So you have a laser machine. You’re excited about the possibilities (and rightly so) your laser is about to provide you and your business. The next step to getting the most out of your laser is finding the best materials to use as your blank canvas. But where to begin? We’ve found that using materials known for their great quality can significantly enhance customer satisfaction with the durability and appearance of your products.
The choice of materials can vary depending on factors such as material composition, thickness, and desired engraving depth. Here are some great places to consider when sourcing laser engraving blanks to create those beautiful products your customers will love:
Types of Blanks for Laser Engraving
Laser engraving blanks come in a wide variety of materials, each offering unique characteristics and uses. Understanding these options can help you choose the best material for your specific projects. Here are some common types of blanks:
Wood Blanks: Natural wood blanks are perfect for creating custom signs, decorative boxes, and other wooden items. Wood is easy to engrave and offers a warm, rustic aesthetic that many customers love.
Metal Blanks: Available in various metals such as aluminum, stainless steel, and brass, metal blanks are ideal for creating custom jewelry, keychains, and other metal items. These materials are durable and can achieve high detail in engravings.
Glass Blanks: High-quality glass blanks are perfect for creating custom awards, trophies, and other decorative items. Glass offers a sleek, elegant look and can be engraved with intricate designs.
Acrylic Blanks: Made from durable acrylic material, these blanks are ideal for creating custom signs, displays, and other decorative items. Acrylic is versatile and available in various colors and thicknesses.
Plastic Blanks: Available in various types of plastic, these blanks are perfect for creating custom phone cases, laptop skins, and other plastic items. Plastic is lightweight, affordable, and easy to work with.
- Natural Stones: such as granite, marble, slate are all great for laser engraving. Marble and slate have the highest resolution when laser engraving a photo. We recommend to spray paint the surface with durable outdoor clear paint which is uv protective.
Specialty Blanks for Unique Projects
For those looking to tackle unique and specialized projects, there are a variety of specialty blanks available that can elevate your creations:
Anodized Aluminum Blanks: These blanks feature a durable, corrosion-resistant coating, making them perfect for creating custom phone cases, laptop skins, and other electronic accessories. The anodized finish provides a sleek, professional look.
Fiber Laser Blanks: Specifically designed for use with fiber lasers, these blanks are ideal for creating custom metal and glass items. Fiber lasers can achieve high precision and detail, making these blanks perfect for intricate designs.
Engraved Blanks: Pre-engraved with designs or patterns, these blanks are perfect for creating custom gifts, awards, and other decorative items. They save time and add a professional touch to your projects.
Custom Blanks: Many suppliers offer custom blank options, allowing you to create unique and personalized items for your customers. Custom blanks can be tailored to specific sizes, shapes, and materials, providing endless possibilities for creativity.
Wholesale and Bulk Options for Laser Engraving
For businesses and individuals looking to purchase laser engraving blanks in bulk, there are several options that can help you save money and ensure you have a steady supply of materials:
Wholesale Suppliers: Many suppliers offer wholesale pricing for bulk orders, making it easy to stock up on the blanks you need. Wholesale suppliers often provide discounts for larger quantities, helping you reduce costs.
Bulk Packs: Some suppliers offer bulk packs of blanks, which can be a cost-effective way to purchase the materials you need. Bulk packs typically include a variety of sizes and shapes, giving you flexibility in your projects.
Custom Orders: If you have specific requirements, some suppliers offer custom order options, allowing you to purchase the exact number of blanks you need. Custom orders can be tailored to your specifications, ensuring you get the right materials for your projects.
Best Practices for Sourcing Laser Engraving Blanks
When sourcing laser engraving blanks, following best practices can help you find high-quality materials and reliable suppliers. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
Researching Suppliers: Take the time to research different suppliers and compare their offerings. Look for suppliers with a good reputation, a wide selection of materials, and competitive pricing.
Reading Reviews: Check out reviews from other customers to get a sense of the supplier’s quality and reliability. Reviews can provide valuable insights into the supplier’s products and customer service.
Checking Material Quality: Before making a purchase, make sure to check the quality of the material. High-quality blanks will produce better engraving results and ensure your projects look professional.
Considering Customer Service: Look for suppliers with excellent customer service. Responsive and helpful customer service can make a big difference if you have questions or issues with your order.
Comparing Prices: Compare prices from different suppliers to ensure you’re getting the best deal. While price is important, also consider the quality of the materials and the supplier’s reputation.
By following these best practices, you can source the best laser engraving blanks for your projects, ensuring high-quality results and satisfied customers.
1. AP Lazer’s Online Webstore
At AP Lazer, we’re passionate about providing you with not only the best in laser technology but also the best engraving materials possible, known for their great quality. Our Granite Blanks are a great place to start, and the possibilities are endless when it comes to the products you can create with them. Create beautiful pet memorial tiles, tribute tiles for lost ones, or commemorate a special event such as a wedding or anniversary. The shop also features engravable items like blank bamboo items and slate tiles in a variety of sizes. Browse a selection of fully laserable urns and pet memorials, both a rising (and lucrative) market trend.
You’ll also find machine accessories and parts to keep your AP Lazer up and running as smoothly as possible.
2. SuperNova International
If you’re looking for larger granite pieces, look no further than AP Lazer’s parent company, SuperNova International. The choice of granite pieces can vary depending on the specific needs of the project. This is another great place to find quality memorial blanks of all different types.
