What a CO2 laser cuts and engraves, what needs a fiber laser, and the materials you must never put in a laser.
Short answer
A CO2 laser cutter cuts and engraves a wide range of non-metals — wood and plywood, acrylic (PMMA), leather, paper and cardboard, fabric and felt, cork, and rubber — while a fiber laser is what you need to cut metal. Glass, stone, and ceramic can be engraved (frosted) but not cleanly cut. Some materials are dangerous and must never be lasered: PVC and vinyl release toxic chlorine gas, and polycarbonate burns instead of cutting. Always match the material to the laser type, and confirm an unknown material before you run it.
What a CO2 laser cuts and engraves.
- Wood & plywood — cuts and engraves cleanly; laser-grade plywood is best.
- Acrylic (PMMA) — glossy cut edges and bright frosted engraving.
- Leather (genuine; avoid PVC-based faux leather) — cuts and engraves well.
- Paper, cardstock & cardboard — fast, clean cuts at low power.
- Fabric & felt — cuts with sealed edges on many textiles.
- Cork, rubber (laser-safe stamp rubber), and many plastics — with the right settings and extraction.
What needs a fiber laser (metal).
A CO2 laser does not cut bare metal — it can only mark coated or anodized metal. To cut steel, stainless, aluminum, or brass you need a fiber laser, whose 1064 nm wavelength metal absorbs. Glass, stone, and ceramic are a separate case: they engrave (frost) on a CO2 laser but do not cut cleanly, because the thermal stress cracks them.
Materials you must never laser.
Do not laser these
PVC and vinyl release chlorine / hydrochloric-acid gas that is toxic to you and corrodes the machine. Polycarbonate (Lexan) discolors, yellows, and burns instead of cutting. And never run an unknown material — identify it first, because a mislabeled sheet (or PVC-based faux leather) can be hazardous.
Related questions
What materials can a laser cutter cut?
A CO2 laser cuts non-metals — wood, acrylic, leather, paper, cardboard, fabric, cork, and many plastics — and engraves glass, stone, and ceramic. A fiber laser cuts metals like steel, stainless, aluminum, and brass. Never cut PVC, vinyl, or polycarbonate.
What can you cut with a laser cutter?
On a CO2 laser: wood and plywood, acrylic, leather, paper and card, fabric, felt, cork, and laser-safe rubber. On a fiber laser: sheet metals. Glass and ceramic engrave rather than cut, and PVC, vinyl, and polycarbonate are off-limits.
What materials can a laser cutter cut through (and how thick)?
Thickness depends on the machine’s power. A strong CO2 laser cuts wood and acrylic up to roughly half an inch or more in a pass, thicker with slower speeds, while thin materials like paper and fabric cut easily. Fiber cutters handle sheet metal whose thickness scales with wattage.
Can a laser cutter cut metal or glass?
Metal needs a fiber laser; a CO2 laser only marks coated metal, not bare. Glass can be engraved (frosted) on a CO2 laser but not cleanly cut, because thermal stress cracks it. See our dedicated guides on cutting metal and engraving glass.
Keep going
- Deep dive (coming soon): Laser-compatible materials guide
- Related: Can a laser cutter cut metal? · How to cut & engrave acrylic · Can you laser engrave plastic? · How do you laser engrave glass?
- Products: LS / HP CO2 lasers · FC Series fiber cutters