The 12-font shortlist
| Font | Style | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Roboto | Sans-serif | Universal — metal, wood, anything |
| Montserrat | Sans-serif | Modern apparel, mugs, signage |
| Inter | Sans-serif | Tech merch, modern items |
| Bebas Neue | Sans-serif (condensed bold) | Sports apparel, bold engraving |
| Playfair Display | Serif | Wedding, jewelry, premium gifts |
| Merriweather | Serif | Memorial items, traditional engraving |
| Cinzel | Roman serif | Wedding stationery, classical look |
| Cormorant Garamond | Elegant serif | Jewelry, anniversary gifts |
| Dancing Script | Script | Gift cards, names, casual scripts |
| Great Vibes | Formal script | Wedding invitations, formal events |
| Lobster | Bold display script | Wood signs, casual decorative |
| Pacifico | Brush script | Cutting boards, fun gifts |
Best fonts by material
Laser engraving on metal (steel, brass, aluminum, stainless)
Metal is unforgiving — thin strokes don't reproduce. Stick to:
- Sans-serifs: Roboto, Montserrat, Inter, Bebas Neue
- Bold serifs: Playfair Display, Merriweather (use bolder weights)
- Avoid: ultra-thin scripts, hairline serifs, ornamental fonts with delicate flourishes
Laser engraving on wood (oak, walnut, bamboo)
Wood is forgiving — most fonts work, including scripts. Best picks:
- Decorative scripts: Lobster, Pacifico, Great Vibes — gorgeous on cutting boards and wood signs
- Traditional serifs: Playfair Display, Merriweather, Cinzel
- Modern sans-serifs: Montserrat, Roboto for casual items
Engraving on leather (wallets, belts, journals)
Leather has slight grain variation — bolder fonts read better. Best picks:
- Bold serifs: Playfair Display Bold, Merriweather Bold
- Display script: Lobster (wider strokes hold up against leather grain)
- Avoid: light-weight scripts that get lost on leather texture
Engraving on acrylic and glass
Both materials reward precision — fine details show. Best picks:
- Elegant scripts: Great Vibes, Dancing Script, Allura
- Refined serifs: Cormorant Garamond, Cinzel
- Modern sans-serif: Inter, Roboto for contemporary items
Font picks by product type
| Product | Recommended fonts (4-6) |
|---|---|
| Custom Mugs | Roboto, Montserrat, Playfair Display, Lobster, Dancing Script, Bebas Neue |
| Engraved Jewelry | Playfair Display, Cormorant Garamond, Cinzel, Great Vibes, Dancing Script, Allura |
| Wedding Stationery | Playfair Display, Cinzel, Cormorant Garamond, Great Vibes, Dancing Script |
| Cutting Boards | Playfair Display, Lobster, Pacifico, Roboto, Merriweather |
| Sports Apparel | Bebas Neue, Roboto Bold, Montserrat Bold, Anton, Oswald |
| Pet Tags | Roboto, Montserrat, Inter — keep simple for tiny text |
| Memorial Items | Playfair Display, Merriweather, Cinzel — dignified, traditional |
| Custom Pens / Pencils | Roboto, Inter, Montserrat — small spaces need clean fonts |
Curating fonts per product (don't show all 35)
The mistake most stores make: showing all 35+ Google Fonts on every product. Customers spend 2-3 minutes choosing, then abandon. The fix:
- Pick 6-12 fonts per product based on the table above.
- Default to a sensible font (typically Playfair Display or Roboto) so customers can skip choosing if they want.
- Order fonts by popularity — most-picked on top.
- Surcharge premium scripts (+$1-2) — Lobster, Great Vibes, Dancing Script. Customers self-select for the upcharge if it matters to them.
- Test before adding new fonts — engrave a sample on your actual material before offering it.
Print It My Way's per-Personalizer font configuration makes curation a one-click setting per product.
Minimum text sizes
| Material × Method | Min size for sans-serif | Min size for script |
|---|---|---|
| Laser on metal | 8pt | 12pt |
| Laser on wood | 6pt | 10pt |
| Laser on leather | 8pt | 12pt |
| Laser on acrylic | 6pt | 8pt |
| Laser on glass | 8pt | 12pt |
| CNC routing (any wood) | 12pt | 16pt |
| Hand engraving | 10pt | 14pt |
Below these sizes, engraving becomes illegible or distorted. Print It My Way enforces minimum-size rules per product if you configure them.
Add curated fonts to your engraved products
Print It My Way ships 35+ Google Fonts. Pick 6-12 per Personalizer based on your product and material. Free plan available.
Install Print It My Way — Free Engraving setup guide →Frequently asked questions
What's the best font for laser engraving?
For laser engraving on metal, sans-serif fonts like Roboto, Montserrat, Inter, and Bebas Neue engrave most cleanly. Bold serifs (Playfair Display, Merriweather) also work well. Avoid thin script fonts on metal — the laser can't reproduce hairline strokes. For wood, decorative scripts (Lobster, Pacifico, Great Vibes) engrave beautifully.
What font works best for engraving jewelry?
For engraving on jewelry (rings, necklaces, bracelets), traditional serif fonts (Playfair Display, Cormorant Garamond, Cinzel) and elegant scripts (Dancing Script, Great Vibes, Pinyon Script) are most popular. Stick to fonts with consistent stroke width.
How many fonts should I offer customers?
6-12 carefully chosen fonts per product. More than 12 causes choice paralysis. Curate based on your product. Print It My Way ships 35+ fonts; pick which to enable per Personalizer.
Do all Google Fonts work for engraving?
No. Avoid fonts with very thin strokes, highly decorative ornamental fonts that lose detail when engraved small, and fonts with extreme x-height variation. Test any new font on your actual material before offering it.
What's the minimum text size that engraves cleanly?
For laser engraving on metal: 8pt for sans-serif; 10-12pt for script. For laser on wood: 6pt for sans-serif; 8-10pt for script. For CNC routing: minimum 12pt regardless of font.
Can I let customers upload custom fonts?
Print It My Way doesn't currently support customer-uploaded fonts. You, the merchant, can request font additions to your library. For most stores, 35+ Google Fonts curated to 6-12 per product covers 95% of customer needs.
What font is best for engraving names on weddings or anniversaries?
Script fonts dominate — Great Vibes, Dancing Script, Allura, Sacramento, and Pinyon Script. Pair with a complementary serif (Playfair Display) for couple's names plus event date.
Does Print It My Way include all the fonts I need for engraving?
35+ Google Fonts covering all common engraving use cases — sans-serif, serif, and decorative scripts. For specialized fonts beyond Google Fonts, contact support for custom additions.