task. Just keep reading to find out more about which Cricut machines are able to cut through wood.
Can A Cricut Cut Wood?
Yes, there are Cricut machines that are able to cut through wood, but you should know that they are not all capable of doing so. The best machine to use for the purpose of cutting through wood is the Cricut Maker.
You might be able to achieve successful results when trying to cut wood by using the Cricut Explore too, but you should know that it is not designed for this purpose.
According to Cricut, the Explore line of machines is not designed to cut through wood, although there are some crafters that have managed to do so by tweaking some of the settings.
So, for the best results, we would recommend that you use the Cricut Maker or Cricut Maker 3 if you want to cut wood for your craft projects.
Cutting Wood With The Cricut Maker
One type of wood that you can cut with the Cricut Maker is balsa wood. We are going to tell you how to use your Cricut Maker to cut through wood below, as well as tell you everything that you need to know about doing so.
How Thick Can The Balsa Wood Be?
If you want to cut balsa wood by using your Cricut Maker, you will need to ensure that it is one of the following thicknesses:
- 1/32”
- 1/16”
- 3/32”
You will also need to ensure that it is not warped, or that the warp is very minimal, and that it has minimal blemishes, including knots. If you find that the wood does have knots, then the cut should be positioned in a way that means the blade will not go over these knots.
If you are using a board, you should only use single pieces, rather than composite pieces or pieces that have been glued together.
If you were to use composite pieces, it is likely that you would encounter inconsistent cutting when it comes to the seam, and this can actually cause damage to the blade.
The size of the cuts should be a maximum of 10.5” x 11.5” or 10.5” x 23.5” and a minimum of 0.75” x 0.75” . The width of the cut should not be smaller than the diameter of a pencil, and you should ensure that all of your cuts are at least ¼ inches away from the edge of the wood.
What Mat Should I Use For Cutting Wood?
If you want to cut balsa wood with your Cricut Maker, then you will need to use a strong grip mat for the best results.
Preparing Your Materials
You will need to handle the wood with caution, as it can be a very fragile material. You will need to protect your work surface, and cut down your material to the side that you need for your project by using a craft knife and a ruler.
You will need to remove any stickers or packaging that are present on the wood, and wipe down the material with a cloth to remove any dust or debris.
Next, you will need to mirror your images in the Design Space application. If the wood does have any warp, you should place it in a way that means that the curves go towards the mat.
You can use a brayer to create a bond between the material and your machine mat’s adhesive surface, and then place the project materials onto the mat.
Tape all 4 of the edges of the material to the mat using masking tape, and make sure that all of your cuts are at least ¼ inches away from the edge of the wood.
On your Cricut Maker, you should move the white star wheels all the way to the right to avoid leaving an imprint on your design, and make sure that no part of the material will move underneath the rubber rollers.
If you can, it is always worth doing a test cut before you go ahead and carry out your main project.
It will take longer for thicker materials to cut, as it may require multiple cut passes with increasing pressure for the blade to cut through the wood. So, the knife will take much longer to cut thicker materials than it would thinner materials.
You can monitor your cutting progress through Design Space. The length of time that the entire cut takes will depend on the material, size, and intricacy of your design project.
Troubleshooting
If the material starts to move around during the cut, the mat is probably not sticky enough. If the cut doesn’t go all the way through the wood, then you might need to replace a worn blade.
It is possible for the machine to stop the cut when additional passes are still needed, and if this happens, you can follow the prompts that appear on the screen in Design Space. If the machine keeps stopping in the same place, then you can repeat the process.
Be mindful that this can take a few times. If you still can’t move past this point, then it might be that there are imperfections in the material that are preventing a successful cut. You will need to try the project again with a new piece of material.
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