Engraving is a technique that adds a permanent, decorative carving to materials like acrylic, metal, or leather, by cutting grooves into it, and you can engrave with a Cricut Maker machine!  

Use the information below to learn about engraving with Cricut Maker machines, including: Recommended supplies, compatible tools and materials, design setup, font and image choices, alignment, mat preparation, cleanup, and helpful tips for engraving projects.  

Before you begin | Design your project | Position your design | Prepare machine to engrave | Cleanup | Troubleshooting | FAQ

Before you begin

A list of recommended supplies, best practices, and compatible materials. 

What you need

Optional items:

*Can act as a protective barrier between material and mat adhesive, protecting the mat adhesive from debris.  

Cleanup & Other Supplies

In addition to engraving supplies, it is helpful to have cleanup supplies on hand after the engraving is complete.  

Cleanup

Other

**i.e., acrylic paint, enamel, ink, dry erase markers, leather dye, etc.

For best results: 

→ Start simple  

If this is your first engraving project, start with a simple piece of plastic (such as acetate), a tag, charm, or other practice blank. Avoid detailed artwork, tiny text, or expensive blanks until you understand design tolerances, placement, and cleanup.  

→ Test before using your final blank  

Engraving results vary by material, size, artwork, and placement. Use a practice blank before engraving the final item.  

→ Secure the blank well  

Tape the blank down to the mat on all sides so it cannot shift. Keep tape out of the engraving path.  

→ Keep artwork away from the edges  

Because mat loading can vary slightly due to allowances between the mat guides on the machine, keep artwork more than 5 mm from all edges of the blank.  

→ Use single-line or Draw style artwork  

Engraving works best with designs that are made from single lines, like Draw images or Writing Style fonts. When using artwork created for cutting, the machine will engrave along the cut paths, making the result look like an outline or “bubble” version of the design. For best results, choose designs with strong linework or prepare filled designs with line-fill techniques described below.  

→ Use readable text sizes  

Small lettering can be difficult to read after engraving. Use larger text, simple fonts, and test your design on a practice blank when possible.  

Compatible materials

Choosing a material  

Many types of materials have been tested and work wonderfully for engraving with Cricut Maker machines. When choosing a material to engrave, check that it meets these specifications:  

• Maximum thickness: 2.4 mm (3/32 in)
• Flat, not warped
• Is no wider than 28 cm (11 in) - material should not pass under star wheels or rollers placed at either side of the machine

Note: Engraving tools are not intended for use with glass at this time.

Materials with tested engraving settings

The following materials have tested engraving settings in Design Space. When your project includes an Engrave operation, these materials will appear in the Compatible materials list: 

• Art Board
  • Foil Kraft Board – Holographic  
  • Foil Poster Board  
  • Kraft Board  
  • Metallic Poster Board  
• Cardstock
  • Glitter Cardstock  
• Fabric
  • Faux Leather (Paper Thin)      
• Foil & Metal
  • Aluminum Sheets  
  • Anodized Aluminum
  • Brass
  • Bronze
  • Metal – 40 gauge thin copper
  • Stainless Steel
• Leather
  • Genuine Leather  
  • Metallic Leather  
  • Thin Garment Leather – 2-3 oz. (0.8-1.3 mm)
  • Tooling Leather – 2-3 oz. (0.8 mm)
  • Tooling Leather – 4-5 oz. (1.6 mm)
  • Tooling Leather – 6-7 oz. (2.4 mm)
• Paper
  • Calibration paper
  • Heavy Watercolor Paper – 140 lbs (300 gsm)
  • Shimmer Paper  
  • Sparkle Paper  
  • Vellum  
• Plastic
  • Acetate  
  • Acrylic, Thick (2 mm)
  • Acrylic, Thin (1 mm)
  • Foil Acetate  
  • Transparency
• Other
  • Vinyl Record

If the material you want is not listed, test an available setting on a practice piece or on the back of your material before using your final blank.  

Design your project

Engraving carves thin lines into the material, so design placement, blank size, and artwork size all matter. You want your images to be visible, and your text to be readable on your finished project!

Artwork created with single lines, such as Writing Style fonts and Draw images, works best for engraving.

Artwork created for cutting will cause the machine to engrave along the cut lines, creating an outlined effect unless the artwork is built with interior linework. You can also create a “filled” look by using the techniques below. 

Continue reading for tips on creating your engraving design.

Examples:

Writing Style text / Draw image, operation changed to "Engrave"

Basic Cut objects, operation changed to "Engrave"

Basic Cut objects filled with a pattern, operation changed to "Engrave"

Single line images & fonts

Single line or writing style designs are best for text, icons, outlines, and simple artwork. Design Space has a large library of single line content.  

• Fonts: To find single line fonts, use the Writing Style filter in the font list.  
• Images: To find single line images in Design Space, use the Draw or Draw + Cut filter when searching images.  
   

Filled images & fonts

Filled artwork uses repeated lines or other shapes to create the look of a filled area. This works best for larger text, bold artwork, or objects that have space for a decorative fill.  

• Fonts: Some examples of bolder or pre-filled writing style fonts that work well with engraving include:  
  
  
   
• Images: While some Images in the Cricut library, including those created by Contributing Artists, contain interior linework that creates a more filled look, you can also add a fill manually by adding or creating a design of repeated lines or shapes. 

Continue reading to learn how to create a filled look for your design.

How to create a fill for images & text

To create a line fill or decorative fill for an image or text, use tools like Offset or Subtract to add interior linework.

For example, you can create several nested “negative offsets” inside a shape, or build a repeating pattern of lines or shapes, or select one from the Cricut library, then use Combine > Subtract to trim the pattern to fit your design. Continue reading for more information.

