How to transfer an inkjet photo to wood | Mere Mini
I had a lot of people asking me to elaborate on the inkjet photo transfer technique I used on this garden toolbox. It’s really a simple method and I hope this video answers a few of your questions.
I think the most important part is to find a good image. The Dr. Who image I used for this demo is a little too busy and not as effective as the two produce labels I used on the tool tote. A black & white portrait would probably look cool too.
March 12, 2014 @ 3:50 pm
Thanks Steve. You’re just so full of …………………………….. good ideas.
JimE
March 12, 2014 @ 4:50 pm
Very good for Ink Jet…
What if you’re using a Laser printer? Any ideas about them? 🙂
Thank you.
Joe Lyddon
March 12, 2014 @ 7:28 pm
Thanks Steve. I did notice my wife’s white wedding dress did look a lot like wood grain. 🙂
March 12, 2014 @ 9:59 pm
I just picked up a couple dozen vintage can labels from a Bay Area cannery that went out of business years and years ago. They’ve never been applied to cans and my mother in law had them mounted on acid free paper and hung out of direct sunlight so the colors are beautifully brilliant and bright. I can’t wait to try this!!!
March 13, 2014 @ 4:56 am
This is awesome, Steve! I want to share your video with my painting groups. Many like to transfer vintage images for painting projects and I had only heard about using laser printers to do so. Since most of us have inkjet printers at home and not lasers, this is really convenient. Also the fact that color can be used is another plus. This is great news to me! Thank you so much for all you do for the creative community! 🙂 Take care, Sheila
March 13, 2014 @ 6:11 am
So what’s the method for laser printers? TIA
May 8, 2014 @ 8:11 pm
Laser printers use toner, not ink. You can get special paper to make iron-ons for tee-shirts, but not likely wood.
March 13, 2014 @ 9:43 am
That’s a lot easier than doing the whole modge podge transfers , I will have to try this . Thanks
March 13, 2014 @ 12:46 pm
To do this with laser printers you would use an iron with steam off of course. Laser print er toner is a plastic like polymer that melts easily enough. You can also do this with photocopies. I have not tried it with the label backing but it does word well enough with plain paper. I have used this method with wood and circuit boards.
March 13, 2014 @ 11:45 pm
Steve, Call your short tips videos……….MORTAL MINUTES
March 14, 2014 @ 11:51 am
Another great idea. Steve. I’m going to do this with some hummingbird images and transfer them to panels that will be in a keepsake box. The box will have 3/4 x 3/4 stock for the frame, with longitudinal slots to hold the panels.
I’m wondering if your transfer process would work on 4 x 4 ceramic tiles. I’ve been looking at some decorative tiles online, but they’re a bit pricey. I’d like to do some of the keepsake boxes with the tiles instead of wooden panels. What do you think?
March 16, 2014 @ 12:44 pm
I tried this and did not get a good transfer of my image. I was using a scrap piece of hardwood. I’ve tried several methods and am ready to give up. Any tips about the kind of wood or anything else that might be significant?
August 28, 2014 @ 10:22 am
I wish I knew the answer to this!
April 4, 2014 @ 9:52 pm
Steve, You can also use spray adhesive to attach a piece of wax paper to a regular sheet of paper and use it the same way. The other nice thing about this over the Modge Podge method is that you can simply wipe off any ink left on the “transfer” paper and re-use the paper over and over again.
May 17, 2014 @ 3:15 pm
does anyone know if you can do this if you have already put a finish on a piece? I have put a couple coats of spray shellac before I saw tho video.
Thanks
February 11, 2015 @ 2:26 pm
Because the ink has to absorb into something, it would probably just continue to sit on top of any finish that has already been used
May 20, 2014 @ 3:55 am
This is really great!
December 17, 2014 @ 6:23 am
Steve, What program did you use to reverse the print so it will come out right? I’m using Microsoft Word 2007.
Thanks, Kris
December 17, 2014 @ 6:36 am
I used Photoshop.
February 11, 2015 @ 2:23 pm
Hi Steve, finally got around to using this ink transfer method….love it!
One problem I came across with my printer (paper load vertically at the back) was it wouldn’t grip the label sheet. Just in case anyone else had this issue, I over came it by leaving some labels on the bottom of the sheet, this gave the roller in the printer something to grip on to when it was feeding the paper through.
Love the technique, thinking of lots of ideas that I’ll use it for!! Cheers Steve
May 13, 2015 @ 1:08 am
hi steve, i just saw your video, nice
what kind of paper do you use to print the picture? what is the name of that kind of paper?
thanks steve
August 10, 2016 @ 5:24 pm
Whats the paper call steve