Laser Cut Wood Projects to Make

Hobby diode and CO2 lasers cover a lot of our build ideas. This list is the broad index; for Christmas-only batching see laser engraver Christmas gift ideas.

Laser: never leave it running, keep an extinguisher in reach, and with an open-frame laser everyone in the room wears eyewear rated for its wavelength. See laser and CNC shop safety.

Village and holiday

Laser-cut Christmas village: three tab-and-slot houses and two trees from 1/8 in Baltic birch; each house lifts off over a battery LED (never candles).

Christmas village church: bell tower and steeple in the same tab-and-slot style.

Christmas village covered bridge: arched portals and scored shingle roof for the village creek.

Christmas village general store: a tabletop shop at the same scale as the church and bridge, about 6 in wide.

Laser-engraved walnut ornaments: thin walnut discs with motif and hang hole.

Layered walnut and maple snowflake ornaments: maple snowflake on a walnut disc.

Laser-cut walnut gift tags: thin walnut tags with twine.

Layered star tree topper: walnut and maple star with a sleeve for the tree tip (scroll saw, bandsaw, or laser for thin stock).

Gifts and jewelry

Laser-cut wood earrings: small geometric pairs from 1/8 in walnut.

Laser-cut leaf napkin rings: living-hinge birch rings with a leaf cutout.

Splined walnut keepsake box: table-saw box with optional lid engraving on the laser.

Home goods

Laser-engraved coaster set: engraved round coasters with a tab-and-slot holder from Baltic birch. For cups, not food; seal with a water-resistant finish.

Laser-engraved hex wall tiles: decorative hex tiles for a wall feature.

Related laser tips

• Laser engraver Christmas gift ideas — Christmas-only roundup
• Laser engraving wood ornaments — testing engrave, score and cut settings on scrap
• Laser and CNC shop safety
• Our tool picks: diode vs CO2 laser, free laser software, laser air assist, laser bed and backing, laser fume extractor

Browse all build ideas.