Butterfly Router Template (Clear Acrylic)

Butterfly Inlay Router Template - Clear Acrylic Woodworking Template

Add a clean nature-inspired detail to your woodworking projects with this reusable clear acrylic Butterfly Inlay Template. Designed for routing recessed inlay pockets, this template is a great fit for cutting boards, charcuterie boards, serving trays, garden signs, memorial pieces, live edge wood, wall art, and epoxy-filled woodworking projects.

The butterfly profile works well when you want a soft, decorative accent with movement and meaning. It is a strong choice for garden-themed pieces, spring and summer boards, memorial projects, handmade gifts, cottage decor, and epoxy inlays where colour can make the wings stand out against the wood.

Important note: The butterfly antennas are designed to be cut with a chisel or omitted from the design altogether. The antennas are too small of a detail to route cleanly with a flush trim router bit.

What You Can Make With This Template

• Butterfly inlays for cutting boards and charcuterie boards
• Epoxy-filled butterfly details in live edge wood
• Garden, cottage, spring, and nature-themed signs
• Decorative trays, serving boards, wall art, and display panels
• Custom gifts, memorial pieces, keepsake boards, and handmade woodworking projects

Why Use a Clear Acrylic Butterfly Inlay Template?

• Designed for recessed inlays: This template is made for routing a pocket into the surface of your project, not for cutting out a full board shape.
• Clear for accurate placement: The transparent acrylic lets you see the wood grain, figure, knots, live edge, and layout marks underneath before routing.
• Great for decorative epoxy work: The butterfly shape works well with coloured epoxy, subtle shimmer, dark contrast fills, or bright wing-inspired pigment choices.
• Reusable for repeat projects: Made from 1/4" thick acrylic, this template can be used again and again when handled carefully and stored flat.
• Helpful for detailed shapes: A reusable acrylic template makes it easier to route the butterfly profile consistently compared to tracing and cutting by hand.

Recommended Products to Use With This Template

• Template Tape - Use this to secure the acrylic template to your wood before routing.
• Pocketing Bit - Helpful for removing most of the material in the larger open areas of the butterfly inlay.
• Small Detail Pocketing Bit - Useful for tight curves, smaller openings, wing areas, and finer sections around the butterfly profile.
• EcoPoxy UVPoxy - A good epoxy option for filling routed inlays up to 1/4" deep.
• Beaver Dust Pigments - Add colour, shimmer, contrast, or a bright decorative look to epoxy inlays.
• Dimensional Wood - Great for cutting boards, signs, trays, panels, and repeatable inlay projects.
• Live Edge Wood - A natural fit for charcuterie boards, cottage-style serving boards, rustic signs, and epoxy inlay projects.
• Walrus Oil Cutting Board Oil - Recommended for food-contact boards after sanding and finishing.
• Grand Finishing Hardwax Oil - A strong choice for decorative and non-food-contact projects like signs, trays, wall art, and display pieces.

How to Use This Butterfly Inlay Template

1. Prepare your wood: Start with a flat, clean surface. This template works well on dimensional boards, live edge boards, cutting board blanks, charcuterie boards, signs, trays, and decorative panels.
2. Position the template: Place the clear acrylic Butterfly Inlay Template on your project and use the transparency to line it up with the grain, live edge, board edge, centreline, or layout marks.
3. Secure with template tape: Apply template tape to the back of the acrylic template and press it firmly onto the wood before routing.
4. Route the inlay pocket: Use the larger pocketing bit to remove most of the material in the larger wing areas. Use the small detail pocketing bit for tighter curves, smaller openings, and finer areas around the butterfly profile.
5. Handle the antennas carefully: The antennas are too small to route cleanly with a flush trim router bit. Cut them carefully with a chisel or omit them from the final design.
6. Remove the template: Carefully lift the template from the wood after the pocket has been routed.
7. Fill the inlay if desired: For an epoxy-filled look, mix epoxy with your chosen pigment and fill the routed butterfly pocket. Leave enough material to sand flush after curing.
8. Sand and finish: Once the epoxy has fully cured, sand the inlay flush with the wood surface. Use a food-safe oil for cutting boards and food-contact pieces, or a hardwax oil for decorative and non-food-contact projects.

Watch How We Use Acrylic Inlay Templates

This video shows the general process for using clear acrylic router templates to create clean, repeatable inlay pockets.

Template Details

• Design: Butterfly profile
• Butterfly profile size: Approximately 6.25" wide by 4.5" tall
• Template size: 7.875" wide by 7.875" tall
• Material: 1/4" thick clear acrylic
• Use: Routing recessed inlay pockets, tracing, and repeatable layout work
• Special note: Antennas should be cut with a chisel or omitted from the design
• Template SKU: 03-006

Helpful Router Template Guides

• Template Guides - Browse our main hub for router template tips, project ideas, and related guides.
• Router Template Guide - Learn how router templates work and how to get cleaner, more consistent results.
• What Router Bit Do I Need? - Choose the right router bit for pocketing, detail work, and template routing.
• Template Routing for Beginners - A beginner-friendly guide to getting started with acrylic templates and routers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this butterfly template for cutting out a full board shape?

No. This template is designed for routing a recessed butterfly-shaped inlay pocket into the surface of your project. It is not intended as a full board outline or cutout template.

Can I route the butterfly antennas?

The antennas are too small to route cleanly with a flush trim router bit. We recommend cutting the antennas carefully with a chisel or omitting them from the final design.

Can I fill the butterfly inlay with epoxy?

Yes. After routing the pocket, you can fill the butterfly inlay with epoxy and pigment. Once the epoxy cures, sand it flush with the wood surface for a clean finished result.

Which router bit should I use with this template?

Use the larger pocketing bit to remove material efficiently in the wider wing areas. Use the small detail pocketing bit for tighter curves, smaller openings, and finer areas around the butterfly profile.

How do I secure the acrylic template while routing?

We recommend using template tape. It holds the clear acrylic template firmly to the wood while routing and avoids the need for screws or clamps in most inlay layouts.

Can this template be reused?

Yes. The template is made from 1/4" thick acrylic and can be reused many times when handled carefully, cleaned after use, and stored flat between projects.

What projects work best with a butterfly inlay?

This design works well for cutting boards, charcuterie boards, garden signs, cottage decor, memorial pieces, live edge serving boards, trays, wall art, and handmade gifts.

What finish should I use after sanding?

For food-contact boards, use a food-safe cutting board oil such as Walrus Oil Cutting Board Oil. For decorative or non-food-contact projects, Grand Finishing Hardwax Oil is a good option for a durable, natural-looking finish.

Create clean, repeatable butterfly inlays with accurate placement, consistent routing, and a polished finished look. This clear acrylic Butterfly Inlay Template is a practical shop template for cutting boards, charcuterie boards, live edge pieces, garden signs, trays, wall art, memorial pieces, and epoxy-filled woodworking projects.