2-Sided Custom Pet Portrait Coaster — Laser-Engraved Cork, Portrait + Quote or Name

Both sides worth looking at

A coaster gets picked up often. Put down, picked up, turned over without thinking. Which is what makes a two-sided coaster something different — each time it is moved, there is a choice about which way it faces. The portrait side, or the words side. Their face, or the thing that is true about them. Both are yours. Both are right.

The front is engraved with a portrait made from a photo you send us — your pet, two pets together, or your whole family with your pet. Choose from six front frame designs. The back is engraved with a warm quote about pets, or with your pet’s name, family name, or monogram — nine back options in total. Made by hand in Calgary, Alberta, by Michelle and Evan — who have two senior cats of their own, and know that sometimes a single coaster is not enough to hold everything they mean to you.

Choose your two sides

Select both your front and back designs when you add to cart.

Front side — your portrait (6 designs)

Back side — your words (9 options): options include six warm quotes and three name styles, or you can choose “custom quote” if you want to put custom text at the back.

What to send before checkout

1. A clear photo of your pet(s) — or your chosen group photo
   Used to create the engraved portrait on the front side. See the photo tips below for guidance.
2. Your custom text — if you chose “custom quote” for back design
   Exact text as you want it engraved.
3. Your name details — if you chose Design 7, 8, 9 for back design
   Exact text as you want it engraved — pet name(s), family name, and/or initial. If you chose a quote back, no extra text is needed.
4. Your preferred printing side
   Cork has two sides: the flat-edge and the recessed-edge. Both engrave well. Select your preference for front design at checkout.

Photo tips

For a single pet: A forward-facing portrait where your pet’s face and body are clearly visible in natural light. Relaxed, characteristic poses tend to engrave with the most life.

For two pets together: A photo where both are clearly visible, reasonably close together, and at a similar distance from the camera. Side by side, or one slightly behind the other, both compose well.

For a family group photo (Front Design 4): A clear photo where everyone — human and pet — is visible and well-lit. A reasonably tight frame where no one is cut off works best.

What to avoid: Photos in heavy shadow or against a very dark background. Blurry or very low-resolution images (under 800 px on either side). Very tight crops that cut off part of a subject.

Not sure whether your photo will work? Send it to us before ordering — we will let you know honestly.

Materials and making

Your photo is converted into a laser-ready portrait design — adapted for the chosen frame layout and calibrated for engraving on cork at coaster scale. Both sides of the coaster are then laser-engraved directly into the natural cork surface, so the portrait, quote, and name will not fade, peel, or wash away with normal use. Natural compressed cork is warm to the touch, thick enough to protect surfaces properly, and slightly different in grain from piece to piece.

What’s included:

• One double-sided laser-engraved cork coaster — portrait on the front, quote or name on the back
• Basswood display easel — Add-on option

Giving this as a gift? A two-sided coaster is one of the most considered things you can give a pet person — their pet’s face on one side, the words on the other, in the room every day. We include a free handwritten gift note with every order. Leave your message at checkout and we can ship directly to your recipient with no invoice enclosed. You can even ask us to choose the back design on their behalf if you would like a surprise element — just let us know in the order notes.

Cork is naturally resilient — wipe with a dry or barely damp cloth only, as sustained moisture will warp the cork and affect the engraving over time.

Because every coaster is made to order and engraved from your photo, we are unable to accept returns or exchanges. If something arrives damaged or does not match what was agreed, please reach out within 7 days with a photo — we will always make it right. Send us a message any time before or after ordering.

Questions about this piece

Can I mix and match any front design with any back design?
Yes, completely freely. Any front design works with any back option. There is no required pairing — choose what resonates and what suits your photo, and we will make them work together.

Can I include a family group photo with humans and pets together?
Yes — Front Design 4 is built specifically for a group portrait. Send a clear photo where everyone is visible in good light, with no one cut off at the edges. If you are unsure whether yours will work, send it before ordering and we will advise.

Can I use a quote that is not in the six options?
Choose “custom quote” and let us know what you have in mind. We can often accommodate a custom quote — we will confirm what is possible and show you how the text fits before anything is engraved.

Do you send a proof before engraving?
Yes, always — for both sides. We send a full design preview of the front portrait layout and the back before we engrave anything. Nothing is finalised until you approve it.

How is this different from the other coasters in the range?
This is the only coaster we make that is engraved on both sides, and it is cork only. The other coasters in our range are single-sided and available in slate or cork. If you would like a slate coaster with a portrait, take a look at the Coaster — Pet Portrait + Name listing.