Looking for where to Buy Glowforge Materials? We’ve got you covered with this Ultimate Guide to Glowforge Supplies! Includes over 30+ of the best vendors of Glowforge materials including wood, MDF, acrylic, metals, home décor items, office supplies, and SO much more!
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The Ultimate Guide to the Best Deals & the Best Places to Buy Glowforge Materials!
Are you looking for the best places to buy Glowforge materials, but are overwhelmed with the sheer number of options? We’ve got you covered! We’re sharing our favorite Glowforge supply sellers who offer the very best prices and the highest quality laser-compatible materials!
When you’re looking for a recommendation, it’s always a great idea to have friends share their experiences with you – that’s why we’re taking the time to share some of our favorite sellers with you today! Every vendor on this list is one that we have personally used and had great experiences with – I only recommend products that I truly feel good about recommending! We highly recommend signing up for their mailing lists so that you can be the first to know about new materials releases, hot deals, and super sales!
There are lots and LOTS of items that you can cut, score, and engrave with your Glowforge, so this list includes some of the most popular materials as well as a bunch of our personal favorites; however, it is by no means exhaustive. There are just SO many amazing things that you can make and do with a Glowforge 3D laser printer!
Glowforge Materials: How Big Can Glowforge Cut & Engrave?
The Glowforge Basic and Glowforge Plus models can accommodate materials measuring up to 18” deep, 20.4” wide, and 2” tall. The maximum printable area (aka the maximum cutting size) is about 11 x 19.5”.
The Glowforge Pro machine allows you to use over sized materials and work with much larger elements via the Pro Passthrough slot. The passthrough accommodates materials that are 20 inches wide, up to ¼” thick, and as long as you want. Simply print the first 10 inches, then slide the material through the slot and repeat. With the Pro Passthrough, you can create enormous and dramatic projects!
In terms of thickness, the Glowforge laser cutter performs well with many materials 1/4″ thick and less on a single pass. It can cut material as thick as 1/2″, but may require multiple passes or flipping the material over. For engraving, Glowforge can engrave thicker materials as thick as 2” (50 mm) with the removal of the crumb tray. It can then engrave the surface up to 0.5”, depending on the material.
Where to Buy Glowforge Materials
Glowforge Proofgrade Materials
Proofgrade Materials are a great way to get started and the perfect first materials for beginners! Designed and distributed directly by Glowforge, Proofgrade materials are specially formulated to work seamlessly with your machine and cut flawlessly.
Each piece of Proofgrade material is pre-masked and precisely cut to fit in the bed of your Glowforge. Every sheet contains a special QR code on the corner of the masking that will be read by your machine. The Glowforge’s onboard cameras read this code and then loads the perfect engrave or cut settings for totally foolproof cuts and engraving – perfect printing every time!
Proofgrade materials are ideal for new Glowforge owners that are just learning how to use their machine since there’s no guesswork or test cuts involved. (Bonus: your new machine will come with $75 worth of Proofgrade materials for you to play around with!)
Proofgrade materials are available in a variety of colorful acrylics, heirloom-grade hardwoods, plywoods, veneers, and leathers.
Wood & MDF Glowforge Materials
Note: There is currently a national shortage on Baltic Birch plywood and MDF (the two most popular wood/wood composite items used in laser cutting), so some of these retailers may have a low supply at the moment. Be sure to keep checking back or drop them an email to ask about their current lead times.
Basic Wood and MDF Sheets
To make things easier during this shortage period, you can find all current listings for Baltic Birch and MDF on Etsy here!
AW Creative – offers a variety of 1/8″ and 1/4″ wood sheets as well as acrylic sheets.
Inventables – offers a nice selection of exotic hardwoods and colored MDF sheets.
Home Depot – Columbia Forest Project Panels are conveniently pre-cut to Glowforge size and come in 10-sheet boxes. We like the 5/32″ panels for the best pricing and usability.
H&H Creations Tampa – offers a nice selection of basic wood and MDF with free shipping as well as local pick-up options if you’re in the Tampa area.
Specialty Wood Sheets & Shapes
- Smokey Hill Designs – Smokey Hill Designs offers basic wood and MDF sheets at great prices, but what they are best known for is their unique specialty material – PatternPly! PatternPly is a single or double-sided sheet of patterned MDF (also offered in acrylic, see below) that is perfect for making jewelry and all kinds of home décor projects – it opens up a whole new world of design possibilities!
- Moth Creative Studios is my favorite place to purchase pre-cut wood rounds and other assorted sign boards. If you see a notification that their Etsy shop is currently closed, that means they have reached their order capacity for the day – check back tomorrow!
- Veneer Specialties – you can’t beat their price for a variety pack of wood veneers, and the selection and variety is always great!
Acrylic, Plexiglass, & Plastics
Acrylic comes in ALL different kinds of varieties, shapes, sizes, and colors! From basic and pastel colored sheets to glitter, patterned, pearlescent, glow-in-the-dark, and much, MUCH more, there’s an acrylic for every project! You can even find specialty sublimation acrylic to create your very own custom designs!
- Cerulean Tides – my favorite seller of acrylic! They offer a wide variety of acrylic types at nice prices, with a large color selection! They also offer white acrylic sheets for sublimation.
- Smokey Hill Designs – as mentioned above, SHD also offers their amazing PatternPly sheets on an acrylic base (which is available in several colors and thicknesses). It’s truly a game-changer for people who make jewelry and other similar small projects, so be sure to check them out!
