How to print on wood without any weird stuff you have to go to the store for. You need a printer, a piece of unfinished wood and waxed paper. That's it. Maybe a Tom Collins if that's your thing.
I'm funny. Sometimes ha-ha funny, sometimes left-out-of-the-fridge-too-long funny. But as we all know, there are times for funny and times for seriousness. This is one such time. For seriousness that is.
So this post will involve no funny. No laughing, no snickering, no coffee spitting. Because the information I'm about to introduce you to deserves a reverence that can't be accomplished when diluted with hilarious jokes or cutting sarcasm. When I first published this post in 2014 it got a bit of attention. Mainly because it takes a simple idea and allows you to do it at home without any special equipment.
I'm going to teach you how to transfer any photograph or picture onto wood.
You don't need mod podge or any other weird thing that you don't have on hand.
You don't know it yet, but this is the greatest day of your life. You get to produce something beautiful without any pain or tearing of your woman bits. Plus it won't turn into a whirling, dangerous ball of hormones in 13 years.
I decided I wanted to try making something but it involved transferring a photo onto wood so I did a little research. Most of the tutorials I came across involved a few specialty materials like matte gel and the backing paper of printer labels. I didn't have any printer label paper handy and don't even know what matte gel is. Like most DIYers I wanted to DIY, NOW. Right this second, NOW.
So I kept looking for a simpler solution. Mid search I suddenly remembered my mother mentioning something Mag Ruffman had done a couple of years back. It was the perfect solution and it works GREAT.
Table of Contents
Can you transfer a regular photo to wood?
You bet you can. That's what this is all about. You can use this same technique to transfer photos, text or anything else you can print onto wood.
What kind of paper do you use to transfer pictures to wood?
All you need is regular old waxed paper. And a dream of course.
That's right. All you need is a regular inkjet printer (this one is the newer version of the one I use) and regular waxed paper. I have an HP wireless printer and this technique works with this printer. It's the only printer I can guarantee this works with, although it will work with most as long as it's an ink jet.
(update: since posting this a couple of years, there's been a lot of success stories and a lot of frustration stories, mainly due to the printer you're using. I can only guarantee this works with the kind of printer I have which is a cheap, old HP printer I got at Costco. )
How to Print Pictures on Wood
1. Cut a few sheets of wax paper to the size of a standard piece of printer paper.
2. Find a smooth, light coloured piece of wood. Actually find a few so you have some to practice on.
Find a high resolution image you like. Or make your own. The Graphics Fairy is a great place to start for copyright free, high resolution images.
3. Once you have an image you like, reverse it using whatever photo program you have on your computer. If you're not sure how to do that just Google it.
4. Put a sheet of your waxed paper into the printer and click print.
5. As the waxed paper comes out of the printer, gently guide it. You have to be careful it doesn't roll under itself or touch itself in any other way because it will smear the ink.
6. Put your image exactly where you want it on the wood. Remember ... this can be any unfinished wood. A bench, table, box, or anything!
Once you place your image you can't move it. Do not move it. It will smudge. You will be sad. Then you will cry and it will smudge some more.
7. Holding the transfer tight to the wood, and working quickly, swipe the edge of a credit card across the image. This pushes the ink from the waxed paper down into the wood, which absorbs it.
Don't be wimpy about this. Push hard, but not so hard that you rip the waxed paper. You can gently lift the paper to see if it's transferring well. If you notice spots that haven't transferred, rub it some more with the credit card, this time burnishing it.
8. When you're pretty sure that you've transferred as much ink as possible lift off your waxed paper and get ready to call someone. Because that's the first thing you're going to want to do because this method works so well.
You'll be stunned.
You'll naturally want other people to be stunned. It's a DIYer thing.
I tried a few images just because it was so fun.
Like I said earlier you can use this technique on any smooth, unfinished wood like old crates, tables, or chairs. For anything that's going to have wear and tear, just remember to spray it with a a clear matte finish after you do the print. Any wood sealer will protect it.
