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Boolean Tools

Use the Boolean tools to combine existing shapes (or Grouped shapes) into new or more complex shapes. There are three Boolean options, along with one very similar option, Weld.

Using the Boolean Tools

All of the Boolean tools and Weld are available in the Modifiers Toolbar, Tools Menu, or by keyboard shortcut.

Boolean Tools in toolbar

There are a few important things to keep in mind when using the Boolean tools and Weld:

  • All selected shapes must be closed shapes, meaning they are complete, continuous loops whose start and end points are the same. If there are open shapes in your selection, the tools will be grayed out and unavailable.

  • The Boolean tools work with vector objects only. If there are any images in your selection, the tools will be grayed out and unavailable.

  • To use any of the Boolean tools, you must have exactly two shapes, two Groups of shapes, or one shape and one Group selected. If you have more than two shapes or Groups selected, the Boolean tools will be grayed out and unavailable.

  • You can use Weld to combine more than two shapes at once.

  • Grouping multiple shapes together tells LightBurn to treat them as a single shape. For example, Group an outer circle with an inner circle to treat it as a donut shape rather than two separate circles. Grouping shapes in this way can sometimes yield different results than you'll see with the same objects when they're not Grouped.

Boolean Union

Alt/Option++

Boolean Union merges two shapes into one.

Boolean Union Demo

Boolean Subtract

Alt/Option+-

Boolean Subtract removes one shape from another.

The second shape you add to your selection is subtracted from the first, and deleted.

Boolean Subtract Demo

Tip

If you select the shapes in the wrong order, and subtract the wrong shape from the other, Undo the action, then use Boolean Subtract again — the alternate shape will be subtracted instead.

Boolean Intersection

Alt/Option+*

Boolean Intersection creates a new shape out of the overlapping area of two shapes.

Boolean Intersection Demo

Weld

Ctrl/Cmd+W

Weld works similarly to Boolean Union, but instead of being limited to combining only two shapes or two Groups of shapes, you can use Weld with any number of objects.

Weld Demo

Boolean Assistant

Ctrl/Cmd+B

Note

If you have Beginner Mode enabled, all three Boolean tools will be replaced in the Modifiers Toolbar with a single icon that opens the Boolean Assistant.

The Boolean Assistant is a dialog window that shows a preview of what each of the Boolean operations will do to your selected shapes, and gives you the option to click OK to confirm the change, or Cancel to discard it and close the Boolean Assistant.

To open the Boolean Assistant, go to Tools → Boolean Assistant.

Click an operation to see a preview of the result in your Workspace. If the shapes are not too complex, hovering over an operation without clicking will also show what the result will be.

Click or hover over Reset to return the shapes to their original appearance, while keeping the Boolean Assistant open.

Boolean Assistant Demo

Weld vs. Boolean Union

In cases where some shapes are fully contained within other outer shapes, using Weld won’t yield the result you’re looking for, but Grouping related shapes together and using Boolean Union will.

If you Weld something and some or all of the middle content disappears — for example if you are trying to Weld text inside a ring, and the text disappears — use Boolean Union after making two Groups: one of the border pieces, and one of the middle content.

Weld Vs. Union Demo

For more help using LightBurn, please visit our forum to talk with LightBurn staff and users, or email support.