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DIY Coaster Box with a Laser Engraver: Perfect for 12 Coasters!

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Make your own DIY coaster box using a laser engraver for a personalized touch to your home decor or as a custom gift.

This DIY coaster box uses a laser engraver to add a personal touch to your home decor or craft an awesome custom gift! It’s ridiculously easy to cut, engrave, and assemble, and you can make the whole DIY coaster box set in an afternoon. Follow along with the tutorial video, or check out some of my other laser engraving projects here!

This post may contain affiliate links which may earn me commissions should you click through them and take certain actions. As an affiliate for Amazon, Cricut, xTool, Home Depot, and other sites, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please DIY carefully. View my full legal disclosures here.

Please read the whole post so you don’t miss any important information!

Supplies

DIY Coaster Box: Photo Tutorial

Step 1: Start by spray painting the wood pieces for the coaster box. It’s easier to do this before cutting the pieces for the box. You can paint them in different colors or use the same color.

Two medium-sized pieces of plywood for the coaster box, painted light and dark blue with spray paint.

Step 2: Next, cut the pieces for the sides and dividers of the box with the laser cutter.

Using the laser cutter, cut the sides and divider pieces of the box out of the plywood.

Step 3: Cut the bottom and top pieces of the box. At this stage, you can engrave the top (and/or bottom) of the box. I picked a peacock design that I could color in with acrylic markers, but you can choose from any number of things like names, dates, and  images. The more personal, the better!

The lid and bottom of the box are cut using the laser cutter, then engraved using the laser’s engraving setting. This box is painted blue then engraved with a peacock.

Step 4: This step is optional, but you can also engrave your coasters! You can use the same design that you used for the outside of the box or choose a new one.

The coasters can also be engraved with the laser. I engraved these coasters with the same image of a peacock as the coaster box lid.

Step 5: Assemble the box and use the wood glue to attach the pieces. I recommend using some clamps to hold it together as it dries. Let it dry. It should take about an hour for the wood glue to fully harden.

Assemble the plywood pieces into a box with the dividers in the center, splitting the box into four compartments for coasters. Secure the pieces with wood glue.

Step 6: Cut the pieces for the chalk marker holder. Attach it to the lid using wood glue and let it dry completely.

Cut and attach a small, rectangular compartment to the lid of the box to hold a chalk marker.

Step 7: While the holder is drying, you can carefully color in the design on the outside of the box using the acrylic paint markers.

Use acrylic paint markers to color in the image on the lid of the box.

Step 8: Once the paint and glue have dried, seal your work by coating the box in polyurethane spray. This will keep the paint from scratching or rubbing off easily! Let it dry completely before moving on, at least an hour or two.

Step 9: Add your chalk marker to the holder on the lid! At this point, you can also add four stick-on or glue-on felt pads to the bottom corners of the coaster box to keep it from scratching your tabletops.

Step 10: Use chalk markers to temporarily customize your stone coasters! I engraved names on a few of the coasters and left the rest blank to add the names of guests when they come over for dinner. Chalk markers usually come off the coasters under running water or a damp cloth.

As an additional note: While I was able to make this entire box using my laser cutter, it would have been a LOT faster to do the groove cuts with a table saw. A LOT FASTER.

I want to make a million more of these boxes because I had SO much fun with them, but I will do groove cuts with my table saw in the future and save the engraving machine for the intricate details (the circle cut and the engraved design).

If you’re scared of the table saw or don’t have one, obviously this is an option. But you may want to consider a router for the groove cuts.

Again- the laser engraver is VERY slow to engrave the gaps down. I spent a LOT of time waiting for it before I was like doh, I have a table saw I need to use that. Given that laser cutters can be a fire risk and need supervision, I hate sitting for hours to wait on cuts that can be done more easily in my woodworking shed.

Video Tutorial: Custom Coaster Box

Please share and pin this post! If you make this project, share it in our Stuff Mama Makes Facebook Group. We have regular giveaways for gift cards to craft stores. You can also tag me on Instagram @doityourselfdanielle; I love seeing everything you make!

DIY Coaster Box with a Peacock on the cover. The cover slides on and off easily for accessing your coasters. There's a spot to place a chalk marker on the top. The chalk marker allows you to write names on your coasters to mark where people are seated.
DIY Coaster Box with a Peacock on the cover. The cover slides on and off easily for accessing your coasters. This photo shows the open box with the lid placed to the side. You can see the coasters engraved with peacocks, and some are engraved with the person's name above the peacock. There's a spot to place a chalk marker on the top. The chalk marker allows you to write names on your coasters to mark where people are seated.
DIY Coaster Box with a Peacock on the cover. The cover slides on and off easily for accessing your coasters. There's a spot to place a chalk marker on the top. The chalk marker allows you to write names on your coasters to mark where people are seated. This photo is a close up of the colorful and bright custom lid on the coaster box.

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