How to Make a Photo Coaster With a Laser (Wood and Slate)
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.
Best Laser Settings for Engraving Wood (A Practical Guide)
How power, speed, and DPI work, and where to start.