If you want to brand wood products with your logo or artwork, we can make a custom branding iron that delivers clear, precise impressions—even with fine details.
With a custom branding iron, you can make it happen.
Our custom irons produce sharp, consistent results on wood. From company logos to characters or mascots, we faithfully capture small details. It’s an easy way to brand a wide range of wood types, furniture, and woodworking pieces. Use offcuts to create branded novelties, add a subtle mark to elevate your product’s finish—the possibilities are endless. We’re also happy to advise on design and technique. If you have any questions or concerns, just ask.
Brass Branding Irons—Our Top Pick for Wood
For wood, we recommend brass.
Brass is a relatively soft metal, which shortens production time and keeps costs down. While stainless steel exceeds brass in heat and wear resistance, brass branding irons are very durable for typical use and rarely break or deform. A brass head will brand wood cleanly and reliably.
For Beautiful Color and Grain: Choose a Direct-Flame Set
Because the head is heated directly with a flame, you can start branding in about 1–2 minutes.
It’s great for outdoor use or anywhere without electricity.
Direct heating also makes it practical to use larger branding heads.
Tips for Branding Wood
Wood varies—soft vs. hard species, finished vs. unfinished surfaces—so here are some pointers for better results.
Softwoods
Softwoods tend to “bleed” (the burn spreads) when overheated. You can shorten heating time to lower the tip temperature, but finding the sweet spot can be tricky. A simple workaround: lightly mist the surface with water. Slightly damp wood conducts less heat beyond the contact area, reducing bleed. (The comparison photos were branded with the same dwell/press time.)
Finished or Painted Wood
Branding on finished or painted surfaces is difficult. As shown in the photos, coatings can melt and form ridges, and thicker finishes may prevent heat from reaching the wood evenly. Whenever possible, avoid branding over finishes. If you plan to varnish or clear-coat, brand first, then coat—branding over a cured finish can cause raised edges and a poor appearance, as with paint.
Quick Technique Tip
Wood is unforgiving—your entire design needs solid contact to get a clean impression. Instead of pressing straight down, set the face down at the near edge and roll firmly toward the far edge in one smooth motion. This helps ensure full contact across the design.
Artwork & File Prep
We accept more than just Adobe Illustrator files—images and PDFs are fine, too.
Don’t have digital artwork? We can create production-ready artwork from a hand-drawn sketch.
Order custom branding iron
Questions About Wood Branding? We’re Here to Help.
“Can you give me a price?”
“Can you check if my design will work as a branding iron?”
If you’re unsure about ordering or need design guidance, reach out anytime. Our branding specialists will explain everything clearly and help you choose the best setup.