- iMaterials – offers an incredible selection of unique and specialty acrylic sheets. Take advantage of their sample packs for small projects such as acrylic earrings or other jewelry. Orders ship from overseas, so allow extra time for delivery (my orders have always arrived well before the quoted date, though!).
- T&C Laser Materials – You can’t beat their prices on full 12×19 sheets of classic colored and mirrored acrylic!
- Delvie’s Plastics – I love their frosted plexiglass acrylic sheets! The colors are seriously GORGEOUS!
- SebyTech – is my favorite seller for iridescent acrylic sheets.
- Inventables – the prices at Inventables are a bit higher for basic acrylic sheets, but they carry a large selection of two-toned engraving acrylic sheets including 2-color reverse engraving acrylic.
Tile, Slate, & Stone
- Slate Coasters – there are many different sets of slate coasters available on Amazon for great prices. These slate coasters here, available in circle and square shapes, are our favorites – the original packaging leaves something to be desired, so we typically bundle sets of 4 with decorative ribbons for sales or gifting.
- Michaels also carries a set of slate coasters that take engraving well.
- Ceramic Tile – these basic tiles engrave nicely with Glowforge (just make sure you mask the tile first!) – perfect for coasters and trivets!
- Stone Tile – these Emser Tumbled Travertine Tiles also engrave really well!
Cutting Boards & Wooden Household Goods
- Cutting Boards – Ikea is my most favorite place to get cutting boards! (You can learn how to Engrave a PROPPMÄTT Cutting Board here!).
- Wooden Spoons – Another vote for Ikea! The RÖRT wooden spoons have nice wide handles that are perfect for engraving!
- Measuring Spoons – I also love these wooden measuring spoons from KW Laser Supplies!
- Wooden Hangers – personalized hangers make a fun gift idea, especially for bridal and baby showers! Amazon carries many brands that have all worked well for me, and naturally, Ikea sells them as well!
- For even more engravable kitchen wares, check out Johnson Plastics Plus for a wide variety of materials options!
Cork and Leather
Cork and leather cut beautifully on the Glowforge, and they make for some awesome pieces of jewelry like our Cork Inlay Wood Earrings! Laser leather patches to add to your favorite hat or backpack.
- Frame Your Bag – has an INCREDIBLE selection of awesome designs, colors, and patterns in both cork and faux leather. High-quality and beautiful materials!
- Dollar Tree – pick up a pack of adhesive backed cork sheets, and use them to back coasters, trivets, and more.
- Mr. Lazer – has the best selection of laser-ready leather and faux leather patches for the best prices (all patches are sold in sets of 10)!
- Four Keys – offers similar patches, but with the option to purchase them individually.
Metal Glowforge Materials
The Glowforge does not work well with soft metals such as silver, gold, brass, and copper; however, it works great for engraving aluminum and powder-coated or alloy-coated metals like these:
- Aluminum Business Cards
- Anodized Pens (these are one of my favorite materials! Next time, I’m going to have to order twice as many because everyone keeps asking me about them!)
- Anodized Pet Tags
- Aluminum Bottle Openers
- Aluminum Dog Tag Keychains
- Powder-Coated Stainless Steel Flasks
- Circle Flasks with Rhinestone Caps
Stainless steel can also be engraved if coated in CerMark laser marking spray, but it’s quite pricey, so I haven’t tried that myself yet!
Miscellaneous Glowforge Materials
Some of our latest favorites that we have used with our Glowforge Pro are:
- Burlap Banner Flags
- Rubber Stamps
- Wood Ballpoint Pens
- Wooden Pencils
- Engraved Wood-Handled Hammers make a great gift for Father’s Day or other holidays! You can pick them up at Harbor Freight, Home Depot, and Amazon.
Adhesives & Accessories
- 3M Adhesive is a must-have for making layered pieces! (You can see how I use it here). Available at Cerulean Tides, Custom Tapes, Amazon, Etsy, and more. I prefer to use the 467MP variety, but others such as 468MP and 300LSE will work as well.
- Rust-oleum Filler Primer – make your wood and MDF projects as smooth as glass with a coat of this filler primer! Simply sand your wood lightly, spray with primer, lightly sand again, and paint with your desired color for a silky smooth and flawless finish!
Facebook Group Buys
One of my favorite places to score great deals on Glowforge supplies is on Facebook! Check out these Facebook groups for bulk purchases and wholesale pricing on some of your favorite Glowforge materials:
- Will’s Laser Supply Group
- Costar Designs and Supplier (Julie’s Store)
- Glowforge Suppliers Files and Materials
- Glowforge Blanks & Supplies
While you’re at it, be sure to check out the Glowforge Community Forums for even more tips, tricks, and ideas!
We hope that we’ve helped you to discover some great places to purchase your favorite materials! We’ll keep adding new materials to this list as we test and experiment with even more Glowforge supplies!
Don’t forget to check out our Glowforge Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before You Buy and use our referral code to save up to $500 on a Glowforge 3D Printer of your own!
Check Out These Glowforge Projects!
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Heidi Kundin has captivated the hearts of millions with her colorful and inspiring approach to crafting, celebrations, and family fun. With over 15 years of experience, Happiness is Homemade has become a must-visit destination for those seeking quick and easy creative ideas and last-minute solutions. Heidi’s warm personality shines through her posts, inviting readers to join her on a creative journey that’s fun, rewarding, and achievable. Heidi is also the author of Homemade Bath Bombs & More and DIY Tie-Dye.