Sublimating on wood is still a dream for many. But what if I tell you that you can sublimate on the wood with the same process you apply for any other printing process. Yes, its possible, and the design printed on the wood lasts as long as the actual wood because its a sublimation ink and infuses within the substrate.
But you have to take some precautions or steps before sublimating on the wood because we cant direct sublimate on any wood. We have to prepare the substrate first and make it friendly with sublimation to give us outstanding results.
Requirements – Wood Sublimation
- Printer: You need to sublimate the designs you want to print for that; you need a sublimation printer. Converting the normal printer into the sublimation printer is easy. Click here to learn more about it.
- Sublimation Paper: Used to get print on the paper to be used to transfer on the substrate.
- Wood: Wood is a substrate here, and you can use any wood or MDF too.
- Laminate Pouches/film: This is used to cover the wood pieces. Because heat pressing the wood directly with the print under heat press can destroy the design.
- Other accessories: Heat resistant tape, Protective paper, craft knife, and cutting mat.
Process Of Sublimating The Wood
The complete process of wood sublimation is quite simple and explained below in a few simple steps.
Step 1:
Put your wooden piece in the laminate pouch and place the shiny should up and matte side against the wood. Now place the wood with pouch in a piece of paper and wrap it. So your heat-press not going to get dirty.
Step 2:
Now heat press the wood for 15 seconds at 375Fto secure the wood with the laminate pouch. Trim off all the extra edges of the film
Step 3:
Place the wood on the sublimation paper and tape it around with small pieces of heat-resisting tape. Wrap the complete wood with a protective sheet of pepper.
Step 4:
Heat press it for 90 seconds at 375F with medium pressure. Remove the paper and tape from the wood, and you have your sublimation wood ready with sublimated print on it.
BONUS TIP: Paint your wooden piece white before heat pressing it with laminating pouch/film. It will give much better results than the non-painted one.
Important things to know before doing sublimation on the wood
- Make sure you painted the wood with white color before heat pressing it with laminating pouch/film.
- The simpler the wooden design is, the easier it will be to trim the extra laminating sheet.
- Make sure you wrap the wood with protective paper before heat pressing both times. 1st laminating pouch/film transfer and second actual sublimation print transfer.
Best Places To Buy Wood Sublimation Blanks and Other Accessories
- Amazon
- Woodcraft
- eBay
- Etsy
Amazon
The biggest online marketplace in the world. Amazon is the one-stop solution for every kind of product you need for sublimation wood. You can find the best and good material products there, especially a large variety of blanks.
Woodcraft
Woodcraft, the name explains itself. They mainly deal in the category of woodcraft and a bit of others. They also offer their products to other com stores. You can find a detailed catalogue of woodcraft items there to buy. Buying accessories like a wood blank for sublimation can be great from this site.
eBay
eBay, a well-known and one of the oldest marketplace for online shopping. Especially famous for selling used items. If you are good at research, you can find amazing products there especially used printers, and it can be low in price and work like a new one. But better and recommended is to go with new instead of used.
Great place to find accessories like craft knives, protective paper, and resisting tape.
Etsy
The most loved online marketplace of art lovers. But you can find some amazing quality prints and wooden designs for your sublimation wood project at economical prices. The products available here can be used, so make sure that the product you are buying is new, especially the blank should be new.