This page lists 96 community-tested settings for Cardboard. Paper cuts cleanly on both diode and CO₂ lasers — the key is high speed and low power to avoid charring and burning. Thinner paper (80gsm) needs less power than cardstock (200–300gsm). Air assist is usually not needed and can cause tearing on lightweight sheets.
Corrugated cardboard and card stock cut cleanly with a laser and are used for packaging
prototypes, paper crafts, and stencils. One of the easiest and cheapest materials to test with.
Use the minimum power needed — cardboard is a fire risk. Air assist is important. Thin card stock cuts faster and cleaner than thick corrugated. Great for testing new designs before committing to wood.
Creality Falcon2 22W Recommended Parameters wiki (wiki.creality.com/en/laser-engraver/falcon2/22W-recommended-parameters) and Scribd doc 661034488 list kraft paper / corrugated cardboard cutting parameters in the 3000–6000 mm/min range at 40–70% power. Tom's Hardware and community reviewers note 22W easily cuts corrugated cardboard in 1 pass at moderate power/high speed. Air assist recommended to prevent flare-up.
Tom's Hardware review of CR Laser Falcon (5W) notes corrugated cardboard produces excessive smoke and fire risk; single-layer chipboard/cardboard recommended. LA Hobby Guy (t=7599) reports cardboard outline cut at ~2000 mm/min at moderate power for light card; forum.creality.com new-user thread confirms 5W cuts thin cardboard in 1–2 passes at 70–80% power. Air assist strongly recommended to control flare-ups.
Same laser module as X20 Pro. Atomstack officially lists cardboard as a supported cut material for the A20 Pro/X20 Pro/S20 Pro family. Community guidance from lahobbyguy.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=33 and diode-laser-wiki.com is consistent across 20W diode laser brands. 800mm/min at 50% power is a reliable community starting point for standard corrugated cardboard.
General 20W diode laser community guidance from LA Hobby Guy (lahobbyguy.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=33 'Laser Power & Speed Settings for 20W Diode laser') and Diode Laser Wiki (diode-laser-wiki.com/documentation/guideline-settings/). Cardboard is an easy material for 20W diodes; 800mm/min at 50% is a standard community starting point for corrugated/craft cardboard. Speeds of 500-1000mm/min at 40-60% are the typical community-tested range. Air assist helps prevent flare-ups. Adjust down for thicker cardboard.
Single-wall corrugated cardboard cuts in one pass. Keep power high and don't slow down further — at 6W you need all the power available for clean cuts. Good for stencils and prototyping. Never leave unattended when cutting cardboard.
Cardboard cuts instantly at low power. Keep well below 40% to avoid ignition from the high wattage. The large bed is great for full-size packaging prototypes. Watch carefully — 33W can ignite cardboard faster than you'd expect if you've come from a lower-power machine.
Single-wall cardboard cuts cleanly at moderate power. Good for rapid prototyping before committing to wood or acrylic. Keep power under 65% to reduce ignition risk. Never leave the machine unattended when cutting cardboard.
Single-wall cardboard cuts in one pass at 5W. Keep power high and speed moderate. Good for stencils, templates, and paper crafts. Corrugated cardboard may need a second pass. Never leave the Ray5 unattended when cutting cardboard — it's more flammable than wood.
Cardboard cuts instantly at low power on the S30 Pro. The large 600×600mm bed is excellent for full-size packaging prototypes and flat-pack box designs. Keep power well below 40% to avoid ignition risk from the high wattage. Never leave unattended when cutting cardboard.
Cardboard cuts quickly at low power. The Beamo's enclosed design is safer for cardboard cutting than open-frame machines. Good for packaging prototypes and gift box designs sized for the A5 work area. Beam Studio's shape library has box templates built in.
Cardboard cuts at very high speed and low power. The Nova 35's large bed makes it excellent for cutting corrugated packaging prototypes at full size. Watch for fire at these speeds — keep your hand near the emergency stop when cutting cardboard.
Cardboard cuts cleanly at high speed and low power. The Epilog's autofocus system ensures consistent focus height even on slightly warped card stock. Used widely in schools and fab labs for rapid packaging prototypes and architectural models.
Cardboard cuts cleanly at moderate speed. Keep power below 60% to reduce ignition risk. Good for packaging prototypes and box templates. The TS2's larger 450×450mm bed means you can cut full A3-sized flat pack designs in one job.
Single-wall corrugated cardboard cuts well at 5W. Good for prototyping, gift boxes, and paper crafts. Keep power at 80% — going to 100% at slower speed risks ignition. Never leave the machine unattended when cutting cardboard.
Corrugated single-wall cardboard cuts cleanly. Keep power low to prevent flare-ups — the Basic's air assist is less powerful than the Pro's so watch carefully. Good for packaging prototypes and gift box designs before cutting final materials.
Single-wall cardboard cuts quickly at low power. Keep power well below 50% to avoid ignition risk — cardboard is highly flammable. Never leave the Glowforge unattended when cutting cardboard. Great for prototyping jig designs before committing to wood or acrylic.
Cardboard cuts instantly at very low power. Keep power down — even at 25% the 40W module is more than enough. Good for prototyping designs before cutting real materials. The S1 camera makes it easy to use the full bed space on large sheets.
Standard single-wall cardboard cuts well at these settings. Good for prototyping before committing to wood or acrylic. Keep an eye on the cut — cardboard can smoulder if you use too many passes.
Corrugated cardboard cuts cleanly at speed. Keep power low to avoid ignition — cardboard is highly flammable. Never leave the machine unattended. Great for prototyping jig designs before cutting the real material.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best laser settings for Cardboard?
A top-rated community setting for Cardboard on the Ortur Laser Master 3 is speed 1000 mm/min, power 50%. There are 96 community-tested settings for Cardboard across 50 machines on this page.
Can a diode laser engrave or cut Cardboard?
Yes — there are 58 community settings for Cardboard on diode lasers and 38 on CO₂ lasers. CO₂ lasers generally cut faster and cleaner, but modern high-wattage diode lasers handle most paper work well.
Do I need air assist for Cardboard?
7% of the community settings for Cardboard use air assist. Air assist is optional for most operations but can improve edge quality on cuts.
Laser cutting paper — what you need to know
Paper is one of the easiest materials to laser cut, but getting clean edges without charring takes the right balance of speed and power. The golden rule: go fast, go light. A 40W CO₂ laser cutting 80gsm copy paper might run at 120 mm/s and only 9% power — barely anything. Diode lasers need a bit more power but the same principle applies.
Paper vs cardstock laser settings
Lightweight copy paper (75–90gsm) needs the least power and highest speed. Medium cardstock (160–200gsm) can handle slightly more power. Heavy cardstock and chipboard (250–350gsm) may need 2 passes or a modest power increase. The settings in the table above cover this range across the most popular machines.
Tips for cleaner paper cuts
Turn off air assist — it blows lightweight paper off the bed
Use a honeycomb or pin bed to support the sheet flat
Tape the corners to prevent lifting mid-cut
For intricate designs, reduce speed by 10–15% and power by the same — this gives the laser more time to cut cleanly without burning
If you get consistent char on one side, check your lens focus
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