Cutting Vinyl with a Cricut - Step by Step for Beginners

Cutting Vinyl with a Cricut is easy! Do you wish to cut vinyl with a Cricut machine and make magic, but are wondering where to get started? There is no need to be overwhelmed because you are in the right place. Using a Cricut machine is quite simple, and this step-by-step tutorial will walk you through Vinyl cutting for beginners. 

Cutting Vinyl with a Cricut Tutorial for Beginners

There is so much that you can do with a Cricut machine. If you plan to spruce up your home with personalized decor and craft gifts for your special ones, learning to cut vinyl, weed, and apply it, will serve you well.

This blog post will tell you all that you need to know about the types of Vinyl, the simple steps to cutting vinyl with a Cricut machine, and help you with troubleshooting if and when needed.

Moreover, I'll explain in detail the two main categories of crafting vinyl and discuss which type of vinyl is appropriate for different projects.

If you are new to Cricut and don't have a machine yet, read my articles on What is a Cricut and How to Use a Cricut.

What is Cricut Vinyl?

Vinyl is a great material that consists of two different parts; the top layer is the actual vinyl with a sticky adhesive backing and the second layer is a paper backing. The top layer is the material that you will be cutting and applying to create your project. In simpler words, vinyl is like a sticker. 

Vinyl can be applied to numerous different flat surfaces. It works best for non-porous surfaces like glass, ceramic, and walls.

Types of Cricut Vinyl for Cutting

There are two main categories of vinyl suitable for your Cricut: iron-on vinyl and adhesive vinyl. Iron-on vinyl (also called heat transfer vinyl) is used on fabric while adhesive vinyl will stick to items such as glass and mugs.

This article will show you how to cut vinyl of the adhesive type. I have a separate article on making shirts with a Cricut using iron-on vinyl.

Adhesive vinyl can be further broken down into either permanent or removable.

1. Permanent adhesive vinyl
2. Removable adhesive vinyl

Vinyl comes in a variety of finishes ranging from matte to glittery to holographic vinyl.

Permanent Vinyl

Permanent vinyl is applied to flat surfaces such as personalized cups and mugs. It has a long-lasting adhesive bond which means it should be used for projects that you plan on keeping for a long time. 

Cricut advertises that their brand of permanent vinyl is UV and water-resistant with a backing adhesive that can last up to 3 years. How long it really lasts will depend on your usage - a mug that goes in the dishwasher will not last as long as one that is hand washed.

Uses for permanent vinyl include mugs, water bottles, car or window decals (where you don't want to remove it later), and glass bottles.

Removable Vinyl

Removable vinyl is an adhesive vinyl that is applied like a sticker. This type of vinyl has an adhesive backing that requires pressure to bond to the surface of the base material. It is a great choice for temporary decor such as a wall decal, as you can change it at any point and it does not leave behind any residue. Removable vinyl makes great stencils for painting.

What is Smart Vinyl?

Smart Vinyl is designed for Cricut machines and does not require the use of a cutting mat. It comes in a wide variety of colors, lengths, and effects.

Smart Vinyl has two options, permanent and removable, both of which are great for crafting depending on the project. There is also Smart Iron-On vinyl available for adhering to fabrics.

Smart Vinyl is best for larger designs since it can't be cut into small pieces like regular vinyl that can be placed on a mat.

Which Cricut Vinyl Should I Use?

There are a number of types of vinyl available that you can use with your cutting machine. The right choice of vinyl is dependent on your project base material and the length of time you want the vinyl to last.

• Permanent Vinyl - Use when you want the design to last up to 3 years.
• Removable Vinyl - Use when you want a temporary adhesion. It can be removed from walls and other items without leaving a residue.

Permanent vinyl is considered to have greater strength than removable vinyl. The names are quite self-explanatory. Use permanent for long-lasting results. Use removable for when you want to remove it.

Surfaces to Use with Adhesive Vinyl

Adhesive vinyl is best suited to smooth surfaces, such as painted wood, glass, plastic, metal, and even paper.

Where to Buy Vinyl for a Cricut

You can purchase Vinyl from a number of vendors including Cricut. You can also buy Vinyl from: 

• 143Vinyl
• Amazon
• Expressions Vinyl
• Happy Crafters

Materials For Cutting Vinyl with a Cricut

To cut Vinyl on a Cricut machine, you will need the following supplies:

• CRICUT MACHINE - All Cricuts can cut vinyl including the Cricut Joy, Explore Air 2, Explore 3, Maker, and Maker 3.
• CUTTING MAT - Standard Grip Mat (green) or the Light Gip Mat (blue).
• WEEDING TOOL - Cricut makes a specific weeding tool, otherwise use a sewing needle or ballpoint pen.
• TRANSFER TAPE - This is a tape you put over your design to transfer it to your end product. It comes in a clear or strong grip. For regular adhesive vinyl, use clear transfer tape. Glitter vinyl needs the strong grip type of transfer tape.

