Ever wanted to print an image or some text on wood but didn’t know how? Well, there are a ton of ways to do it. Here’s 5, so pick your poison!
These come from Fix This Build That on YouTube. Though he’s more of a professional wood worker, anyone can do these methods with the right instruction.
Acetone
Start by placing your printed image on your piece of wood, making sure it’s printed in reverse on regular printer paper so it mirrors on to the wood correctly.
Now, using a paper towel and wearing a glove, dab on some acetone, and when it’s damp, press firmly and peel it off.
The photo quality isn’t the absolute best here, but the rustic look it gives is something I personally love.
Clothing Iron
Much like the acetone method, use a printed image on a piece of regular printer paper that is printed as a mirror image. Place the image on the wood.
It’s time to iron. Using high heat, iron the image on to the wood. The toner should transfer over to the wood! Make sure to use an iron you don’t use on clothes. Thrift stores should have some for cheap!
This gives the most rustic look out of the 5 methods, so if you really want the image quality to look worn in, this is the way to go about it.
Water-Based Polyurethane
Paint a thin layer of the water-based polyurethane, then place the mirrored printer photo on top. Press firmly and let it dry. Once it dries, put water on the paper and peel it away.
Use a tooth brush or something similar to gently scrub off the rest of the paper bits, and you’re done! This image is stunning, almost as if you printed directly on the wood!
Acrylic Gel Medium
Paint a thin layer of the acrylic gel medium, much like the water-based polyurethane, then place the mirrored printer photo on top.
Press firmly and let it dry. Once it dries, put water on the paper and peel it away.Use a tooth brush or something similar to gently scrub off the rest of the paper bits, and you’re done!
This image is stunning, but it’s a little hard to remove the paper from the wood.
CNC Laser
Okay, so this isn’t as DIY as the other ones, but engraving into the wood is pretty cool and definitely gets the image exactly how you want it. with a super rustic finish. Check out the video to see what I mean!
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Which method will you use?