Game Changer: Make Wood Ornaments with DTF Transfers

DTF transfers aren't just for apparel. You can put them on wood too and it's a game changer!

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Most people think direct-to-film transfers are only for shirts, but they work really well on wood surfaces like ornaments, magnets, and signs.

In this tutorial I'm going to walk you through how you can take a basic wood ornament and apply a DTF transfer in less than 15 seconds with stunning results.

Why Put DTF Transfers on Wood?

DTF transfers on wood are perfect for projects with small details, multiple colors, shading, or intricate designs that would be impossible or time consuming to paint. If stenciling isn't working for you, you can't sublimate, or you don't want to do print and cut, this is an incredibly easy alternative.

Both of the Christmas designs I used are from So Fontsy. You can grab the Joy Sleigh design here and the snowman sublimation embroidery PNG here. I printed them both myself using my xTool Apparel Printer.

Of course, if you don't have a DTF printer you can have any of your designs printed as DTF transfers in any size you want using So Fontsy's gang sheet builder then just pair them with your favorite wood ornament blanks!

I laser cut my wood ornaments with my xTool P2 Laser Cutter and Engraver to match the shape of the transfer, but round wood ornament blanks look amazing with round designs and are cheap and easy to find.

How to Put DTF Transfers on Wood

Have your heat press warmed up to 308 and set to 12 seconds. I would suggest testing and adjusting the pressure while the heat press is still cool and using a pressing pillow. You want medium to firm pressure.

When the press is fully heated, place the wood ornament down and lay the DTF transfer on top with the carrier sheet facing up. If your transfer doesn't want to stay in place, you can tape the transfer from the back if you want to make sure it doesn't shift during pressing.

Press for 8-12 seconds using a pressing pillow to get really good pressure.

Cold Peel is Key

Once you've pressed your transfer onto the wood, do not peel right away.

Let the wood ornament cool and then peel away the transfer sheet.

The detail and color you get with DTF on wood is incredible. There's no way you could paint these designs, and you can't sublimate and get these bold colors (or white) on wood no matter what kind of spray or poly coat you use.

How Durable Are DTF Transfers on Wood?

I would not suggest using DTF on wood for items that will be heavily handled like wooden kitchen spoons or wood keychains. For Christmas ornaments that just hang there - perfect.

If you want extra protection, you can add a coat of poly, resin, or crystal coat spray on top to seal and protect the transfer. This makes it much more durable for items that might get more wear.

Check out this complete Silhouette U video, where I walk through the entire process of pressing DTF transfers on wood.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!

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