How to Make a Photo Coaster With a Laser (Wood and Slate)
By Amir Baker, founder of StencilCut · Updated
To make a photo coaster with a laser, you prepare the photo as a high-contrast grayscale image, size it to the coaster face (a round or square about 90 to 100 mm), and engrave it with dithering so the tones read as a burn. On slate, the photo is inverted first because slate engraves lighter than its surface. Wood engraves dark-on-light, so it is used as-is.
Step by step
- 1
Choose a clear, well-lit photo
Strong contrast and a defined subject engrave best. Faces read better cropped close. Busy backgrounds can be removed.
- 2
Convert to a laser-ready image
Turn the photo into a high-contrast grayscale (or bold two-tone) image sized for engraving. For slate, invert it so the light burn lands in the right places.
- 3
Fit it to the coaster shape
Lay the design out on the actual coaster face, a circle or a rounded square, so the engraving fills the surface with a small margin and nothing runs off the edge.
- 4
Engrave with dithering
Photo tones engrave best with a dither or halftone pattern rather than solid greys, which gives smooth-looking shading on wood and slate.
- 5
Add a cut outline if you are cutting blanks
If you are also cutting the coaster shape (not using pre-made blanks), add a circle or square cut path around the artwork.
Wood vs slate (the tone is flipped)
Wood coasters engrave dark-on-light: the laser burns the wood darker, so a normal grayscale photo works directly. Slate coasters are the opposite, the laser lightens the dark slate surface, so a photo has to be inverted first (the dark parts of the photo become un-engraved dark slate, the light parts become the light burn). Getting this backwards is the single most common coaster mistake, and it is why a slate photo looks like a photo negative in the file.
Preparing the photo
A photo cannot be engraved as-is; it needs to become a laser-friendly image. That means good contrast, a clear subject, and often background removal so the coaster shows the person or pet and not the room behind them. Convert it to grayscale (for a soft, photographic look) or bold two-tone (for a graphic, high-contrast look), and remember to invert for slate. Our stone coaster engrave styles produce a version laid out on the coaster face with an inverted download for slate, so you get both polarities.
Sizing to a round or square coaster
Standard coasters are about 90 to 100 mm across. Lay the design out on the actual coaster shape, a circle or a softly rounded square, and keep a small margin so the engraving does not run to the very edge (edges chip and lose detail). If you are cutting your own blanks rather than buying them, add a cut outline in the matching shape around the artwork.
Settings that read cleanly
Photo engraving uses lower power and higher speed than cutting, plus a dithering or halftone pattern so tones look smooth rather than blotchy. Slate likes a fine dither and a light touch. Wood varies by species, so run a small test on the same material first. Because settings are so machine- and material-specific, treat any number as a starting point and dial it in with a test tile.
Make it a gift
Photo coasters are one of the best-selling and most-gifted laser projects because they turn a memory into something used every day. A set of four with a family photo, a pet, or a wedding date is a reliable crowd-pleaser, and the design work is the same whether you make one or a set.
Try it yourself
Turn a photo into a laser-ready file in about a minute, free, in your browser.
Turn a photo into a coaster designFrequently asked questions
Do I need to invert a photo for a slate coaster?
Yes. Slate engraves lighter than its surface, so the photo is inverted first. Wood engraves darker, so a wood coaster uses the photo as-is. Getting this backwards is the most common coaster mistake.
What size is a coaster?
Most coasters are about 90 to 100 mm across (roughly 4 inches). Lay your design out on the coaster face with a small margin so the engraving does not run off the chipping-prone edge.
How do I make a photo look good engraved?
Use a high-contrast, well-lit photo, remove the background, convert to grayscale or bold two-tone, and engrave with a dithering pattern so tones look smooth rather than blotchy.
Can I do this on a diode laser?
Yes. Wood and slate coasters engrave well on affordable diode and CO2 lasers. Photo engraving uses lower power and higher speed than cutting; run a test tile to dial in your machine.
Related guides
How to Prepare a Photo for Laser Engraving
Get a photo to burn cleanly on wood, slate, or metal.
Best Materials for Laser Engraving (and How They Look)
Wood, slate, leather, metal, how each one engraves.
How to Laser Engrave a Photo on Slate (Getting the Invert Right)
Slate burns light-on-dark, get the invert right and it shines.