Complete Guide to GIStoLaser

Transform real-world maps into laser-ready artwork

Quick Start (3 Easy Steps)

Map Selection Area Click & Drag to Select

1. Select Your Area

Click once to start, move to size, click again to finish

Buildings Roads Railways Water Choose Your Layers

2. Pick Features

Select which map elements to include

Generate Map Download SVG, DXF or 3MF

3. Generate & Download

Click generate and download your files

Selecting Your Map Area

Interactive Selection Methods

Click & Drag Method
  1. Click once on the map to set your starting corner
  2. Move your mouse to size the selection square
  3. Click again to confirm your selection
  4. Use "Restart Selection" to try again
Size Limits:
  • Regular users: Maximum 10×10 miles
  • Unlimited users: Maximum 100×100 miles
  • Smaller areas = faster processing & better detail
Coordinate Methods
  • Center Map: Enter latitude/longitude to jump to a specific location
  • Paste Bounding Box: Copy coordinates from bboxfinder.com or similar tools
  • Copy Selection: Save your current selection coordinates for later use
Pro Tip: Use bboxfinder.com to precisely select areas before importing

Layer Options Explained

Basic Layers

Buildings

Includes all building footprints from OpenStreetMap:

  • Residential homes and apartments
  • Commercial and office buildings
  • Industrial structures
  • Public buildings (schools, hospitals, etc.)
Water

Natural and artificial water features:

  • Rivers and streams
  • Lakes and ponds
  • Coastlines and beaches
  • Canals and reservoirs

Roads - Advanced Type Filtering

Fine-tune which road types to include in your map:

Major Roads
  • Motorway: Highways/freeways
  • Trunk: Major arterial roads
  • Primary: Main city roads
  • Secondary: District connectors
Local Roads
  • Tertiary: Local connectors
  • Residential: Neighborhood streets
  • Service: Parking/access roads
  • Alleys: Narrow passages
Special Types
  • Footways: Sidewalks & pedestrian
  • Park Paths: Trails & cycleways
  • Tunnels: Underground passages
  • Bridges: Elevated crossings
Smart Features: In DXF exports, road widths automatically scale based on type (highways wider than residential streets)

Special Features

Railways

All rail infrastructure including tracks, stations, and yards

Ski Trail Mode

Replaces roads/buildings with ski pistes and trails for winter sports maps

Elevation Contours

Topographic lines from satellite data (1-20 contour lines)

Export Formats

SVG Format

SVG Example Layered, editable, web-ready
Best for:
  • Web display and sharing
  • Vector editing in Illustrator/Inkscape
  • Customizing colors and styles
  • Scaling without quality loss
Features:
  • Organized layer groups
  • Customizable colors
  • Small file sizes
  • Universal compatibility

DXF Format

DXF Example CAD-ready for laser cutting
Best for:
  • Laser cutting (Lightburn, etc.)
  • CNC routing and engraving
  • CAD software (AutoCAD, etc.)
  • Professional fabrication
Advanced Features:
  • Visual road hierarchy with filled polygons
  • Multi-pass support for engraving depth
  • Automatic bridge preservation
  • Separate cut/engrave layers
  • Smart intersection merging

3MF Format (New!)

Best for:
  • 3D printing with multi-material support
  • Modern slicers (Bambu Studio, PrusaSlicer, Orca Slicer)
  • Creating layered 3D map models
  • Preserving color and material information
Features:
  • Separate objects for each map layer
  • Material assignments for multi-color printing
  • 2mm base plate with raised features
  • Roads: 0.4mm height (2 layers)
  • Buildings: 0.8mm height (4 layers)
  • Water: Engraved 0.2mm deep
  • Ready for AMS/MMU multi-material systems
Pro Tip: In your slicer, assign different filament colors to each object for stunning multi-color maps!

Customization Options

Visual Settings

Map Dimensions
  • Map Size: 1-20 inches square output
  • Line Width: 1-20mm for roads/buildings
  • Water Stroke: 1-30mm for water features
Color Customization
  • Separate colors for each layer type
  • Click color swatches to customize
  • Colors apply to SVG exports

Frame Options

Add a decorative laser-cut frame around your map:

  • Enable/disable frame checkbox
  • Adjustable width: 5-100mm
  • Creates inner and outer cut lines
  • Red color distinguishes from map content
  • 2mm rounded corners for smooth edges

Advanced Geometry Settings

Setting Range Purpose Recommendation
Simplify Tolerance 0.1-10m Controls detail vs. smoothness 0.5-2m for most maps
Min Building Size 0-2000m² Remove small structures 20-50m² to exclude sheds
Min Island Size 0-100000m² Fill small water holes 1000m² for cleaner cuts
Min Pond Size 0-100000m² Remove tiny water features 5000m² typical
Min Road Gap 0-1000m Prevent narrow gaps 10-20m for laser safety

Creative Use Cases

Personalized Gifts

Create custom maps of:

  • Hometown memories
  • Wedding venues
  • First date locations
  • College campuses
Home Decor

Design wall art featuring:

  • Neighborhood maps
  • Vacation destinations
  • City skylines
  • Lake properties
Professional Uses

Business applications:

  • Real estate displays
  • Urban planning visuals
  • Tourism materials
  • Educational resources

Library & Credit System

Map Library

Your personal collection of generated maps:

  • Access all previously generated maps
  • Re-download files anytime
  • Regenerate maps without using credits
  • View saved parameters for each map
  • Files stored for easy access

Credit System

How Credits Work
  • 1 credit = 1 map generation
  • 2 free credits on signup
  • Credits never expire
  • Library regenerations are free
Getting More Credits
  • Purchase credit packs as needed
  • Upgrade to unlimited for heavy use
  • Secure payment via Polar
  • Instant activation

Pro Tips & Best Practices

For Best Results

Performance Tips
  • Start with smaller areas (1-2 sq miles)
  • Disable unused layers
  • Increase simplification for large areas
  • Use min size filters to reduce complexity
Laser Cutting Tips
  • Use DXF format for best compatibility
  • Set min road gap to prevent burn-through
  • Test settings on scrap material first
  • Consider material thickness for gaps

Common Patterns

  • City Centers: Buildings + roads, no water, high detail
  • Coastal Areas: Water + roads, simplified buildings
  • Mountain Regions: Elevation contours + minimal roads
  • Neighborhoods: All features, medium simplification

Troubleshooting

Common Issues & Solutions

  • Reduce selection area size
  • Disable elevation contours (most intensive)
  • Increase simplification tolerance
  • Turn off less important road types

  • Increase all minimum size filters
  • Set simplification to 2-5m
  • Disable footways and park paths
  • Use fewer contour lines (5-10 max)

  • Check if features exist in OpenStreetMap
  • Reduce minimum size filters
  • Ensure correct layers are enabled
  • Try a slightly larger selection area
Still Need Help?

Contact support with your map parameters and we'll help troubleshoot your specific issue.

Start Creating Maps