Surface guide
QR codes on laser-cut and engraved wood
Wood grain is the problem: it adds contrast noise at the module scale and burns unevenly. Use error correction H, modules of at least 1 mm, and a close-grained wood such as maple, birch ply or MDF rather than oak or pine.
| Typical scan distance | 20–50 cm |
|---|---|
| Minimum code width | 3–6 cm |
| Error correction | H |
Grain fights the decoder
Open-grained timbers — oak, ash, pine — have light and dark bands at roughly the same scale as small modules, and they burn at different rates. The result is uneven module darkness and false edges.
| Material | Suitability |
|---|---|
| Maple, birch ply | Excellent — even, pale, close grain |
| MDF | Excellent, though the edge burns dark |
| Bamboo | Good |
| Cherry, walnut | Fair — dark base reduces contrast |
| Oak, ash, pine | Poor — strong grain, uneven burn |
Settings
- Modules at 1 mm or larger. Wood is not a fine-detail medium.
- Raster engrave, do not vector-cut the modules — vector cutting rounds corners and chars edges.
- Lower power with more passes gives more even darkening than a single hot pass.
- Mask with transfer tape to prevent smoke staining the pale modules, which is the main cause of washed-out contrast.
Finishing
A matt sealer protects the mark and stops the pale areas yellowing. Avoid gloss varnish — it reflects, and on a textured surface the reflection is uneven and worse than on a flat one.