Offset method

You can fill a shape by creating several nested “negative offsets” inside the shape. Here's how

1. Add your shape to the Canvas and set the operation to Engrave.
2. Select the shape, then select the Offset tool.  
3. Enter a negative offset value. Recommended values: -0.020, -0.010, or -0.005
4. Click Apply.
5. Continue clicking Offset > Apply. Design Space will reuse your last setting, and because the one you just created is selected by default, this will create multiple inner outlines. Continue until you have enough to fill your shape.  
6. Attach: Select all resulting layers as well as your original layer and click Attach. This will keep everything aligned for engraving.  

“Patterns” from Image library method

1. Add your shape to the Canvas and set the operation to Engrave.
2. In Images, search “Pattern” or "line patterns".
3. Select your preferred pattern. The denser or more detailed the pattern, the better it will fill your shape.  
4. Place the pattern on top of your shape, covering it completely.  
5. Select the pattern and your shape.  
6. Click Combine > Subtract. The shape will now be filled with your pattern.

Add additional passes

You can create a bolder result by causing the machine to make multiple passes on your engraving design. The best way to do this:  

1. Add your shape to the Canvas and set the operation to Engrave.  
2. Duplicate your design until you have 2-3 additional copies.  
3. Select all of the Engrave items and use the Align tools to center them horizontally and vertically.  
4. With all Engrave items selected, click Attach.  
5. This will cause the machine to engrave the same design multiple times in the same place, creating a bolder result.  

Position your design

Getting your design to engrave exactly where you want it can take some practice. Find alignment and placement tips below. For best results, we recommend that you test your project on another material to verify placement before making the project with your final blank.  

Visual alignment method

Step 1 – Create a guide layer

• Add a shape the same size as your blank to the Canvas.  
• Set the operation to Pen.
• Set the color to Marker 1.0 mm (Blue – Washable Fabric)

Step 2 – Align engraving design with guide layer

• Add your engraving design to the Canvas.  
• Set the operation to Engrave.  
• Place your design exactly where you want it inside the Pen shape.  
• Select the Pen shape and your Engrave design and click Attach.
• Select Make.  

Step 3 – Set up blank on the machine mat

• Place your engraving blank on the machine mat where you want it.  
• In the Design Space mat prepare screen, move the design to match where your blank is placed on the mat.
• Toggle off Mark Fabric to hide the blue outline.  
• Click Continue to proceed with your project.  

Tip: If using the Design Space app for iOS, you can also use the SnapMat feature to visually align your design.

Prepare machine to engrave

When you’re ready to make your project follow these guidelines to prepare your machine and mat so you get the best results.  

→ Move star wheels

When working with thicker materials, always move the star wheels on the roller bar all the way to the right. This gives clearance for thicker materials and ensures you won't end up with track marks on your final project.  

→ Protect your mat from debris

The engraving process produces fine debris and fragments that are difficult to remove from the adhesive area of a machine mat. The best practice is to take measures to protect your mat from these particles. We recommend placing tape, cardstock, or other material scraps on the exposed adhesive around your blank to protect it from debris.

Tip: Transfer Tape can be used as a protective barrier between mat adhesive and fibrous materials – like leather – that might otherwise leave fibers in the mat adhesive that might otherwise be difficut to remove. Apply sticky side of transfer tape to the underside of the material, then place it on the machine mat, transfer tape side down.

→ Trim material to fit in the machine

When working with sheets of material such as tooling leather, make sure the material is never wider than 11 in (28 cm). The material should not pass under the star wheels or rollers placed at either side of the machine.  

→ Secure your blank to the mat

The machine uses high pressure to create your engraving design. Securing your blank to the machine mat is important as it can prevent misalignment, doubled lines, scratches, or other unwanted results. We recommend taping the blank down on all sides, making sure to avoid taping over the engraving area.  

→ Ensure mat is supported

Rigid materials, especially when they fill a large portion of the mat, can lift off the mat if the mat bends while engraving. To help keep the blank secure, aside from taping it firmly to the mat, make sure the mat stays well supported as it moves through the machine, without bending sharply over the edge of the machine or work surface.  

When your machine and mat are ready, follow the prompts in Design Space to make your project.

Cleanup

The engraving process creates fine debris and fragments that can settle on your machine and your engraving blank, and it can also leave burrs or other sharp edges on your blank. Follow these guidelines to clean your machine and blanks after engraving.  

Cleaning the machine

Use a soft cloth to remove debris during and after engraving. Compressed air may be used but take care to ensure you don’t blow debris into the inner workings of the machine. Always dust toward the outside of the machine rather than into/through the machine.  

Important: If you notice buildup of engraving debris during the engraving process, pause the machine before attempting to remove it. Do not reach into the machine while it is engraving.

Handling & cleaning blanks

Use caution when handling materials after engraving. The engraving process can leave sharp burrs and small fragments on acrylics, metals, and other materials.  Do not run your hands or fingers over the engraved surface!

• To remove burrs and small fragments, roll a lint roller or tap a piece of tape over the engraved area. Avoid a wiping/brushing motion as this can cause the fragments to scratch acrylic or metal.
• To smooth rough edges, use a polishing cloth or finishing grit sandpaper (360-600 grit) to gently sand them down.  Test this on a scrap or on the back of the material first to make sure it won’t scratch the material.

Troubleshooting

Need more help? Collect these details and contact Cricut Member Care.

• Machine model  
• Design Space platform and version  
• Material or blank type  
• Material size and thickness  
• Mat type

FAQ