Wedding Sign Walkthrough: CO2

Step-by-step build of a 12×18" baltic birch wedding welcome sign. Front-of-shop premium order; common at $80-200 retail. Total time: ~25 minutes engrave + 30 minutes prep + finishing.

The order

"Welcome to Sarah and Michael's Wedding · June 15, 2026" with bride/groom names large, date small, decorative arch above. Customer wants rustic-modern aesthetic.

Materials

• 1× 12×18" baltic birch plywood, 6mm thickness ($8-15)
• 3M ScotchBlue 2090 painter's tape for masking (low-tack, won't lift wood fibers, peels clean)
• Walnut wash or stain for contrast (optional)
• Finishing oil (Watco / Tung) for sealing
• Sandpaper (220 grit)
• Soft brush for ash removal

Step 1: design the file (Lightburn or external)

1. Set Lightburn workspace to 12×18" / 305×457mm.
2. Place a layout rectangle for the sign perimeter. Set as Tool layer (no output) for framing reference.
3. Add decorative arch element at top, vector flourish or floral arrangement (Vecteezy/Creative Market vector packs).
4. Add main heading: "Welcome to", Italic font, smaller (~24pt at final size).
5. Add couple's names: "Sarah & Michael", Display font, large (~84pt).
6. Add date: "June 15, 2026", same italic font as Welcome (~24pt).
7. Optional: thin decorative line / divider between names and date.
8. Verify all elements within the sign perimeter and ~15-20mm margin from edges.

Step 2: customer proof

1. Export Lightburn preview as image (Alt+P → Save Image).
2. Email customer the proof: "Please confirm spelling, names, dates, layout."
3. Wait for approval. DO NOT engrave before approval.
4. Save the approved proof email/image with project files.

Step 3: prepare material

1. Sand baltic birch lightly with 220-grit. Removes surface oils.
2. Wipe with dry cloth.
3. Apply 3M ScotchBlue 2090 painter's tape over the engrave area. Press firmly.
4. Place wood on bed. Check level. Use honeycomb to lift off bed.

Step 4: focus and frame

1. Auto-focus or manually set Z to 2" lens focal distance.
2. Hit Frame (F4), verify the design's bounding box lands within material.
3. Adjust position if needed.

Step 5: layer settings (35-50W RF tube, 2" lens)

Starting points for baltic birch fill engrave. Lower power than you might expect, fill mode at 0.08mm interval with 22% on a 50W tube produces clean dark engrave without burned valleys. Always run a small test patch on the same wood batch first, baltic birch varies between sheets and 5% can be the difference between a clean engrave and a charred one.

Layer	Mode	Settings
Tool layer (perimeter)	Output OFF	,
Decorative arch	Fill	Speed 350 mm/s, Power 22%, Interval 0.08mm, Air assist LOW
Welcome / date text	Fill	Speed 350 mm/s, Power 20%, Interval 0.08mm
Names (large)	Fill	Speed 350 mm/s, Power 22%, Interval 0.08mm

Some shops engrave baltic birch deeper for a more dimensional look, bump power to 25-28% and you'll get visible relief, but you'll also get more char buildup. Mask the surface with painter's tape (Step 3) to keep the surrounding wood clean either way.

Step 6: run engrave

1. Open Lightburn Preview (Alt+P), verify time estimate (~20-30 min).
2. Press Start. Watch first 30 seconds.
3. Production engrave runs. 22-28 minutes typical.

Step 7: post-process

1. Wait 60s after job for fume extraction to clear.
2. Open lid. Carefully peel the painter's tape, takes smoke residue with it.
3. Brush off any remaining ash with a soft brush.
4. Inspect under daylight LED. Check for clean edges, even contrast, no missed areas.

Step 8: optional finishing

• Walnut wash for contrast: apply walnut stain with rag. Wipe excess after 10 seconds. Settles into engraved valleys, leaves high points bright.
• Mineral oil / tung oil seal: apply with rag. Wipe excess. Brings out grain and protects.
• Renaissance Wax for premium finish.

Step 9: package

1. Photograph in good light for portfolio.
2. Wrap in tissue paper.
3. Place in rigid corrugated mailer (12.5×18.5×2" minimum).
4. Add hand-written thank-you note + business card.
5. Ship via tracked shipping. Include $25-50 insurance, replacement-cost.

Pricing breakdown

Material	$12 (baltic birch)
Setup time (design + proof)	30 min × $80/hr = $40
Engrave time	25 min × $80/hr = $33
Finishing	15 min × $80/hr = $20
Packaging + shipping prep	10 min × $80/hr = $13
Subtotal cost	$118
Markup (50% over cost)	+$59
Customer price	$177

Common pitfalls

• Wood warps after engraving, clamp / weight after engraving while it cools.
• Burned edges from too-slow speed. Drop power, increase speed.
• Inconsistent contrast across the wood, natural grain variation; some sand-and-re-engrave.
• Smoke marks despite painter's tape, extraction airflow weak; check fan.