How to Make Your Own Rubber Stamps

Making your own rubber stamps is easy and fun! The possibilities are endless, and it’s the perfect project to apply to your stationery, gift wrap, greeting cards, and lots more.

make your own rubber stamp

Making your own DIY rubber stamps is an incredibly fun craft project that’s unexpectedly satisfying — and it pays off big time! Not only do you get the joy of creating something, but you also are creating something that can be used over and over again in other projects.

We’ve been making rubber stamps for years, starting at our wedding reception! But we’ll get to that in a bit. In the meantime, let’s talk a few details about carving your own rubber stamps.

Psst — if you like this idea, be sure to sign up below for my VIP group, where I’ll send more of our very best ideas straight to ya.

Making Rubber Stamps at Home the EAsy Way

I’ll be honest. There are lots of people out there who carve way fancier stamps than I could ever dream of. But I’m not here to teach you to become a stamp carving expert.

I’m here to help you first-timers create a stamp at home the easy way. And to help you have a successful first attempt!

If you know the supplies and the techniques, you’ve got it made.

A Few of Our Past Hand-Carved STamp Projects

To give you an idea of the types of projects you can create with your own rubber stamps, here are a few images of our past rubber stamp carving projects and how we used them!

First up, we made our own rubber stamps and used them to hand stamp the place cards at our wedding reception. We created two stamps: a moustache and a pair of lips.

I also dabbled in creating a set of stamps that could work together to create various patterns. I used these to stamp paint onto cork coasters.

The paint stamping got a little messy, but the stamps themselves functioned beautifully with traditional stamp pads.

This stamp included some script lettering that was more detailed but also worked beautifully.

And finally, what I think is the most successful of all of our stamp projects, is the oversized stag stamp I created to stamp on holiday gift wrap.

make your own rubber stamps

Supplies for Making Your Own Stamps at Home

Working with rubber stamps at home is interesting because you can dip a toe in with what you might already have in your desk drawers. My first stamp was made with a pink eraser and an X-acto knife.

If you want to make something longer lasting, you can use more advanced supplies. But for a first try, don’t be afraid to start simple!

You’ll Need:

Carving Block. This is the material that you’ll carve your stamp from. They’re often pink, rubbery rectangles. If you’re just starting out, you can use some affordable pink erasers instead. You can even find these at the dollar store in the stationery aisle.

Stamp Mount. You’ll need something to mount your carved stamp to. The ones linked here are 2″x2″, so they’re for smaller stamps. You can also just use a wooden block that you might have around the house, or cut your own piece of wood from scrap that you have.

Stamp Carving Tools. While you can use an array of tools to carve stamps (X-Acto knives, clay tools, etc.), the most effective is an actual stamp carving tool, like the one linked here. And this one comes with a carving block to try!

Adhesive. Many stamp makers have specific adhesives that they like for adhering the stamp to the block of wood. I have always used E6000 (linked in this list) and it has worked wonderfully.

Pencil or Pen. If you choose a hand-drawn method, you’ll use a pencil or pen to sketch out your design onto your stamp block.

Printer. Another, more precise method of getting a design onto a stamp block is via a printed design. See below for more info on that.

Using the IRon Method To Transfer a Design Onto a Hand CArved Stamp

The iron-on method is a simple and highly effective way to get a printed design onto a stamp carving block!

If you have an inkjet printer, simply print a design onto printer paper. Be sure that your design is smaller than your carving block.

Next, place the printed design face down onto the stamp block. Then run a warm iron over the paper for a few seconds.

Gently peel away the paper and some of the ink should have transferred onto your stamp block. Now you have a crisp image that you can use for carving!

Note: if you’re carving something with text, you’ll need to print the mirror image so that when it transfers onto the stamp block it will be facing the right way.

make your own rubber stamps

How to Make Your Own Rubber Stamps

Let’s do this!

  1. Apply your design to the stamp carving block. You can do this by drawing with pencil or pen, or using the iron method outlined above. You could also just freehand if you’re brave!
  2. Create the first cuts into your stamp block. There are lots of different techniques and thoughts on this. Some people like to use the carving tool to trace around the design. Others like to use a blade to cut downwards into the carving block, tracing the shape. My approach differs depending on the item I’m carving.
  3. No matter your approach, try to cut no more than halfway through the thickness of your carving block.  After you’ve gone around your shape with carving tools, start cutting away at the sides, being careful not to slice in too far.
  4. Keep whittling away at it until you have your desired shape.  You can use the X-Acto knife to fine-tune things once your general shape is cut out. 
  5. You want to carve away deep enough around the shape to ensure that the areas outside the design don’t pick up any ink when you press it onto a stamp pad. Go slowly, removing thin shavings so that you don’t go so far you carve all the way through.
  6. Next, if you’re mounting your stamp to a stamp block, apply adhesive to the back of the stamp and affix it to the wood. Allow it to fully dry and cure before using the stamp.
make your own rubber stamps

Projects To Use Your Hand Made Rubber Stamps

Now that you’ve made your own rubber stamp, how are you going to use it?! There are so many fun projects to dream up. Here are a few ideas:

I’d love to know if you try making some! Be sure to rate our DIY below if you try and love it. xoxo

make your own rubber stamp

How to Make Your Own Rubber Stamps

Yield: Rubber Stamps
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Estimated Cost: $15

Making your own rubber stamps is easy and fun! The possibilities are endless, and it's the perfect project to apply to your stationery, gift wrap, greeting cards, and lots more.

Materials

  • Carving block
  • Mounting block
  • Pen or pencil
  • Paper
  • Adhesive

Tools

  • Stamp carving tools
  • Iron (optional)

Instructions

  1. Apply your design to the stamp carving block. You can do this by drawing with pencil or pen, or using the iron method outlined above. You could also just freehand if you're brave!
  2. Create the first cuts into your stamp block. There are lots of different techniques and thoughts on this. Some people like to use the carving tool to trace around the design. Others like to use a blade to cut downwards into the carving block, tracing the shape. My approach differs depending on the item I'm carving.
  3. No matter your approach, try to cut no more than halfway through the thickness of your carving block.  After you've gone around your shape with carving tools, start cutting away at the sides, being careful not to slice in too far.
  4. Keep whittling away at it until you have your desired shape.  You can use the X-Acto knife to fine-tune things once your general shape is cut out. 
  5. You want to carve away deep enough around the shape to ensure that the areas outside the design don't pick up any ink when you press it onto a stamp pad. Go slowly, removing thin shavings so that you don't go so far you carve all the way through.
  6. Next, if you're mounting your stamp to a stamp block, apply adhesive to the back of the stamp and affix it to the wood. Allow it to fully dry and cure before using the stamp.

Notes

The iron-on method is a simple and highly effective way to get a printed design onto a stamp carving block!

If you have an inkjet printer, simply print a design onto printer paper. Be sure that your design is smaller than your carving block.

Next, place the printed design face down onto the stamp block. Then run a warm iron over the paper for a few seconds.

Gently peel away the paper and some of the ink should have transferred onto your stamp block. Now you have a crisp image that you can use for carving!

Note: if you're carving something with text, you'll need to print the mirror image so that when it transfers onto the stamp block it will be facing the right way.

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