How to Burn Letters into Wood

A woodburning tool is used to outline letters on wood.

Whether you're looking for a personalized gift or a welcome sign for your front yard, a burned letter sign provides endless possibilities. Thanks to woodworking hobbyists and wholesalers, unfinished wooden pieces, such as children's furniture, chests, plaques and serving trays, are readily available at craft stores and fairs. According to wood-burning artist Lora S. Irish, basswood is a favorite in this craft because of how its pale color contrasts with burning, but other woods, such as butternut and sugar pine, work well too.

Things You'll Need

• Letter stencils
• Graphite pencil
• Wood-burning tool
• Heavy glazed tile or plate
• Fine-grit sandpaper

Instructions

1. Use letter stencils to outline with pencil on the wood where you want your letters placed.

2. Preheat your wood-burning tool. Always place it on a tile or plate to prevent scorching surfaces.

3. Drag the tip's blade along your pencil lines, holding the tool like a pencil. The blade is the sharp, chiseled edge. Use little, if any, pressure. The longer a tool rests on an area, the darker and deeper the line will be.

4. Clean carbon residue off the wood burner's tip as needed. Lay sandpaper on your tile, and pull the tip across to reveal the brass under the residue.

5. Use the tool's tip to create texture if desired. Press briefly with the point to make dots or other patterns inside or around your letters.

Tips & Warnings

• Use stencils to add shapes to your design.

• Seal the finished design with polyurethane if desired, especially if it will be placed outdoors.

References

• CarvingPatterns.com: Wood Burning 101