What is Transfer Tape?

Transfer tape is a paper or plastic film that can be placed on the top of the adhesive vinyl to make application easier. It is removed in the final step.

Cutting Vinyl with a Cricut - Quick Guide

Here is a summary of the steps for cutting vinyl with a Cricut machine:

1. Create a design in the Cricut Design Space. This can be a pre-made project or your own created with Cricuts images and fonts or your own uploaded artwork.
2. Place the adhesive vinyl on the cutting mat. The paper liner faces down.
3. Load the mat into the machine and choose the material settings. Press go and cut the vinyl.
4. Unload the mat and weed the vinyl to remove the background.
5. Prepare and clean the project surface.
6. Apply the transfer tape to the vinyl.
7. Apply the design to the project using the transfer tape.
8. Remove the transfer tape to reveal the vinyl design and customized project.

Cutting Vinyl With a Cricut Step by Step

Now you have an outline of the steps, I will now go through these in more detail.

Step 1 - Design in the Cricut Design Space.

Cricut Design Space is Cricut’s proprietary web-based software used with all models of Cricut. No matter how simple or complex your design, you need to use the Cricut Design Space for cutting it.

When you open Cricut Design Space, there are a lot of pre-made options on the home screen. Start designing by pressing the button that says New Project.

Once inside the Design Space, you can choose from the Cricut library or upload your own images and fonts. If you have a subscription to Cricut Access, there is a mind-boggling amount to choose from. There is also a decent amount of free options as well.

Ready-made projects make cutting vinyl with a Cricut even faster! If you go into the "Projects" button in the left menu, you can select "Vinyl" from the drop-down list for lots of inspiration.

When you have selected your design, click the bottom right "Add to Canvas". This will place it in the Design Space where you can resize it.

Step 2 - Place Vinyl on the Cricut Mat

After designing your project in Design Space, place a cutting mat on a flat surface and remove the clear liner. This clear liner protects the sticky surface from collecting dust and debris while you are not using it.

Use the green mat. If you have been using it a while, it may need cleaning. Read my article on how to clean a Cricut mat.

After that, unroll your Vinyl, and cut it a little larger than your image. There is no need to cover the whole mat with Vinyl if you only have a small design. The Design Space has size grids and measurements to tell you the width and height of your design.

Place the vinyl with its paper liner side facing downwards and corners aligned with the corners of the grid of your mat. Make sure that the vinyl is spread out smoothly and adhered to the mat.

IMPORTANT - Place the vinyl liner down on the mat and the vinyl surface facing up.

Does Smart Vinyl Need a Mat?

If you are using Smart Vinyl, you will not need a mat as it will feed through the machine. The Smart Vinyl needs to be at least 6 inches long to feed through the machine.

Which Cricut Mat Should I Use for Vinyl?

We recommend using the green Standard Grip mat with adhesive vinyl. You can try using the Light Grip mat (blue) but just check that the vinyl is held down flat.

When Cutting Vinyl with a Cricut Which Side Goes Down?

When cutting Vinyl, the paper liner side faces down on the cutting mat. The vinyl side faces up as this is the side that the machine will cut through.

Step 3 - Choose the Material Settings and Cut

Once you have finished your design, it is time to press the button at the top right labeled "Make It". This will lead you through a wizard asking you a few questions to get the perfect pressure cut for your vinyl.

Maker, Maker 3, Joy, Explore 3 - First, select the specific type of vinyl that you have chosen to work with. Within the Design Space, there are many different types of vinyl available and the cut settings vary for each type of vinyl.

Explore Air 2 - The Explore air 2 has a dial on top of the machine to select the material.

At the end of the wizard, you will press the start button on your machine and it will start cutting. Magic!

What Blade Do I need to Cut Vinyl with Cricut?

For cutting vinyl with a Cricut with ease and finesse, use the premium fine point blade.

What Setting Should I Use to Cut Vinyl on Cricut?

For Cricut Explore models, turn the Smart Set Dial to Vinyl and use the Premium Fine-Point blade. For the Cricut Maker cutting machine models, select 'Browse all Materials' in the wizard, then select Vinyl from the materials list and use the Premium Fine-Point blade. 

What Should the Cut Pressure be for Vinyl?

Newer machines will have a default cut pressure but this can also be adjusted.

Step 4 - Weed the Vinyl Design

After the design has been cut, you will need to remove the background. This is called weeding. You will need a weeding tool to weed your vinyl design. It is a sharp-ended tool that allows you to remove the extra bits of vinyl from your design. 

Cricut has a specialty tool for this, but if it is not in your budget, a thick sewing needle will do just as good a job.

