Is a CO2 Laser Cutter the Right Pick for Wood and Acrylic?

Published September 23, 2026 · By the Laser Lineup editors

Summary

If most of your work is cutting wood and acrylic, CO2 is where to start looking. Acrylic absorbs the 10.6 µm CO2 wavelength well, so a CO2 machine can cut clear acrylic that a blue diode can't touch. What you give up is metal, and a glass-tube machine asks for cooling-water and mirror upkeep that a diode never needs.

The xTool P2 as an example

xTool's FAQ for the P2 lists clear acrylic cuts up to 20 mm and solid wood up to 18 mm. Plywood stops at 12 mm, because thicker plywood can catch fire.

It won't cut metal. It will engrave anodized aluminum and coated metals, and stainless steel after a spray coating. xTool's do-not-process list includes PVC, leather that contains chromium, and anything with halogens or epoxy resins.

Upkeep on a glass-tube machine

Glass-tube CO2 lasers are water-cooled. OMTech's support guide says to change the water at least once a month, even when it looks clean, and warns that repeated overheating shortens tube life. The mirrors have to stay clean and aligned.

A tube near the end of its life gives signs. OMTech lists a weaker beam, a change in the color of the glow, and materials that used to cut cleanly no longer going through.

Sources

Specs and prices are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; check the manufacturer or retailer before you buy.

More in laser types and power

Laser types and powerWhere Should You Start When Choosing a Laser Engraver or Cutter?Start with the things you want to make. The material, whether each piece gets engraved or cut, and the size of the biggest one will point you to a…Read the guide →Laser types and powerShould You Choose a Diode, CO2, Fiber, or UV Laser for Your Material?The difference is wavelength. It decides which materials soak up enough of the beam to be engraved or cut, which is why diodes suit wood, paper, and…Read the guide →Laser types and powerWhat Can a Diode Laser Engraver Do, and What Does 40W Add Over 20W?Diode lasers engrave wood and paper and cut thinner wood and dark opaque acrylic. Clear acrylic is off the table at any wattage, because the blue…Read the guide →Laser types and powerDo You Need a Fiber Laser to Engrave Metal?For marking bare metal, in practice, yes. Metals reflect most CO2 laser light, while the 1064 nm wavelength of a fiber laser is the one widely used on…Read the guide →Laser types and powerDo You Need a MOPA Fiber Laser to Put Color on Metal?Not to get color at all. xTool says its standard-fiber F1 Ultra can color-engrave stainless steel and titanium. What MOPA adds is separate control…Read the guide →Laser types and powerWho Actually Needs a UV Laser Engraver?People whose main work is glass engraving or fine detail on plastics and acrylic. Its 355 nm wavelength is absorbed by a wide range of materials and…Read the guide →Laser types and powerDoes a Higher-Wattage Laser Always Mean a More Powerful Machine?Only within one laser type. Among diode lasers, or among CO2 lasers, more watts means thicker cuts and faster jobs. Between types, the wavelength…Read the guide →

All guides and search