How to Prepare a Logo for Acrylic Cut-Out Letters

Acrylic cut-out letters are laser-cut, not printed, which means the file you submit has to be built for cutting, not just for looking right on screen. A logo that looks perfect in a presentation can be physically impossible to cut cleanly. Here is what a print-ready file for PrintOnline's acrylic cutout sign actually needs.

Vector artwork

Every shape has to be vector, not a raster image (a photo, a screenshot, or a JPG/PNG logo). A laser cutter follows a path, and a vector file defines that path exactly; a raster image only defines pixels, which cannot be traced precisely at any size. If your logo only exists as a JPG or PNG, it needs to be redrawn or traced into vector paths before it can be cut, which is worth planning for if your only file is a low-resolution download from an old website.

File formats: PDF, AI, EPS

Supply the file as PDF, AI (Adobe Illustrator) or EPS, the standard vector formats for cutting production. A PDF exported directly from Illustrator or another vector tool, with the artwork kept as live vector paths rather than flattened into an image, works well. Avoid PDFs generated from Word, PowerPoint or a design tool that rasterises text and shapes on export.

Final dimensions

Build or scale the file to the exact final size you are ordering (A4 through A0, or a custom size), not to an arbitrary working size you plan to scale later. Scaling a logo up after the file is finalised can change how thin strokes and gaps behave relative to the cutting tolerance, so the file should already be at the real, final dimensions before it is submitted.

Thin strokes

Very thin strokes and small letters are the most common reason a logo needs rework before it can be cut. PrintOnline's own product guidance is direct on this: individual thin fonts and shapes are not cut without a border, and very small letters or shapes are not supported at all. A thin serif font, a delicate script, or fine detail inside a logo mark will not survive laser cutting at small sizes without either thickening the strokes or adding a border to hold the shape together.

Connecting elements

Any letter or shape with an enclosed counter (the hole in an "O", "A", "e" or "R", for instance) needs a bridge, a small connecting strap, holding the inner piece to the outer letterform. Without it, the inner shape is not attached to anything once cut and simply falls away. Most professional logo fonts already account for this, but a custom wordmark or a hand-drawn logo may not, and needs a designer's eye to add bridges without them being visually obvious.

Fonts converted to outlines

Any text in the file must be converted to outlines (curves/paths) before submission, not left as live, editable text. A font file is not guaranteed to be installed on the production side, and a cutter cannot cut a font reference, only a defined shape. In Illustrator this is Type > Create Outlines; other vector tools have an equivalent "convert to curves" or "outline text" command.

Colour requirements

Acrylic cut-out letters are available in black, transparent or white acrylic, a single material colour per piece rather than a printed colour. If your logo is multicolour, the colour is applied as a sticker on top of the cut shape rather than built into the acrylic itself, so a multicolour logo file should separate cleanly into the cut outline plus the colour graphic to be applied, rather than assuming the acrylic itself will carry multiple colours.

Mock-up approval

Production begins only after artwork approval, not from the time the order is placed, so review the mock-up carefully before approving: check that every letter and shape you expect to see is present (bridges and borders can subtly change the visual weight of thin letters), that the size looks correct relative to its intended wall, and that spacing between individual letters (if ordered as separate pieces rather than one connected logo shape) matches what you expect. Once approved, changes are not possible, so this is the last checkpoint before the file goes to the cutter.

Summary checklist

• Vector file, not raster: PDF, AI or EPS.
• Built at final, actual size.
• Thin strokes thickened or bordered.
• Enclosed counters bridged so inner shapes stay attached.
• All text converted to outlines.
• Colour plan clear: solid acrylic colour, or a sticker overlay for multicolour.
• Mock-up reviewed carefully before approval.

Upload your logo and order acrylic cut-out letters from PrintOnline.

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