Note: If you are using permanent vinyl, keep your scraps off the mat! The red scrap I placed there for the photo was hard to remove later.

Step 5 - Prepare the Project Surface

Make sure that the project surface is completely clean and has no debris or oils that could affect the adhesion of the vinyl. To prepare the surface, use rubbing alcohol followed by a paper towel to dry it.

Step 6 - Apply the Transfer Tape to the Vinyl

Cut and apply a piece of transfer tape that is around the same size as your design. Peel the paper liner from your transfer tape and lay it down on top of your design.

Use the grid lines as a reference for lining up everything.

Now remove the entire design (vinyl and transfer tape) from the cutting mat.

Step 7 - Apply the Vinyl to the Project

Position the design on your project and then use a scraper tool to burnish your design onto the object. 

Step 8 - Remove the Transfer Tape

Carefully remove the transfer tape from the paper backing at a 45-degree angle. This should leave the vinyl behind on your item.

If the vinyl is still lifting, then lay it down and burnish it again.

Projects Using Cricut Vinyl

There is so much that you can create using Cricut vinyl. You can select from a wide range of colors and create both permanent and removable decals to spruce up home items and wearables. Some top choice project ideas for vinyl crafters are:

• Customizing kitchen items
• Picture frames
• Mugs and tumblers
• Pantry jar labels
• Personalizing school supplies
• Storage bin labels
• Decorating signs
• Banners

Cutting Vinyl with a Cricut Troubleshooting

It can be very frustrating when you encounter issues with your Cricut machine at times when the cuts don't turn out cleanly. When such issues arise, pay attention to your cutting mat, blade, cutting material, settings, and chosen pattern. 

Why is my Cricut Blade Cutting Through Vinyl Backing?

Typically, this happens when the settings are incorrect and the pressure is too high. Try adjusting the pressure or use a different blade. You can conduct test cuts to ensure the problem is fixed. 

Why is Cricut Not Cutting Through Vinyl?

Check your blade and blade housing for debris that may be stuck there, clean it out, and try again. If your blade is blunt, replace it.

Cutting Vinyl with a Cricut FAQs

How Can I Tell Adhesive Vinyl and Iron-On Vinyl Apart?

To tell whether the vinyl you have is adhesive or heat transfer vinyl (iron-on), you need to remove it from its original packaging and flip it. Adhesive vinyl is cut from the opposite side from heat transfer vinyl. HTV has either a clear or an opaque plastic sheet.

How is Adhesive Vinyl Different than Iron-On Vinyl (HTV)?

Adhesive vinyl is like a sticker that is applied by putting on some pressure and it does not require any heat. It can be permanent or removable. Iron-on vinyl or Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) is applied onto a base by using heat. The heat transfer can be done either using a home iron or a heat press machine.

Do All Cricut Machines Cut Vinyl?

Yes, all Cricut machines can cut vinyl, but there are some differences in the capabilities of different models. Some models are better equipped for thicker vinyl sheets and larger projects than others. For example, the Cricut Joy is only suitable for smaller vinyl projects. Therefore, you must first determine your project needs and which model is better suited for those. 

Which Cricut Machine Is Best for Vinyl?

The Cricut Explore Air 2 is great value for money for making vinyl decals. It can help you cut intricate designs and impress everyone with your craft. However, it is slower compared to the Cricut Explore 3 which is Cricut's most popular machine. The Explore 3 and Maker 3 are also compatible with Smart Vinyl meaning you can cut longer vinyl pieces. It can work with specialty materials like glitter paper and cork, too. 

Can Cricut Cut any Vinyl?

Yes, Cricut can cut almost any vinyl. Cricut cutting machines are designed to be able to cut a broad range of vinyl.

Can You Use Generic Vinyl on Cricut?

Yes, you can use generic vinyl on a Cricut. The Cricut machines can cut a wide variety of materials including multiple brands of vinyl. Once you load a design for your Vinyl material in Cricut Design Space, place the vinyl on your cutting mat with the paper liner side facing the mat. Load the mat into your Cricut cutting machine and turn the smart set dial to Vinyl or select it in the wizard.

Do I have to Use Smart Vinyl with Cricut Explore 3 or Maker 3?

Both the Cricut Explore 3 and the Maker 3 can use Smart Materials that don't require a cutting mat, but using Smart Materials with these cutting machines is a choice and not a necessity. You can also use adhesive vinyl with a mat.

Cutting Vinyl with a Cricut - In Conclusion

Using a Cricut machine for cutting vinyl is quite simple and straightforward, once you get the hang of it. There is a lot you can do with vinyl designs using Cricut machines, from vinyl decals to customized mugs and home decor. If you had been unsure of whether you should experiment with vinyl using your cutting machine, this blog post is your cue to go ahead and do it!