DIY Garden Plant Markers with Laser Cutting

DIY Garden Plant Markers with Laser Cutting

Create beautiful, weather-resistant garden plant markers with your laser cutter. Includes design tips, SVG instructions, and beginner-friendly materials.

December 10, 2024
CutGlueBuild Team
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Want to bring beauty and function to your garden? These laser-cut garden plant markers are the perfect beginner project. Durable, aesthetic, and fully customizable, they’re a fun way to blend crafting with your green thumb. Whether you want minimalist birch tags or ornate floral-themed labels, we’ll guide you step-by-step—including template ideas and material recommendations.

Why Laser-Cut Plant Markers?

Plant markers are the ideal starter project for new laser users:

  • Flat, small (under 6 inches)
  • Requires both cutting and engraving
  • Lets you experiment with fonts, icons, and materials
  • Makes perfect gifts or products to sell

Materials You’ll Need

Recommended materials:

Software You Can Use

Create or customize your plant marker design using:

  • CutGlueBuild AI SVG Generator — prompt-based SVG creation
  • Inkscape or Illustrator — for arranging text/icons
  • LightBurn or Fusion 360 — for layout and cut settings

Project Template: Basic Herb Marker

Want to jump in? Here’s a simple text-based template to recreate:

Shape: A rounded rectangle, 5” tall x 1.25” wide, with a pointed end like a stake.
Text: Centered text near top: “BASIL”. Use Montserrat or any engraved serif font.
Design: Optional engraved basil leaf icon below the text.
Cut Settings:

  • Outer shape — RED stroke (RGB: 255,0,0), 0.01pt (cut)
  • Text and icon — BLACK fill (engrave)

Pro tip: You can also prompt CutGlueBuild like:
“Make a modern plant label for tomatoes with leaf engraving and a stake shape.”

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Design Your Shape

Use a rounded rectangle and add a triangle or arc to create a “stake” point. Keep proportions ergonomic: about 5–6” tall by 1.25” wide.

2. Add Your Text

Use clean, readable fonts. Good choices include:

  • Montserrat
  • Lora
  • Fira Sans

Center your text horizontally, then place it in the top half.

3. Add Icons (Optional)

Use SVG icons for herbs/vegetables or hand-draw them. Try:

4. Prepare for Laser

  • Cut Layer: Thin red stroke for outer shape
  • Engrave Layer: Black fill for text/icon
  • Group elements so they don’t shift

5. Test Settings

Always run a test pass:

  • Power/speed will vary by wood type
  • Use scrap plywood or MDF

For example:

  • Proofgrade Medium Maple:
    Engrave: 1000 speed / 20 power
    Cut: 300 speed / 100 power

6. Cut & Finish

After cutting:

  • Optionally fill engravings with paint pens
  • Add a sealant spray or epoxy resin to weatherproof
  • Sand edges if using non-Proofgrade wood

Creative Variations

  • Shape Themes: Leaf silhouettes, trowel shapes, badge-style
  • Engraving Ideas: Botanical illustrations, garden quotes, sun/moon symbols
  • Product Ideas: Bundle sets of “Herbs” or “Vegetables” for Etsy

Tips for Selling or Gifting

  • Bundle markers in sets (e.g., “10 Herbs”)
  • Use recycled wood for sustainability
  • Package in kraft paper with a branded tag

Download Starter SVGs

Want to skip ahead? Use our starter set of 6 popular markers:

  • Basil
  • Thyme
  • Rosemary
  • Tomato
  • Carrot
  • Lettuce

➡️ Download here: cutgluebuild.com/templates/plant-markers

Final Thoughts

Garden plant markers are more than just functional—they’re an entry point into the world of creative laser cutting. They’re fast to make, infinitely personalizable, and sell like hotcakes at craft markets.

Try the project above, remix it, and tag us on social @cutgluebuild!

Happy making 🌱

Affiliate Disclosure: Some links in this post may earn us a commission. It helps support CutGlueBuild and keeps the laser on.