If you don't have a table, chair or dresser you want to print on, you can just find a nice old board and prop it against the wall, or hang it.
Quick Reference Directions:
Waxed Paper Transfer
1. Cut sheets of waxed paper to the size of computer paper.
2. Print your image onto the waxed paper with any Inkjet printer. (must reverse image first using whatever photo program you have) In answer to some of your comments, no, it doesn't matter which side you print on. Both sides of waxed paper are waxed.
3. Carefully place the image on your wood (wet side down) and then rub over it with a credit card.
4. Removed waxed paper and the ink is now transferred to the wood.
5. Seal with a matte spray wood sealer if you like.
TIPS
- Use smooth wood. Rough barn board won't work, but smooth barn board will.
- Darker colours on lighter wood works best.
- Dampening the wood a bit with a sponge will make the transfer darker, but it might blur and smudge if you're not extremely careful.
- If the waxed paper won't feed through your printer, tape it to a piece of regular printer paper before feeding it into your printer.
- Some readers have also had success by using the slippery side of freezer paper so you can try that.
I made my piece of printed wood into a rustic planter. Read how to make your own in this post.
How to Print an Image on Wood.
Print anything on wood with wax paper and a printer.
Materials
- Wax Paper
- Unfinished Wood (board, tray, table, stool etc)
Tools
- Ink jet Printer
Instructions
- Cut a few sheets of wax paper to the size of a standard piece of printer paper.
- Find a smooth, light coloured piece of wood. Actually find a few so you have some to practice on.
- Once you have an image you like, reverse it using whatever photo program you have on your computer. If you’re not sure how to do that just Google it.
- Put a sheet of your waxed paper into the printer and click print.
- As the waxed paper comes out of the printer, gently guide it. You have to be careful it doesn’t roll under itself or touch itself in any other way because it will smear the ink.
- Put your image exactly where you want it on the wood. Remember … this can be any unfinished wood. A bench, table, box, or anything!
- Holding the transfer tight to the wood, and working quickly, swipe the edge of a credit card across the image. This pushes the ink from the waxed paper down into the wood, which absorbs it. Push hard but not so hard that you rip the waxed paper.
- When you’re pretty sure that you’ve transferred as much ink as possible lift off your waxed paper and get ready to call someone. Because that’s the first thing you’re going to want to do because this method works so well.
Notes
- Once you place your image you can’t move it. Do not move it. It will smudge. You will be sad. Then you will cry and it will smudge some more.
- Use smooth wood. Rough barn board won’t work, but smooth barn board will.
- Darker colours on lighter wood works best.
- Dampening the wood a bit with a sponge will make the transfer darker, but it might blur and smudge if you’re not extremely careful.
- If the waxed paper won’t feed through your printer, tape it to a piece of regular printer paper before feeding it into your printer.
- Some readers have also had success by using the slippery side of freezer paper so you can try that.
Laughter may now resume.
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Nancy Blue Moon
LOVE IT! Now I will be looking for pieces of wood everywhere..lol
Cat
We used to use odorless paint thinner and xerox copies to transfer images onto wood (pre-carving for woodblock printing)... it probably would work with color copies as well if you want to work bigger (11x17). Might be worth testing and you wouldn't have to worry about things getting jammed in your printer or smudging or ink drying too fast or whatever.
SunGold
@Cat How did the odourless paint thinner and Xerox copy trick work? Call me unimaginative, but I don't get it. Where does the paint thinner go? How do you use the Xerox?
Betsy Henry
Caution
When using the paint thinner technique
you can also use acetone. When using either it only will work with a laser print, Xerox is a laser printer. Inkjet prints will not work.
Maureen
This is crazy-good! I am going to the thrift store to find some cheap ugly wooden plaques that I might be able to turn over and print something good on them.
Louise
Fantabulous!!! For those not knowing how to reverse images, I have photoshop BUT I think in Microsoft Word you can pop the image in, go to edit it by clicking on it so the border thing shows (like you do when you crop images in word) then you can sort of slide from one side to the other and reverse the image...hope that makes sense!
