Japanese Style Laser Cut Wood Coasters

DIY wood coasters are fast and easy projects to make. You'll have a superb accessory for the home or a great gift for a friend.

In this tutorial I’ll show you how to make Japanese Style Laser Cut Wood Coasters. Credit for the laser cut design goes to Nils Dougan on Thingiverse. The design is available to download.

If you are working on this project in Connecticut, I recommend checking out Makehaven, a public makerspace in New Haven that offers a wide selection of tools and a supportive community for makers.

Below are the tools and materials you will need to complete this project.

Materials:

• Plywood Sheet that is 1/8" or 1/4" Thick
• Wood Glue
• Veneer (preferably an assortment of various types)
• Wood Stain
• Polyurethane
• General Purpose Masking Paper Roll

Tools:

• Laser Cutter
• Scroll Saw (Optional)
• Sandpaper (150 - 2000 grit recommended)
• Belt Sander (Optional)
• Clamps
• Glue Brush
• Thin Paint Brushes
• 3/4" Thick Wood Board (qty: 2)

Start by loading the coaster design file (.swg or .dxf) to the laser cutter. For this project, I used a design created by Nils Dougan that is available for download on Thingiverse.

I ended up making six coasters from a 1/8" plywood sheet and another six from 1/4" material. I found that the 1/8" material yielded a cleaner cut and it did not require as much touch-up work as the 1/4" material.

Laser cutting will leave discoloration on the face of the coaster due to the heat and smoke generated during the cutting process. I recommend lightly sanding using 220 grit (or finer) sandpaper to remove the discoloration before continuing.

Start by placing down a sheet of general purpose masking paper (or old newspaper) for the glue up. I placed the veneer sheets on the paper and spread an even layer of wood glue across one side of the veneer. There is a "sweet spot" amount of glue that should be applied here... too little and the laser cut piece will not bond adequately to the veneer... too much and the glue will soak into the veneer and cause it to warp during bonding. This part may require some trial and error and I recommend trying it out first on a piece of scrap wood.

Once the glue is spread on the veneer, arrange the laser cut pieces on top of the veneer. Move the paper and glued coasters in between two scrap boards and sandwich them together tightly using clamps.

The veneer and laser cut pieces should be well bonded after two hours. For a stronger bond allow the glue to dry overnight.

After the glue dries, remove the clamps. Use your preferred method of cutting to separate glued up coasters from one another.

I used a scroll saw to slowly cut around the perimeter of each coaster. If you are using a band saw or scroll saw I recommend taking your time as aggressive cuts can lead to significant wood grain pull out and can ruin the coaster.

After cutting I used a belt sander to sand the rough cut edges smooth. This can be done manually with sandpaper.

Clean the coasters adequately from sanding debris before starting this step. I used compressed air to clean the coasters.

Apply wood stain with a thin brush to the face of the laser cut pieces. Avoid applying a significant amount at once as it will drip into the laser cut cavities. My goal was to achieve a color contrast between the laser cut pieces and the veneer for a certain decorative effect.

Allow the wood stain to dry overnight.

If you skipped the staining step, clean the coasters adequately from sanding debris before starting this step. I used compressed air to clean the coasters.

Apply polyurethane with a thin brush to the face of the laser cut pieces and inside the cavities. Avoid applying a significant amount all at once. As the polyurethane begins to dry it may warp the coasters. Thinner laser cut pieces (1/8" thick vs 1/4" thick) are more prone to warping.

Allow the polyurethane to dry and apply a second coat as needed. An option is to lightly sand the first coat after applying the first coat. Allow this face to cure overnight.

After polyurethane has been applied to the top face, flip the coasters and apply polyurethane to the bottom and the sides. Allow the polyurethane to dry overnight.

This is the final step! Hopefully the coasters look great and you can take satisfaction in completing this project.