# 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.

Source: https://useqr.app/qr-codes-on/laser-cut-wood · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, MIT licensed, no signup.

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| 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.

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