Every material at a glance
✓✓ cuts and engraves · ✓ engraves or marks · ◐ only with paint, tape or a marking compound · ✕ doesn't work · ⛔ never laser it.
Wood & paper
| Material | Blue diode | CO2 | Fiber | UV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood / birch plywood The default laser material. Fiber lasers barely mark wood, so use a diode or CO2. A 10 W diode cuts about 3 mm in a pass or two; 20–40 W diodes and CO2 machines go thicker. Glue layers in cheap plywood cause uncut spots — buy laser-grade sheets. | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✕ Doesn't work | ✓ Engraves / marks |
| Solid hardwood (walnut, maple, cherry) Engraves beautifully on every type. Dense hardwoods cut slowly on diodes; keep thickness modest and use air assist. | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✕ Doesn't work | ✓ Engraves / marks |
| MDF Cuts and engraves, but the resin binder makes heavy smoke with a strong smell. Vent it outdoors or through a proper filter. | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✕ Doesn't work | ✓ Engraves / marks |
| Paper & cardboard Cuts fast at low power. It ignites easily: never leave the machine running unattended and keep air assist on. | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✕ Doesn't work | ✓ Engraves / marks |
| Cork Popular for coasters. Thin cork cuts cleanly; watch for flare-ups. | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✕ Doesn't work | ✓ Engraves / marks |
Plastics
| Material | Blue diode | CO2 | Fiber | UV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear cast acrylic Blue diode light passes straight through clear acrylic, so diodes can't cut it. CO2 cuts it with flame-polished edges. Prefer cast over extruded acrylic for engraving. | ✕ Doesn't work | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✕ Doesn't work | ✓ Engraves / marks |
| Black / opaque colored acrylic Dark opaque acrylic absorbs diode light, so diodes can cut thin sheets (around 3 mm with enough power and passes). Blue and transparent colors still don't work on a blue diode. | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✓ Engraves / marks |
| Laser-safe stamp rubber Only rubber sold as laser-safe. Neoprene and many synthetic rubbers contain chlorine — treat those like PVC. | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✕ Doesn't work | ✓ Engraves / marks |
Natural & textiles
| Material | Blue diode | CO2 | Fiber | UV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genuine leather (veg-tanned) Veg-tanned leather engraves cleanly. Chrome-tanned leather releases chromium compounds; faux leather and "pleather" are often PVC — never laser those. | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✕ Doesn't work | ✓ Engraves / marks |
| Cotton, felt & denim Natural fibers cut with a sealed, slightly browned edge. Synthetics melt and some release toxic fumes; check the fiber content. | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✓✓ Cuts & engraves | ✕ Doesn't work | ✕ Doesn't work |
Stone, glass & ceramic
| Material | Blue diode | CO2 | Fiber | UV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slate & dark stone Engraves to a light gray contrast on every type. Lasers don't cut stone. | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✓ Engraves / marks |
| Glass CO2 frosts the surface; UV marks it cleanly. Blue diodes pass through clear glass — you need a coating (paint, tape or marking paste) to get a mark. | ◐ Only with prep | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✕ Doesn't work | ✓ Engraves / marks |
| Glazed ceramic tile & mugs Most hobbyists paint the glaze first (the "tile method") or use a marking compound. UV marks some glazes directly. | ◐ Only with prep | ◐ Only with prep | ◐ Only with prep | ✓ Engraves / marks |
Metal
| Material | Blue diode | CO2 | Fiber | UV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anodized aluminum The laser removes the colored anodized layer for a crisp white mark — business cards, dog tags, flashlights. | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✓ Engraves / marks |
| Powder-coated & painted metal (tumblers) The laser burns off the coating to reveal the metal underneath. This is how most tumbler and water-bottle engraving is done; round items need a rotary. | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✓ Engraves / marks |
| Bare stainless steel Fiber lasers mark and deep-engrave bare stainless (MOPA fibers can make color marks). Diode and CO2 machines need a marking spray to leave a permanent mark. | ◐ Only with prep | ◐ Only with prep | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✓ Engraves / marks |
| Bare aluminum, brass, silver & gold Reflective metals bounce diode and CO2 light. Fiber is the tool for jewelry and bare-metal engraving; higher-power fibers can cut thin sheet. | ✕ Doesn't work | ✕ Doesn't work | ✓ Engraves / marks | ✓ Engraves / marks |
Never laser
| Material | Blue diode | CO2 | Fiber | UV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVC, vinyl & faux leather Releases chlorine gas (hydrochloric acid with moisture) that harms your lungs and corrodes the machine. Never laser anything containing PVC or vinyl. | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous |
| Polycarbonate (Lexan) Absorbs infrared poorly, discolors, catches fire and gives off harmful fumes. Use cast acrylic instead. | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous |
| ABS plastic Melts into a gooey mess and its smoke contains hazardous compounds, including cyanide compounds. Avoid. | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous |
| HDPE (milk-jug plastic) Melts and catches fire rather than cutting. | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous |
| Polystyrene & polypropylene foam Catches fire quickly and drips burning plastic. | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous |
| Fiberglass & coated carbon fiber The resin gives off toxic fumes and the glass/carbon doesn't cut cleanly. | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous | ⛔ Never — hazardous |
Why the laser type matters more than the wattage
Materials absorb some wavelengths and let others pass. Blue diode light (around 450 nm) is absorbed well by wood, leather and dark surfaces, but passes through clear acrylic and glass. CO2 light (10.6 µm) is absorbed by almost all organic materials and by glass and acrylic of any color, but bounces off bare metal. Fiber light (1,064 nm) is absorbed by metals, which is why fiber is the tool for jewelry and stainless. UV light (355 nm) marks glass and plastics with little heat. More watts make a laser faster and let it cut thicker; they don't change what it can do. More in diode vs CO2 vs fiber and laser wattage explained.
A worked example
Say you want to make clear acrylic signs and engrave stainless-steel tumblers. Pick "Clear cast acrylic": diode shows ✕, CO2 ✓✓, fiber ✕ and UV ✓. Pick "Bare stainless steel": diode ◐ (marking spray), CO2 ◐, fiber ✓ and UV ✓. No single type is great at both, so the real choice is a CO2 laser plus marking spray for the occasional bare-steel job, or a CO2 and a small fiber. If your tumblers are powder-coated rather than bare, any type works, and a diode or CO2 machine with a rotary covers both projects. This is general guidance; test on scrap and follow your machine's material settings.
Frequently asked questions
Can a diode laser cut acrylic?
Only dark, opaque acrylic, and only thin sheets. Blue diode light (around 450 nm) passes through clear and many light or blue acrylics, so diodes can't cut them. A CO2 laser cuts every color of acrylic with polished edges.
Can a laser engraver engrave stainless steel?
A fiber laser marks and deep-engraves bare stainless steel directly. Diode and CO2 lasers need a laser marking spray or paste that bonds to the metal. Infrared modules on dual-laser machines can mark bare stainless lightly.
What materials should you never laser?
Never laser PVC, vinyl or faux leather (they release chlorine gas), polycarbonate/Lexan, ABS, HDPE, polystyrene foam, fiberglass or coated carbon fiber. If you don't know what a plastic is, don't laser it.