How Thick Can a Cricut Cut? Limits by Machine
Cricut cutting thickness depends on the machine, blade, and material. The Maker's Knife Blade can cut some materials up to 3/32 in thick, while other materials need a different tool or may not be suitable.
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A Cricut's cutting thickness depends on its machine, blade, and material. The Knife Blade can cut balsa wood up to 3/32 in and basswood up to 1/16 in, but those limits don't apply to every material or project.
A sheet's thickness is only one part of the fit. Material type and tool compatibility also affect whether a cut is supported.
How thick can a Cricut cut?
There is no single thickness limit for every Cricut. The Knife Blade has material-specific limits, including 3/32 in for balsa wood, 1/16 in for basswood, and 2 mm for Cricut chipboard.
Those are not general limits for all materials. The Knife Blade is compatible with Cricut Maker, and Knife Blade projects require Design Space on a computer.
Check the material and tool guidance before you start.
The Cricut Maker 4 works with 300+ materials, including leather, wood, vinyl, iron-on HTV, cardstock, and stickers. It can cut, draw, foil, score, engrave, deboss, and perforate.
If you're comparing machine types, see our craft cutting machine guide. For specific materials, start with whether a Cricut can cut cardstock or whether it can cut cardboard and chipboard.
Which Cricut machines can handle thicker materials?
The machine and compatible tool set the starting point for thicker materials. The Knife Blade works with Cricut Maker, while Explore 5 supports a Deep Cutting Tool, sold separately, for thicker materials such as foam and rubber.
Can the Cricut Maker cut thick material?
The Knife Blade works with Cricut Maker and cuts thicker, denser materials. Examples include balsa wood, basswood, tooling and garment leather, Cricut chipboard, matboard, and craft foam.
The Maker 4 works with 300+ materials and supports a range of tools. Check Cricut's guidance for the material and project, rather than assuming every compatible material works with the Knife Blade.
Can Cricut Explore machines cut thick materials?
Explore 5 precision-cuts 100+ popular materials and works with six tools, including a Deep Cutting Tool sold separately for thicker materials such as foam and rubber. There is no universal thickness figure for those materials here.
A material that fits under a machine's housing isn't automatically supported for cutting. Check the machine's compatible materials and tool guidance before loading it.
What thicknesses can the Cricut Knife Blade cut?
The Knife Blade's thickness guidance varies by material. Examples include balsa wood up to 3/32 in, basswood up to 1/16 in, Cricut chipboard at 2 mm, and craft foam up to 3 mm.
| Material | Knife Blade guidance |
|---|---|
| Balsa wood | Up to 3/32 in |
| Basswood | Up to 1/16 in |
| Cricut chipboard | 2 mm |
| Craft foam | Up to 3 mm |
| Tooling leather | Up to 7 oz |
| Garment leather | Up to 5 oz |
| Matboard | 2-ply or 4-ply |
Leather limits are given by weight, not thickness. Matboard is described by ply, so don't convert either into a general thickness limit.
The Knife Blade has a 12 mm carbide steel blade and is compatible with Cricut Maker. Its projects aren't compatible with iOS or Android devices, so plan to use Design Space on a computer.
For a closer look at the tools, see Cricut blade types and what each one cuts. For metal sheets, check what a Cricut can cut from metal.
Does material thickness tell you whether a cut will work?
No, thickness alone can't tell you whether a material is suitable. Two sheets with the same thickness may differ in density, flexibility, surface, or composition.
Use guidance for the exact material type. A sheet labeled basswood, for example, shouldn't be treated as balsa wood simply because both are thin wood.
DIYDEC Basswood Sheets are 1/16 in thick. That matches the Knife Blade's stated basswood thickness, but check Cricut's current material guidance for the exact material and machine.
Don't assume an unlisted material is supported based on a similar name. When the machine software offers a material setting, follow its steps and stop if the material shifts or the tool struggles.
How should you check a material before cutting?
Check the exact material, machine, and blade together before loading a full project. Use Cricut's material guidance and Design Space settings, then follow the screen prompts for the selected tool.
Measure the material at several points if its thickness may vary. Check for warping and make sure the piece can sit flat and be secured as the machine instructions require.
For wood, use the exact wood type and thickness from the supported guidance. Don't substitute thicker stock or assume a different species will cut the same way.
What if the material is thicker than the guidance?
If the material exceeds the guidance for its exact type, choose a different cutting method or thinner stock. Extra pressure or repeated passes don't make an unsupported setup safe.
A manual craft knife, scroll saw, or laser may suit a project better, depending on your equipment and the material. Follow the safety instructions for whichever tool you use.
Which thickness should you choose for a Cricut project?
Choose a material that falls within the machine and blade guidance for its exact type. For Cricut Maker with the Knife Blade, the examples include basswood up to 1/16 in and balsa wood up to 3/32 in.
For Explore 5, use the supported material guidance for the Deep Cutting Tool rather than applying Maker's Knife Blade limits. The machines and tools have different compatibility.
Choose Cricut Maker 4 if you need a machine that works with 300+ materials and can engrave, deboss, or perforate.
Choose Cricut Explore 5 Essential if its supported materials and Deep Cutting Tool cover your project. For the blade's compatible materials, use the Cricut blade guide, and for sheet selection, read our cardboard and chipboard guide.
If your material is close to a stated limit, check its exact thickness and type against Cricut's guidance before cutting. That check is more useful than a single maximum-thickness number.
Frequently asked questions
How thick can a Cricut cut?
There isn't one thickness limit for every Cricut. The machine, blade, material, and how the material feeds all matter.
The Knife Blade cuts some materials up to 3/32 in, but that figure applies to balsa wood, not every material.
Check the material and tool guidance for your machine before cutting.
Can a Cricut Maker cut 1/16 in basswood?
The Knife Blade is described for basswood up to 1/16 in thick, and it is compatible with Cricut Maker. Confirm the material and machine instructions in Design Space before starting, since a cut depends on the material and setup as well as its thickness.
Can a Cricut Explore cut thick materials?
Explore 5 works with a Deep Cutting Tool, sold separately, for thicker materials such as foam and rubber. Its exact limits depend on the material and tool.
Check the machine's current guidance for the material you plan to use instead of relying on a single thickness number.
Can a Cricut cut wood?
A Cricut Maker with the Knife Blade can cut certain thin woods, including basswood up to 1/16 in and balsa wood up to 3/32 in. Those limits don't apply to every Cricut or every wood sheet.
Check the material instructions and use the supported machine and blade.
