DIY Wood Burning: How To Tips & Project Patterns

A Closer Look at the Wood-Burning Tool

Personalize surfaces, décor, and fashion items with the Plaid 8-piece Decorative Wood Burning Tool Set. This versatile wood burning set is ideal for adding burned details, soldering, and even transferring images to all your wooden arts and crafts! Cut custom stencils or burn designs in wood with specially designed tips and a temperature control feature that allows versatility for your unique project needs. This handy tool comes with an on/off switch, tool stand, and plastic case to hold all six tips. 

Wood Burning Basic Tips

Each of the six wood burning points—Cone Point, Flow Point, Shading Point, Straight Tip, Curve Tip, and Universal Point—has a specific purpose.

• The Flow Point is a rounded, blunt end, which is easy to use as it "flows" across the surface of the wood; it also can be used for line work as well as points or dots. 
• The Cone Point is a smaller rounded tip that will create thinner, more detailed lines. Also, ideal for dot work.
• As its name suggests, the Shading Point is used for light and dark shading and to creaate a tear drop pattern.
• The Universal Point is used to create a variety of straight or curved line thicknesses.
• Use the Straigh Tip to create fine detailed lines. Also can be used to cut stencils.
• The Curve Tip is used to burn smooth wavy lines. also cuts curves on stencils.

The key is to experiment and play with the points. You will soon realize that you can achieve many different looks!

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Supplies for DIY Wood-Burning Projects

Wood Burning Tool
-Plaid ® Decorative Wood Burning Tool – 30725   OR  -Plaid ® Wood Burning Set with Variable Temperature Control - 17391E

Plaid Surfaces
-Plaid ® Wood Surfaces - Wood Round with Bark, 7" – 44943

Folkart ® Brush Sets
- Artist Variety Set, 10 pc. – 50536

FolkArt ® Acrylic Colors
Creamy Coral, 2 oz. – 51004
Wild Wasabi, 2 oz. – 6455
Wild Rose, 2 oz. – 11931
Crocodile, 2 oz. – 4663

Other Supplies
-Leather Tag
-Cork Trivet

Optional

-Transfer Paper
-Pattern
-Pencil
-Painter’s Tape
-Pliers
-Hand Clamp

 

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Instructions for a DIY Wood-Burning Craft Project With Paint

1. Place your transfer paper directly onto your surface.
2. Next, place your pattern on top of the transfer paper.
3. Be sure to secure the layers with painters tape.
4. I like to use a pencil to go over my pattern so that I can see what lines I've already traced over.

       5.reveal pattern
       6.For all of your wood burning projects, you can transfer your pattern or sketch directly onto your surface with a pencil

6. Using the Universal tip, begin the Wood burning process on your wooden surface
*The universal tip is great for fine lines (using the point) and wider lines ( using the wide side of the tip).

7. Water down paint to an ink like consistency. This allows the natural wood grain to still be seen underneath the paint


8. Use a small flat brush or a linear brush to fill in some spaces with the color of your choice.



9.Enjoy your personalized Wooden Surface!


 

Instructions for a DIY Wood-Burning Craft Project on Leather

1. Place your transfer paper directly onto your surface, then place your pattern on top of the transfer paper.
2. Secure the layers with painters tape.
3. I like to use a pencil to go over my pattern so that I can see what lines I've already traced over.
4. Reveal pattern.
5. For all of your wood burning projects, you can transfer your pattern or sketch directly onto your surface with a pencil.
6. If using the deluxe wood burning tool, I like to lower the heat for softer woods and substrates like cork and leather. For harder/more dense woods, I turn the heat higher.
7. Enjoy your personalized Leather Round!

Instructions for a DIY Wood-Burning Craft Project on Cork

1. You can either transfer a pattern onto a surface before wood burning or just sketch it directly onto your surface with a pencil
2. It is helpful to have a pattern established before beginning woodburning so you can prepare the darkness and width of your lines
3. If using the deluxe wood burning tool,  lower the heat for softer woods and substrates like cork and leather.
4. Enjoy your customized cort Trivet!

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14 Tips for Successful DIY Wood Burning Projects

1. Place the wood burner on the stand and allow it to heat up for ten minutes before using.
2. Use a small hand clamp to secure the tool’s cord to your table/work surface. This prevents accidentally knocking the hot tool off of your table and onto your lap.
3. Apply minimal pressure—enough for the tool to glide over the surface, but not so much that you're cutting grooves into the surface.
4. For soft substrates like cork, leather, and pine, use the wood burning tool on a lower heat setting. For more dense substrates like oak and beech, turn your tool to a higher heat.
5. Hold the wood burner like you would a pencil or paintbrush.
6. NEVER touch the point or metal parts of the craft tool when heated.
7. Use flat nose pliers to screw points into the end of the craft tool, especially when the tool is on and heated.
8. To sharpen or clean the points, use a fine emery board.
9. Practice on the back of your project or scrap wood to learn how each point can be used and to check the temperature of your tool.
10. Each of the four wood burning points will react differently to different types of wood, so experiment and have fun.
11. Move tool slowly across the wood surface.
12. Turn your project surface always so that you are either pulling towards you or pushing away from you—whichever is most comfortable for you.
13. In some instances, fine grit sandpaper can lighten a heavy burned area.
14. Turn off wood burning tool and allow it to cool completely after each use. Leather Round

  
 

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Elevate Your Wood Burning Experience
 

26 pc Tip Set

Take your wood burning project to the next level with the Plaid 26-piece Wood Burning Hot Tip Set. This mega set includes 26 high-quality interchangeable wood burning tips and stamps, perfect for personalizing your DIY projects! All tips work beautifully with the Plaid Wood Burner and Deluxe Wood Burning Set.

Deluxe Wood Burning Kit

Transform ordinary surfaces into personalized works of art with the 15-piece Decorative Wood Burning Set by Plaid. The set features a diverse range of tips, including fine-point tips for delicate linework, shading tips for smooth gradients, calligraphy tips for elegant lettering, and various texture tips for adding depth and character to your artwork. The Wood Burning tool included in this kit, features temperature control for varying project needs and exceptional results.