Use your printer to transfer ink onto wood in 8 simple steps!

Heres a great technique that will add a professional look and personal touch to any unfinished or wood stained item. You can transfer any image, name, date etc… with just a few supplies you might already have at home.

Heres what you’ll need:

 

• Scrap Wood
• Printer
• Computer word processing software (something like Pages on a Mac or Word on MIcrosoft/Google Docs)
• Scotch tape
• Card stock
• Wax paper
• Mod Podge
• Thin tipped paint brush
• Sponge Brush

Step 1

Open up a document on your computer, and insert the image, name or special date you want to transfer onto your piece of wood. If you are unsure how to insert images or text box and you have a Mac like I do, then follow these steps before continuing to Step 2.

How to insert a Text Box

Click INSERT, scroll down and click TEXT BOX, then type in your TEXT

   

How to insert an IMAGE

Click on INSERT, click on CHOOSE, go to the folder where you have the image and click INSERT

Step 2

Rotate your image, name and/or date 180 degrees. If you do not rotate your image and/or words, then it will print backwards, like holding words up to a mirror.

To flip: Click on ARRANGE, then scroll down to click on FLIP

Step 3

Once you’ve rotated your image, name or date then you’ll want to adjust it to size and choose a font. I typed Raquel on the example below.

Step 4

Simply feeding the wax paper into your printer is not going to work. The wax paper will crumple and get caught in your printer as its feeding the paper through. ARGH!!!!!

Through trial and error, and many, MANY tears, I have found this technique works best if you tape the wax paper onto a sheet of card stock first. When feeding your paper through the printer, make sure the wax paper is facing down.

Step 5

Now it’s ready for printing! 

**Carefully remove the wax paper from the card stock, making sure that the wax paper does not roll into itself, causing the ink to smudge.

Step 6

Transfer your image (wet ink facing down) onto your unfinished or wood stained item and gently press the image into the wood. Carefully remove the wax paper and let the ink dry a few seconds.

Step 7

Once your image has dried, you’re going to want to use a thin tipped paint brush to apply Mod Podge (a waterbase glue and sealer) onto your image, as if you were tracing your image or letters. This not only seals your image, but makes the ink a little darker.

Do not brush Mod Podge over your image, as in a painting motion because this will smudge the ink and ruin your item.

P.S Mod Podge goes on white, but dries completely clear.

Step 8

Let the Mod Podge dry a few minutes and then you can brush a liberal amount of Mod Podge over the entire item.

And you’re done. Once you’ve tried this technique a few times, you will get the hang of it. Its always best to practice on scrap wood before committing to permanently “Ink Transferring” onto your actual item.

If you have any questions about this DIY or would like to leave us your feed back, we’d love to hear them. Simply comment below or tweet/facebook us!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Still Reading??

If you’re ready to dive in and start personalizing some wooden crafts of your own, take a trip to your local hobby shop and consider any of these

• Bamboo Bowl
• Wooden Clock
• Coasters
• Wooden Half Crate

Want something a little more personal and not mass produced? Check out our line of unfinished products you may personalize as well! Some examples include:

• Wall-Mounted Bottle Opener with cap catcher
• Beer Caddy Kit
• Natural Tree Branch Coasters
• WoodyThings Sketch Book
• Portable Watch Stand with Key and Wallet Holder