Wood is the most common surface for pyrography! There are other surfaces you can burn on, but wood is available almost everywhere and is definitely a great place to start if you are new to wood burning.
Always look for unfinished, sanded smooth, and dried wood. These are musts for pyrography.
There are also some woods you should absolutely avoid and that list, you can find here.
Always wear a mask and follow safety precautions when burning on any type of wood or alternative surface. This is super important regardless of wood type.
And onto what you will want to burn on! Below are the top wood surfaces to burn on according to our own experiences as well as from polling hundreds of pyrographers in the community.
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Top 9 Wood Surfaces to Burn On
This is a list of my personal favourites combined with woods that offer a great experience for beginner pyrography artists. I continue to update it as I try new species and hear from the people I teach and our community members!
1. Cherry
Cherry is such a lovely wood to burn on. There are many variations (color and grain) which may be distracting for some, but for others, this adds character. Personally, I appreciate this aspect (in all woods) because I suffer from blank canvas anxiety and the colour and variations help me get over that!
Cherry contains natural compounds that produce mildly toxic fumes when burned. Nothing to panic about, but ventilation and a mask are non-negotiable (as always with ANY wood you burn on).
I love cherry for it’s warm, reddish tone and rich colour. You can create beautifully detailed pyrography art on it at a slightly higher heat setting (or slower pace).
Be careful in adding any finishes (stains or even colourless oils and sealers), as cherry wood darkens quite a bit. You can still see the burn lines, but it decreases the contrast the pyrography marks make.
This is an example of a cherry wood slice before and after a resin application. The colour is rich and beautiful but if your design has light shading, it could disappear after a finish is applied!
Below is one that I treated with oil (which I wish I didn’t….)
I do love the colour the oil gave it, but with the delicate line work, this piece needs to be in a bright area to be seen and appreciated…
So if you are planning to put any finishes on it, just make sure your burns are very prominent and bold.
2. Basswood
Basswood is a very common wood species that is easy to find and easy to burn on.
It’s a favourite amongst pyrographers because of its availability, light colour (creating nice contrast with burn lines) and for the way it burns. It is easy and smooth to burn on.
The grain is visible, but still smooth so it doesn’t effect your burn as much as other woods.
The even, light color makes it the perfect canvas for wood burning. Oh and the colour of the wood only darkens slightly when adding any oils or finishes. Other woods can get much darker.
It is easily found with the very classic tree-bark live-edge, making the perfect rustic rounds.
The bonus with basswood is that because it’s commonly available, it comes in loads of different shapes, sizes, live edge, no live edge, thick or thin, etc…
3. Birch
Birch is a harder in structure, when it comes to pyrography, which means you either turn up the heat or move slower with it. Because it is a harder wood, it allows for incredible details.
Even though it is slightly harder to burn on, it still has beautiful qualities like the light blonde colour, stunning white live edge bark and subtle grain lines that don’t interfere with the burning. It typically has a bright, creamy-white colour or yellowish tint and a satin-like sheen to its finish which makes for nice contrast when burning.
I enjoy burning on end grain, like on this round live edge wood slice above, especially when the wood slice has the bark in tact. Rachel prefers face grain wood which has the grain running across the entire wood slice.
In general, birch trees aren't as big (or thick) as other hardwoods, so the slices you get from them usually aren't big either. Because of this, companies make birch wood plywood. As with ANY plywood, these planks use a lot of glues which can be dangerous to burn on. Always wear the safety gear, no matter what.
Chelsea of @CGDesigns swears by birch plywood, especially for small work like earrings. It's smooth, stable, and laser-cuts cleanly — which matters when your pieces are tiny and precision is everything. If you're making jewellery or ornaments, birch plywood is worth keeping in your rotation.
4. Aspen
Aspen burns very similar to basswood in our experience, but isn’t just one solid color. It has lovely variations in color to it, which is my favourite part about this wood - it's easy to recognize and the colours on it can add to your design. If that doesn’t work for you or your design, try a face grain cut slice (the planks versus the rounds). Not sure what face grain is? Check out our Intro to Wood as a Pyrography Artist blog post to learn more.
Aspen is softer when burning making it feel buttery smooth and satisfying.
The grain is subtle and you can barely feel anything at all when burning, especially if sanded properly!
5. Walnut
Walnut is such a juicy wood to burn on. It has a lovely medium/dark brownish color to it, and smells amazing when you burn it, however it is more on the expensive side.
Walnut contains a natural compound called juglone, which can cause respiratory irritation, especially if you burn hot or for long periods. Mask up and keep your space well-ventilated, as you should with any wood.
This is one of those woods that soaks up finishes and darkens quite a bit when you put any finishes. This could make your lines and shading not as visible… Any light shading will disappear.
However, add a finish to this and just watch the natural grain pop and shine; So much dimension in this wood species!
The grains are visible but don’t interfere with burning. It’s a dream if you burn deep like I do.
6. Maple
Maple is one of Rachel’s personal favorites to burn on. She loves the subtle grain in it (which generally does not get in the way of burning), and the colour of the wood makes a great canvas.
It is harder than basswood, and is just lovely to burn on at a slightly higher heat. It’s nice and lightly coloured, lending itself well for pyrography. Finishes will darken the surface but not very much so you will not loose your work.
