How to print on wood?

How much does wood printing cost?

Every project is bespoke, so the price depends on your choice of wood, the size and quantity of the items, and whether laser cutting, engraving or design work is involved. As a rough guide, wooden business cards start from around £1.50–£2.00 per card on a minimum order of 40 — significantly less per card as volumes increase. For signage, trophies and bespoke merchandise, we'll always provide a detailed quote within 24 hours of receiving your brief. There are no hidden costs and no surprises. Just drop us a line with as much detail as you have.

What is the minimum order quantity?

It varies by product — we're perfectly happy discussing individual pieces. At the other end of the scale, we regularly fulfil orders of hundreds of thousands of units for trade and manufacturing clients. Whatever your quantity, you'll get the same care and quality.

How long does wood printing take?

Our standard turnaround from payment and artwork approval is 10–14 working days. Lead times can vary at busy times of year — particularly in the run-up to Christmas and during summer event season — so if you have a firm deadline, please do tell us upfront and we'll do everything we can to accommodate you. Rush jobs can sometimes be arranged, so it's always worth asking.

Is wood printing suitable for outdoor use?

Yes, absolutely. We use UV-cured inks which are hardwearing, colourfast and resistant to fading. For outdoor applications we'd recommend pairing these with a protective varnish or oil finish, and selecting the right wood substrate for the environment — hardwoods like oak and marine ply perform particularly well outdoors. Let us know your application and we'll advise on the best specification.

How does wood printing differ from laser engraving?

They're complementary techniques, not alternatives. Printing deposits full-colour ink directly onto the wood surface — giving you vivid, photo-quality results with the natural grain showing beautifully through.

Laser engraving burns into the surface to create a tactile, scorched effect, typically in a single tone.

We can combine both techniques on the same piece, which gives a genuinely stunning result — crisp printed colour with engraved depth. Many of our most impressive pieces use both.

Can you print photographs onto wood?

Yes — and honestly, it looks incredible. The wood grain shows through the image in a way that adds warmth and character you simply can't replicate on paper or plastic. Our 8-colour UV printing process handles fine detail and subtle tonal gradients beautifully. Portrait photos, landscape photography, illustrations, artwork reproductions — we've done them all. It's one of those things you have to see in person to fully appreciate.

Do you offer a white-label or trade service?

Yes, and it's a significant part of what we do. We work with many graphic designers, marketing agencies, interior designers, event companies, and product businesses as a behind-the-scenes production partner — delivering under their brand with no Inspirwood branding anywhere on the packaging or paperwork. If you have regular volume requirements, we can discuss preferential trade pricing. We're discreet, reliable, and very good at being the invisible engine behind someone else's brilliant idea.

Can you supply the wood, or do I need to send my own?

We supply everything — and we'd genuinely prefer to. We know exactly which grades, thicknesses and finishes deliver the best print results, and every piece of wood we source is certified from sustainably managed forests. That said, if you have something particular in mind — reclaimed timber, a specific species, an unusual substrate — get in touch and we'll see what we can do. We love a challenge.

What file format do I need to supply artwork in?

Our preference is a print-ready PDF with fonts outlined and colours set to CMYK, with a 3mm bleed. High-resolution JPEGs at 300dpi also work well. If you're not sure what any of that means, don't worry at all — our in-house design studio, Inspirations, can prepare or create your artwork from scratch. Just describe what you have in mind and we'll handle the rest.

Are your wooden products food safe?

Some applications require food-safe certification — serving boards, menu holders, product packaging and so on. Please flag this when you get in touch as you may need to obtain a certificate. We've worked with hospitality clients on food-contact items many times, so it's familiar territory for us.

Can you print on reclaimed or customer-supplied wood?

We can, and some of the most beautiful projects we've produced have used reclaimed timber. Surfaces do need to be clean, dry and reasonably flat for reliable results. If you're bringing your own material, we'd recommend sending a sample first so we can run a test before committing to a full run — it protects your material and gives us both confidence in the outcome.

How does wood printing compare to plastic for the environment?

There's no comparison, frankly. Wood is biodegradable, renewable, and — when sourced responsibly — carbon-sequestering. Plastic can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. We are the only wood specialist printing company in the UK, meaning every piece of wood we use is fully traceable back to a sustainably managed forest.

We run our entire operation on renewable energy and generate no landfill whatsoever.

Switching your cards, signage or packaging from plastic to wood is one of the most tangible environmental improvements a business can make — and it looks significantly better into the bargain.

Can you help with design if I don't have artwork?

Absolutely. Our sister company Inspirations is a full-service design studio, and we work with them closely on client projects. Whether you have a rough sketch, a vague idea, or just a brand palette and a feeling, we can develop artwork for your approval before anything goes to print. We'll iterate until it's exactly right. This is included in the production process — just tell us you need design support when you get in touch.

Do you deliver across the UK and internationally?

Yes to both. We're based in Teignmouth in Devon, but we deliver nationwide — typically via overnight carrier. We also ship internationally across Europe and beyond. Just let us know your delivery location when you enquire and we'll factor shipping into your quote. Fragile or unusually shaped pieces are packed with care; we've been doing this long enough to know what arrives safely and what doesn't.

What makes Inspirwood different from other printers?

Honestly, almost nobody else does what we do. We pioneered wood printing in the UK in 2004 — before most people thought it was commercially viable — and we've spent two decades pushing the technology, the materials and the creative possibilities further than anyone else. We combine printing, laser cutting, CNC routing, carpentry, and in-house design under one roof in Devon. We only use certified sustainably sourced wood. We're plastic-free and powered by renewable energy. And we genuinely love what we do, which — trust us — you can tell in the finished work.