We’ve got an exciting one for you today! Recently, we were approached by the Walkinshaw Andretti United racing team to custom-make some laser engraved solid wood tabletops for them. Needless to say, our laser engraving specialists were immediately on board!
Granted, these aren’t the first wooden tabletops we’ve laser engraved for commercial clients, so today’s project came to us because our previous results have withstood the test of time and across even the most chaotic commercial restaurant and pub environments. So alongside showcasing the process behind the gorgeous tabletops you see here, our team at Vector & Raster Laser Services is also going to go over how we ensure our custom engraved solid wood tabletops look worthy of 1st place!
How to find the right wood for your custom engraving project
The reason why solid wood is the clear choice for custom engraved tabletops is simply because you can expect wooden tabletops to experience their fair share of wear and tear. From scraping glasses to dings and dents and even spills, you can expect non-porous and hard-wearing solid hardwood to be the best types of materials for producing wooden tabletops.
This same application-based reasoning should be used when determining the best wood material for any other type of custom engraving project. Think about what function you’d want your wood creations to take on, and estimate the level of wear and tear your products are likely to experience over their usable lifespan.
For instance, you can expect tabletops or desktops to experience a higher level of contact when compared to wooden picture frames, which are better off being lightweight for ease of installation. That’s why birch wood and oak are so commonly used for furniture production, whereas softwood like pine or even plywood with darker wood veneers are used for producing homewares like art frames or paperweights.
Our latest custom solid wood engraving project
Let’s not dillydally any further in sharing the process behind this exciting custom solid wood engraving project. As we’ve mentioned, a representative from the Walkinshaw Andretti United racing team inquired with us about producing some custom wooden tabletops with their racing team’s logo.
Our wood laser engravers were supplied with 700mm solid oak tabletops for this project to ensure hard-wearing finished results with a stronger colour contrast between the ‘burnt’ engraved design and the naturally warm colouring of oak wood. As you can see, the custom engraved tabletops looked absolutely stunning once our laser engravers had worked their magic, with each finished tabletop boasting its own natural variations and colour gradients. All in all, they delivered a very organic but still uniform engraved design, aligning with client preferences to a tee.
Once these tabletops were collected from our workshop, they received their final process of oiling with a clear coat for protection. Here, our laser engravers made sure to keep the wood surfaces immaculately clean to ensure there was no extra work for our client and the tabletops were ready for installation right out of the box.
We were very pleased to hear that these custom engraved solid wood tabletops were thoroughly enjoyed by all the members of the racing team on race day, and that the team aims to use the tabletops for future events for years to come.
How to care for your engraved solid wood tabletops
With the right care, laser engraved solid wood tabletops can actually look presentable for decades. By oil treating our custom engraved wood tabletops prior to using, our laser engravers can assure you that they not only maintain a lustrous shine, but are also equipped with a robust protective topcoat that should protect against most general types of hard contact (i.e. cups, plates, dropped phones, etc.).
From here, general maintenance and cleaning can help prolong the life of your wood tabletops as well as their laser engraved designs. Here are just some maintenance measures you should practice to support the longevity of your laser engraved tabletops:
- Clean and dust regularly to reduce risks of discolouration or degradation caused by surface level contaminants
- Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners to avoid risks of corrosion
- Use coasters and placements to protect your engraved tabletops from hard contact with cups, plates, etc.
- Reapply wood oil or wax treatments periodically to maintain the protective layer coating of your engraved wooden tabletops
Create your own custom solid wood creations with our team at Vector & Raster
It’s probably obvious by now that our team at Vector & Raster Laser Services just absolutely loves laser engraving onto solid wood! The natural beauty of wood laser engraving is just next level.
That’s why we’re always happy to take on wood laser cutting and engraving projects of all scopes and sizes. From laser engraving hardwood tabletops to wooden Jenga blocks, we take great pride in helping you find the perfect materials and delivering the best results for all of our custom wood engraving projects. Our workshop is also 100% eco-friendly, being powered fully by renewable energy and with a commitment to minimal waste production across all our laser engraving wood projects.
If you’d like to partner with us on your next wood laser engraving project then don’t hesitate to reach out to our team for more information. We’re always available to answer any questions you may have about our order process and our production standards.