Whether you need standard memorials, benches, pet memorials, or statues. SuperNova is a great place to find quality granite memorials, however, because they are a wholesale distributor, you’ll need to have a valid tax id to make a purchase.
To help you with your retail sales, literatures, such as retail catalogs, brochures of each category of products, and posters can be downloaded from their customer portal (you need a retail license/tax id to register as a dealer)
3. Johnson Plastics Plus
If you’re a laser owner, chances are you will find something your customers will love at Johnsons Plastics Plus. The choice of products can vary depending on the specific needs and preferences of the customers. With one of the most extensive selections of blank engravable products, they are a great place to start if you’re new to laser engraving. Just browsing through their online catalog will provide you with hundreds of creative ideas for products you can create. JPP’s strength is in their wide selection of small blanks, from awards to photo frames to keychains. You’ll also find sheet stock like acrylic, foam board metal, plastic, and wood. Not only do they offer blank materials, but we’re also impressed by the engraving supplies. For example, cleaning accessories for your laser, a variety of paints and fills, and the tools you need to create ADA approved braille signage.
4. LaserSketch
It’s worth first mentioning that LaserSketch offers what they claim to be the number one fundraising brick available, LaserBricks, known for their great quality. These bricks were specifically developed for laser engraving, and promise perfect results every time. These bricks are ideal if you are looking to produce fundraising bricks for your school or other community outreach event.
Bricks aren’t the only thing they offer. Browse their website for unique engravable blanks that you won’t find anywhere else. Our favorites are their beautiful line of agate products, glass jewelry boxes, and various other pieces of engravable jewelry.
Looking to produce eye-catching acrylic signage? Check out their single color edgelite kits. Light up a small acrylic shelf to hold your DVD player or a large engraved sign for a trade show, the possibilities are endless! They are compact, inexpensive, and the ultra high-power LED’s deliver the light you need, where you want it.
5. Discount Mugs
Don’t be fooled by the name! Discount Mugs offers far more than mere mugs. A leader in promotional products, Discount Mugs is a great place to order everything from candle holders to fidget spinners, all known for their great quality.
If you’re looking to get into one of the fastest-growing and profitable markets, check out their selection of stainless mugs. Stainless mugs are an easy product to offer, as customers seem to love them and the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down. AP Lazer is a perfect laser for stainless mugs; our rotary device makes engraving easy and the highest details are achievable.
While they offer their own services of printing and lasering, each item they sell is available as a blank. Their website’s chat feature is highly responsive, so their customer service is a strength.
6. JDS Industries
JDS Industries has a wide selection of awards and gifts, from engravable wooden USB drives to self-standing glass awards. The choice of awards and gifts can vary depending on the specific needs and preferences of the customers. A strength of JDS is their Youtube Channel which features multiple lasering tutorial videos, helpful if you are new to the laser engraving game.
Be sure to check out their line of gift items, display cases, and even cutting boards; all products your customers are sure to love.
7. Colorado Heirloom
This company specializes mainly in wood products such as wooden boxes and cutting boards, known for their great quality. While their materials selection is smaller, their catalog boasts some beautiful items. Wood is an easy material to engrave, so the learning curve on these products will be short and you’ll be making a profit in no time.
This list is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to blank materials for engraving. Contact us today for more information about where you can find the best engraving materials for your laser.
Interested in a laser that will allow you to engrave all of these unique products and more? AP Lazer has you covered with our patented, open architecture laser systems that allow you to engrave items as small as a peanut to objects as large as a full-size granite memorial. Contact us for more information!
8. Large Engravable Products
Starting this year, AP Lazer is slowly adding more large engravable products to their webstore.
Traditional laser engraving industry started from small products such as trophies, and small signs. For past 60 years, small engravanle blank products are developed from personalized gifts, promotional products, to corporation gifts and jewlries. Now with innovative open architecture laser machine developed by AP Lazer, large products such as monumental signs, park benches, landscaping, furniture, doors and windows… a wide range of markets are opening up.
The B2B market potential for large-size laser engraving is immense, especially when considering the advertising value of engraved features in high-traffic areas. Businesses are constantly searching for unique, eye-catching ways to enhance their branding and marketing efforts, and large engraved items offer a powerful solution. Imagine monumental signs, custom-engraved park benches, or personalized architectural elements like doors and windows displayed in public spaces or corporate environments. These large, permanent fixtures can serve as a form of emotional branding, creating a lasting impression on clients, visitors, and potential customers. Unlike traditional advertising, which incurs ongoing costs, laser-engraved features are a one-time investment that provides a permanent, impactful presence in high-traffic areas, offering businesses endless visibility without the recurring expense of ads or digital marketing.
On the B2C side, the potential lies in the emotional satisfaction and personal connection that comes with large custom-engraved products. Consumers today seek personalized items that resonate on a deeper level, and AP Lazer’s technology allows for this connection on a larger scale. Homeowners can now engrave intricate designs, meaningful quotes, or cherished memories onto large objects like furniture, garden stones, doors, or even landscaping features. These unique, personalized items add emotional value to their homes, creating lasting memories for families and friends. Large engraved products provide an opportunity for individuals to express their love, creativity, and legacy in a way that small, traditional products never could. The emotional connection established through these personalized engravings goes beyond aesthetics, offering a meaningful and lasting impact that is highly sought after in today’s consumer market.
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