Murphy’s Law: How to Make Your Laser Engravings Darker

Hey there fellow creators, crafters, and small business owners! I’m Murphy, and this is Murphy’s Law on how to make your laser engraving darker. If you’re tired of pale and unclear engravings and are looking to make the jump into bolder waters, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we’re going to break down the process on how to darken laser engraving on various types of material, like wood, leather, and metal. Afterwards, you’ll be able to achieve striking and precise results on your laser engraver. Let’s get started! 

How to Darken Laser Engraving on Wood 

There are several methods you can use to make your laser engraving darker on wood. Here are some steps you can take: 

Borax Pre-Treatment

Treating the wood before engraving with a water and borax solution helps darken the laser marks to achieve clearer results. The borax will naturally darken the wood and create drastic, black marks  

Mix a solution of 400mL of hot water and one tablespoon of borax. Coat the wood with the solution and let it sit for 20-30 minutes before engraving. Note that the results, while dark, are prone to smudging. Therefore, you should seal the finished product with a clear coat to prevent marring the laser engravings. 

Opt for Darker Woods 

The contents of your material can also affect the result of your engravings. For example, dark wood with higher resin content like walnut and cherry create darker results than lighter woods. Experiment with different wood types to find one to your liking. 

Optimize Your Laser Engraving Settings 

 If your wood laser engravings aren’t dark enough, try increasing the power of the laser beam and decreasing the speed. This will cause the laser to burn deeper into the wood, achieving darker etchings. When adjusting the power and speed of your wood laser engraver, increase or decrease in small increments to avoid excessive burning that will char the wood. 

Stain the Wood Before Engraving 

Just like you can use borax to make the wood darker, another method is to treat the material with stain. Using a dark stain enhances the contrast, offering a drastic end result. Let the stain dry completely before you start engraving! 

How to Make Leather Laser Engravings Darker

Increase Power and Decrease Speed 

Just like with wood, increasing the power and decreasing the speed of the laser helps darken those leather laser engravings. The slower-moving, powerful beam allows the laser to penetrate deeper into the material, offering a bolder contrast on the natural medium. Just make sure not to go too low or high, as drastic changes in speed and power can burn or damage the leather. 

Treat with Polish 

Polishing the leather not only adds protection to the material but also darkens the leather. If you want long-lasting leather laser engravings, rub the stain into the material before starting and let it dry prior to start. 

How to Darken Laser Engraving on Metal 

Optimize Focus and Resolution 

Ensure your focus is set to the optimal focus distance for metal laser engraving. This allows your laser engraver to etch precisely and accurately for the best results. You can also try increasing the DPI (dots per inch), as this will increase the number of passes the laser takes. 

Use a Darkening Agent 

You can use a darkening agent or solution to make your metal laser engravings dark. Apply the solution or ink to the etchings and rub it into the recessed areas. Then use a cloth to clean off the surface, taking care not to remove the agent from the etching. Darkening solutions or agents allow you to achieve a drastic contrast, offering bold, black details on the metal. 

Crafting Perfection, One Engraving at a Time

Mastering the art of making your laser engravings darker involves a few key techniques, whether you're working with wood, leather, or metal. By tweaking your laser settings, pre-treating your materials, and choosing the right substrates, you can achieve bold and striking results every time.

Ready to take your laser engraving skills to the next level? Look no further than OMTech for all your laser engraving needs. With their range of high-quality laser engravers and comprehensive support, OMTech provides the tools and resources to help you unleash your creativity and precision. Visit OMTech's website for the best metal laser engravers and wood/leather laser cutters to start transforming your projects today.

Stay creative and keep those lasers buzzing! Happy engraving, friends!