Free tree SVG files

Which tree for which job

Trees split into two kinds for cutting. The crown trees (round, oak, apple and the simple tree) are mostly solid, so they cut fast, weed easily and hold up at 40 mm across. The branching trees are made of limbs that thin towards the tips, where they are about 2 mm wide at the 100 mm size of the file. Cut those at 80 mm or more in vinyl and card, and at full size or larger in wood.

For anything that will be handled, such as an ornament, a coaster or a pendant, choose a tree of life: the ring ties the branch tips and roots together so nothing is left sticking out to snap.

Adding names to a family tree

The family tree is wide and low, with five boughs. For a small family, set one surname under the trunk. For a full tree, scale it to 250 mm or more and write a name along each bough or beside a cluster of leaves, as a second vinyl colour or with a pen tool. The oak outline does the same job when you want the names inside the crown.

How to open the files

• Cricut Design Space: choose Upload, pick the SVG, and add it to the canvas. Set the width you want; the shape is already welded.
• Silhouette Studio: Designer Edition and above open the SVG. The free Basic Edition does not, so open the DXF instead.
• LightBurn, xTool Creative Space and Glowforge: import the SVG, then set the layer to cut, score or engrave.
• Inkscape, Illustrator and Affinity: open the SVG. It is a plain filled path, so you can recolour it, add a stroke or combine it with your own work.
• Printing or sublimation: use the PNG, which has a transparent background.

Each design page lists the file’s narrowest part at seven sizes, so you can tell whether it will survive at the size you plan to cut.

Questions