How to Make Rubber Stamps with the Cricut Maker – Tutorial

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

I’m not going to lie and tell you cutting rubber with the Cricut Maker was easy!

It took several dollars of ruined rubber and my first time seeing the Cricut “On” button turn red.

But, I can now proudly say I’ve done the necessary troubleshooting and know how to cut rubber with the Cricut Maker safely and effectively.

To save you the hassle of your own experimentation, here’s how to make rubber stamps with a Cricut!

What tip works best when making rubber stamps with the Cricut?

The Cricut Deep-Point blade, which has a 60-degree angle, was the best blade in my experiment.

While the Cricut Maker knife blade is AWESOME, it isn’t precise enough when cutting.

And, the default fine-point blade doesn’t cut the rubber deeply enough.

I was also curious if you could deboss or engrave rubber with the Cricut Maker, so I tried those blades, too.

Debossing did nothing, and engraving just made it look like I had used my fingernail to scratch the top of the rubber–not a great look!

What Cricut mat to use when cutting rubber?

I recommend using the purple StrongGrip mat.

If your mat is not new and SUPER sticky, use painter’s tape to hold the rubber down the mat.

The rubber also had to be smoothed out and pressed firmly. I achieved this with a braying tool.

Choose an Appropriate Stamp Design

Choosing a design that would cut was my biggest problem when it came to cutting rubber with the Cricut Maker.

My first design was intricate and beautiful, but I soon learned rubber was too thick to allow any sort of small cutting with precision.

Intricate designs on cardstock or vinyl pose no issue for the Cricut, but rubber just doesn’t have that option.

My next design was to make a heart with “Aly Designs” cut out from the inside. The heart cut out with no problems, but the small letters did not work.

I soon found only simple shapes and larger letters work perfectly. Don’t expect greatness with anything complex!

An Alternative Option for Intricate Designs

If you need something more than a basic shape, I also own a Silhouette Mint machine that I recommend, as it can make SO many more stamps than the Cricut. 

It’s inexpensive compared to the price of my Cricut Maker (although the stamp supplies for the Mint add up), and it’s designed to make only stamps.

You create the design you want, load it into software, and then thermal print it with this custom stamp maker.

After the stamp is created, you use Silhouette branded ink bottles and can stamp for a while with each reinking.

Supplies for Cricut Stamp Making

Now, back to the Cricut and how you can use it for rubber stamp making!

Here’s what I used:

• Cricut Maker
• Blade: Deep-Point blade
• Mat: StrongGrip cutting mat
• Painter’s tape or masking tape
• Brayer (I use my Mod Podge one, but Cricut also has a brayer.)
• Wood for the base of stamp (I got mine from a 1″x2″ furring strip from Home Depot left over from my craft room pegboard install.)
• 1/16″ neoprene rubber sheet (THIS is the exact 6″x6″ one I used from Lowe’s, but Amazon has a similar one as well; just make sure you don’t buy thicker than 1/16″.)
• Craft glue
• Stamp ink

Also, while I used my Cricut Maker, I don’t see any reason you shouldn’t be able to use a Cricut Explore, Cricut Air, or another Cricut cutting machine as long as you have the proper cutting blade.

How to Cut Rubber to Make Stamps With A Cricut

First, create your image and transfer it to Cricut Design Space. Make sure it’s not too intricate and is only composed of simple shapes.

Next, place your piece of rubber on your StrongGrip Cricut mat.

Use a brayer or other rolling tool to ensure the rubber adheres very well. If it’s not adhered well, the rubber will move around during cutting.

For extra security, place a layer of painter’s tape or masking tape around the edges of the piece of rubber.

Next, click “Make It” on your Cricut Design Space canvas, and load the Deep-Point blade in the clamp.

Then, set the material.

I used the neoprene setting with “More” pressure. The “More” was necessary to get the smaller letters cut.

The Default pressure setting worked great for basic shapes, but anything that required delicate cutting needed “More.”

Next, move the star wheels all the way to the right of your Cricut, load your cutting mat with rubber, and then press the Start button.

Once the rubber has been cut by the Cricut, unload the mat.

Peel the rubber off the mat like you would cardstock. If you need to, use the spatula or tweezers included in your tool kit to help.

Now, it’s time to glue the rubber to your wood pieces to make the actual stamps.

Remember, when it comes to gluing, you want to glue to where you’re looking at the mirror image.

I totally whiffed when I glued my first stamp, and it was backward when I went to ink it!

Let the glue dry, and then start using your stamp!

I have been using Ranger ink, and so far, it’s been working well for my purposes of stamping fabric. I haven’t done enough washes yet to give a true report, but I’m hopeful for its longevity.

So, can a Cricut Maker make rubber stamps?

Yes, it can!

With a little bit of patience and understanding of the limitations of a Cricut Maker, you can make rubber stamps in no time at all and for a fraction of the price you’d normally purchase a stamp.

Enjoy cutting your own rubber stamps!