Best Fonts for Laser Cutting Text (and Why Letters Fall Apart)
The best fonts for laser cutting are bold, chunky typefaces without hairline strokes, and either stencil fonts (whose letters are pre-connected) or any font processed with bridging so enclosed centres like the middle of an O stay attached. Script fonts work when the letters connect into one continuous piece. Thin, delicate fonts fail: fine strokes burn away or snap, and unbridged counters drop out of the sheet.
The two ways text fails on a laser
First, islands: the enclosed centres of O, A, B, D, e, a (typographers call them counters) are separate floating pieces once the outline is cut, so they fall out and an O becomes a hole. Second, fragility: hairline strokes and serifs thinner than about 1mm either burn away entirely or snap the moment you handle the piece. Every font choice for cutting is really a response to those two failure modes.
Stencil fonts: the pre-solved option
Stencil typefaces (Stencil, Allerta Stencil, Saira Stencil One, Big Shoulders Stencil) draw every letter with built-in gaps so no counter is ever enclosed. They cut perfectly with zero preparation, which is why the military-crate look is everywhere in laser work. The trade-off is style: everything comes out looking a bit industrial.
Bold fonts plus bridging: any style you want
The modern approach is to pick the font you actually want, bold and chunky, then let software add small bridges connecting each counter to the surrounding material. Good bridges are placed symmetrically so they read as intentional stencil styling. This unlocks thousands of fonts that would otherwise fall apart, from clean geometric sans faces to slab serifs. Our auto-bridge tool does this on any SVG text automatically.
Script fonts: connected is the keyword
Cursive and script faces (Pacifico, Lobster, Great Vibes) can be excellent for name signs because connected letters form one continuous piece of material, no islands at all. The requirements: the letters must actually touch (letter-spacing zero or negative), the strokes must be thick enough to survive, and dotted letters like i and j still need their dots bridged or welded to the body.
Minimum sizes that survive
As a rule of thumb on 3mm plywood: keep every stroke at least 1.5 to 2mm wide, which for most bold fonts means text at least 15 to 20mm tall. Engraving has no such limit, tiny text engraves fine, so a common design pattern is to cut the big words and engrave the small ones. If a design needs small cut text, a heavier font weight beats scaling up.
Cutting vs engraving changes the rules
Everything above applies to cut-through text. Engraved text has no structural constraints at all: serifs, hairlines, and delicate scripts all engrave beautifully because nothing is removed except surface material. If a font keeps failing as a cut, ask whether the piece would look just as good engraved, it usually does, and the constraint disappears.
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Design laser-ready text freeFrequently asked questions
Why do the middles of my letters fall out?
Enclosed letter centres (the counter of an O or B) become separate floating pieces once cut. Use a stencil font whose letters are pre-connected, or bridge the counters to the surrounding material so the text cuts as one piece.
What is the minimum text size for laser cutting?
On 3mm plywood keep strokes at least 1.5 to 2mm wide, which means roughly 15 to 20mm tall text in a bold font. Smaller text is better engraved than cut.
Are script fonts good for laser cutting?
Yes, when the letters connect into one continuous piece with thick strokes. Connected script is actually ideal for name signs because it has no floating centres, though i and j dots still need bridging.
Do I have to use a stencil font?
No. Bridging software adds small connectors to any font's enclosed centres, so bold fonts of any style cut cleanly. Stencil fonts are just the zero-effort option.
What about engraved text?
Engraving has no structural limits: hairlines, serifs, and tiny sizes all engrave fine because no material is cut free. The font rules only apply to cut-through text.
Related guides
What Is Bridging in Laser Cutting? (Floating Islands Explained)
Why parts fall out of stencils, and how bridges fix it.
How to Make a Laser-Cut Stencil That Actually Holds Together
The whole process, from artwork to a stencil that does not fall apart.
How to Vectorize a Logo for Laser Cutting or Engraving
From a JPG or screenshot to a clean, cuttable logo file.