Maple is a bit more costly than basswood, but is worth it.
Our Burn Club community has some great things to say about maple too: Ambrosia Maple (also called wormy maple) —> “It's not a distinct species, but regular maple bored into by ambrosia beetles, leaving behind striking streaks of gray, brown, and black with small pin holes. Every piece is completely unique, which is honestly part of what makes wood such a magical surface to burn on. It burns the same as maple but with built-in character.” — Chuck of @TheBurningWoodchuck
Here's a piece Chuck created on ambrosia maple, embellished with intricate stain work. I was beyond thrilled to receive it through a charity auction he ran in support of mental health awareness.
John, of @Circle8Pyrography is also a fan of maple! He says he likes maple “because of the close grain lines and the ability to do so many different tones on it. I think it burns so much better than basswood because basswood is so much softer”
7. Sourwood
Sourwood is one of my favourites due to the large and intricate live edge bark on it. The bark is so stunning, it creates it’s own frame of sorts!
The surface is lighter in color making a great canvas for burning and even though it is a hardwood, with some patience, higher heat and a slower pace, it is still a pleasure to burn on.
8. Poplar
Poplar is another great choice for wood burning. It is another light colored option, although often it has a green tone to it which not everyone likes. There is a process you can take to get rid of this but it must be completed after you burn (because burning on the treatment is dangerous) and may require a bit of sanding so ensure your burn lines are fairly deep.
The grains can get in the way a bit, but otherwise it is a fairly smooth burn. It is quite similar to maple, but less expensive. A great choice for pyrography and very accessible and cheap.
Poplar is the practical favourite and mentioned in the community by several artists. Zona of @bz_furfur, Megan of @happicamperkc and Aney of Pyrocrafters reach for it when asked what they'd burn on a deserted island. It's widely available, affordable, and burns cleanly.
9. Cedar
Cedar has a beautiful rich red color in the center and a lighter color on its edges.
It burns really nicely and is lovely to work with because is a softer wood. It feels like butter. It’s easy to understand pyro tools and the variety of nibs and what they can do because you require less control when the wood is softer, and can burn at a higher temperature, therefore allowing you to play around a little.
Cedar is a very resinous wood. All kinds of cedar, but especially ones like Western Red Cedar, contain natural oils and resins, (creosote) which may release harmful fumes when burned (more fumes when heated very high). I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy this wood for a project, but I had a lot on hand after a building project. Always wear a mask and follow safety precautions when burning on any type of wood.
Also, beware when staining, that red colour deepens quite a bit, so always test it on the back before adding a finish to a cedar wood burned piece.
One more thing we learned from an Open Studio to note: “The red heartwood and the white sapwood burn quite differently. The red burns like melted butter: easy and forgiving. The white is more resistant, with grain lines that act up more. Slow down on the white sections and watch for sap, which can make the wood feel wet and cause buildup on your tip." — Myra of @MyraArtStudio
(Burn Club+ members can watch the full recording of this session anytime!)
A great place to learn more about your favorite wood types is at wood-database.com - here you will find all the specs you need!
Runner-up Wood Surfaces to Burn On
These are woods our community members have tried and recommend — with notes straight from the burners themselves. I'll continue to add to this list as I collect them from the community. Have a species you adore and want to include? Contact me or join us (free) in the live conversations in The Burn Club!
Apple Wood & Pear Wood:
"My absolute favourites. They produce less smoke than walnut, burn evenly, and respond well even with beginner-level pens which is great for anyone just starting out or teaching others." — Myra of @MyraArtStudio
Hornbeam
"A personal favourite because it is like burning on butter. Like beyond butter" and "there's not much grain lines. The lines aren't as bumpy as some other woods. And it's just a really easy wood to burn on." — Myra of @MyraArtStudio
Box Elder
"Box elder is a stunning wood to burn on, with beautiful bark and a grain that just sinks the pen right in. It's pricier and comes in large lumber-yard pieces rather than ready-to-burn blanks, but if you can get your hands on it, it's worth it. Look for pieces with interesting knots and live edge — the wood does half the work for you." — Myra of @MyraArtStudio
Beech
Cork
Be careful with this one! A lot of cork is made with glue, so be sure to dig deep into the source and use natural cork which is made directly from the bark of the cork oak tree.
Mahogany
Alder
Sycamore
Cypress
Willow
Olive Wood
It's last on this list because it can be a bit unpredictable to burn, but it’s really beautiful!! Megan of @unstrungstudios picked olive wood as her desert island choice. Olive has this tight, swirling grain and a natural warmth that makes finished pieces look almost polished straight off the wood. One thing worth knowing though: if you've ever tried burning an olive wood branch you found or picked up, it's not quite the same experience. Eve of @EmbersByEve pointed this out and she's right. Branch wood has a very different consistency than proper olivewood, so if you want to really try it, track down the real thing. It's not always easy to find, but it's worth it.
Check out the DO NOT BURN ON list here.
Click Here for pyrography non-wood surfaces to burn on.
Always wear a mask and follow safety precautions when burning on any type of wood or alternative surface. This is super important regardless of wood type.