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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Jennifer Dirks
Just love this idea, so many possibilities. I was wondering do you think this would work on glass?
Karen
I'm afraid not Jennifer. The ink would just smudge because there's nothing for the ink to soak into. Having said that, nothing is impossible so you could always give it a shot. That's how I learn most of the things I do. I just try it. (you'd have to wait for the ink to dry and then when you're positive it's dry, seal it with something.) ~ karen!
Cleverwabbit
Hi this is a great idea, do you think it will work on glass?
Thanks!!
Karen
Hey Clever - Thanks! I'm pretty sure it wouldn't work on glass. The ink needs something to absorb into (like wood or something else porous) With glass the ink would just rub right off and smudge. :( ~ karen!
Peri Aplin
I want to get more of your ideas! How do I get on your email list? : )
Nick
This is awesome! After reading some of the other comments it seems that everyone automatically starts formulating things that they can make. Very inspirational!
Would Mod Podge work for solidifying the printed piece or just make it a big smeary mess?
Karen
LOL, I'm not sure if it would become a smeary mess or not. I'd heat set it first with an iron and thin towel. Then try to seal it with whatever you want. I'd probably go with a wood sealer though. ~ karen!
Brenda
There is transfer paper you can buy that you can use to iron pictures on fabric once an image is copied on to it. Don't know why it wouldn't iron on wood as well as fabric. Seems to make sense that it would.
BRP
Just an FYI, if you are having trouble with your waxed paper jamming, try ironing two pieces of it together, then feed it into your computer. Bet that helps! Thanks so much for this wonderful idea, by the way. I'm excited to give it a try.
Darlene
Just ran across your site while browsing for grandkids word art. Loving it!
Suzy
I am wondering the same thing as Liz, can a cheap HP desktop printer that take cartridges from Walmart work?
Karen
Hi Suzy - I can only speak for my own cheap HP desktop printer from Costco and it works just fine. As long as it's an inkjet cartridge printer. Which, chances are if it's a cheap HP printer from Walmart it is. Just give it a shot. Rip out some freezer paper, cut it to size and try to print on it. It won't hurt anything to try it. ~ karen!
Suzy
Awesome! Thank you! I'm going to give it a whirl!
Liz Durand
Hi! If I have a printer which uses toner, ¿can I do the transfer?
Thanks, great idea!!!
Trish
Do not use wax paper in a printer that uses toner. It will melt the paper and you'll have a gooey mess and could ruin your printer. Toner printers use heat to set the print, unlike inkjet printers. I worked at a copy center for a while with toner copiers and printers. There are many super cheap inkjet printers you can buy, so good luck!
Karyn
I came across this from Pinterest, however the pin I clicked took me here
http://simpledesignho.me/2014/06/15/game-changer/
Which appears to be another blogger using your images and I don't see a link back to here. I don't know if stuff like this is a big deal to you, but I just thought you should know.
Karen
That sort of thing is VERY important to me Karyn. Thank you. I appreciate you letting me know. It's one of those sites that has no contact information of course, but I've left a comment asking them to remove my images immediately. ~ karen!
frank
You can do the same with a print on plain printer paper. Just use a hot iron over the back to transfer the image. No risk of smudges. I've used this method many times.
Karen
I'll give that a shot too. Thx. Frank. ~ karen
Amie
Karen,
A heads up, a pin that is using your photos from this post is floating around Pinterest, with no credit anywhere to you: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/124974958384656006/
Vintage Geek
Hello!
Thank you so much for sharing your incredible creation! I am soooooooo excited!
QUESTION: Is there a particular type of printer that works best? I have a bottom loading one and the wax paper keeps getting caught and wrinkled. : ( I'm assuming top loading works best?
Thank you!
Sandra
Ellen
hmmmmmm.... I've never heard of a dingle dangle tree.........
Kristine
Have you tried ironing the wax paper to the wood?
Karen
Hi Kristine - I have not. You could try it just to see if it works, but transferring it with the credit cards really is easy. Have fun! ~ karen!
Michaela
I will try this with a picture with me and my Grand daughter in order to let her know how much I love her. I do not get to see her as much I want too. thank you.
Karen
You're welcome Michaela! Good luck. ~ karen
laura
Love this project!, and your super funny instructions!
Karen
Thanks Laura. Welcome to my site! ~ karen
Amber
This is pretty cool but does it have to be an inkjet printer or can I use any printer? Cause inkjets are beyond out of my price range ...
Jacki
Inkjet printers are the cheapest kind. You can get one for as little as $60. The ink is generally the most expensive part. I've found if I buy a more expensive printer ($99 for Kodak), the ink is cheaper. Watch for sales.
Stephanie
Will this work on an already finished piece of wood? Thanks!
Karen
Hi Stephanie. No, I'm afraid the wood needs to be unfinished, so the ink has something to soak into. If it's been finished then the ink will just rest on top of the finish and then smear off. ~ karen!
abby
cool tutorial!! quick question--what kind of printer do you use? I tried this once before (a long while ago) and found it made a mess inside the printer; do you think that's just because the paper wasn't lined up properly?
thanks!
Karen
Hi Abby - Mine is an HP Deskjet. It's not a particularly good printer. I believe I paid about $99 at Costco a few years ago. Just try to gently guide the paper as it goes through. Just coax it along if you have to. Good luck! ~ karen