Janis
also microsoft paint will also allow you to flip/invert the image and save it as a jpeg :)
Deirdre Fowler
OMG OMG OMG!!!
I was so excited about finding lights at the restore for my new garden lighting AND THEN you do this.
This is so incredibly amazing. Thank you.
And how did you know about my 13 female whirling, dangerous ball of hormones?
Sheri
Freezer paper will work also. Just be sure to print on the waxy side.
FlagirlinTN
This may be my favorite K.D.I.Y.
Sera
I love this! Although my printer is KO right now. If I tried to feed it wax paper it would probably light on fire. But also, thanks for the graphics fairy resource. I am so excited to explore!
Karen
It's a great site. Lots of graphics. ~ karen!
Debbie
OMG, a new obsession is born. Thank goodness it does not work on all surfaces! The dogs are at least safe for now. Lol
Debbie
Way cool! I'm picturing wood block name plates for seating at holiday time. My son usually makes fun name plates for everyone on the computer, but this idea sounds like fun.
Freezer paper is readily available by me, so I think I will try that. I also like the idea of using the back of the photo paper. And thank for the reminder of only using an inkjet printer. We have both.
Ruth
You're right.... dingle dangle wood wouldn't work, because the credit card would do some real damage... of the non-shopping variety.
Hmmm.... I felt a sudden urge to go shopping, but my pocket spoke to me and set me straight. :D
Rondina Muncy
This is just plain genius. I would imagine you might want to adjust the printer settings for more ink.
Linda J Howes
Will this work with a laser printer or just ink jet?
Jamie
Did you ever learn the answer to this?
Linda J Howes
No, not that I recall.
Sackett
Do NOT use wax paper in a laser printer, which uses heat to transfer toner.
Heather
Awesome!!
Beth
Brilliant. The possibilities for artistry while intentionally smearing the image are great. I'm thinking scanner images of fall leaves. This could be fun.
Do warn folks not to try this with a laser printer. Only an inkjet printer will work. A laser printer uses heat to set the toner and that will be a bad combination with waxed paper.
Mary
Huzzah! Now I am glad I did not throw out my old inkjet printer. I saw something on Pinterest where they scanned a hand-written recipe and put it onto a board. It would be great to hand down a family favourite in Grandma's writing. I wonder if the writing would be clear enough using wax paper - it's worth a shot. I will be checking out the Graphics Fairy - your projects look great!
Pam'a
You could probably do it. 'Might want to make the writing darker/increase the contrast on the recipe card so the writing shows well, and the lighter the wood the better. It sounds like a very cool way to memorialize a recipe. They're just better in handwriting, aren't they?
Maryanne
Thank you for the DIY lesson - I can't wait to try it out somewhere in my house.
Also, LOVE the Mag Ruffman refernece - from Road to Avonlea to the DIY TV show she hosted, I've always liked her :)
Have a great day!
Cathy
To Fifi and everyone...TheGraphicsFairy has several ways to transfer images on her website. I started with the Citrasolv method but landed on Transfer Artists Paper for fabrics. Pricey, yes but I just ordered some on EBay a bit cheaper. Also have purchased online from Joann using 50% coupon. The results on a tea towel are amazing. (Chicken images are amazing ). For furniture many use a projector to outline the graphic then handpaint. I'll try this method when I retire.
What I love about the wax paper process is affordability and the instant aged look to the final product.
Maria
So it won't 'curl' as it feeds out of the printer, and so that your printer won't eat the wax paper, try taping a 1 inch strip of copy paper to the lead edge of the wax paper (on the underside of the 'print' side, or same side if you have an unprinted edge on your photo). Also, if you have printed photo's on photo paper, and you don't like them, instead of throwing them out, if you print on the 'back' side of the photo paper, you'll get the same effect as the wax paper. I know. I accidentally inserted my photo paper the wrong way on the paper tray. Smeared all over!
Love it Karen. Will have to do it! :)
Karen
Thanks Maria. Good tips! ~ karen
marilyn
love ,,seriously..love it