Reference · maps
Public elevation data is free. Turning it into the stacked, layered files behind a wood topographic map is where the software choices come in. Here's a survey of the tools that can do it, and how they differ.
Companion page: where to download the elevation & bathymetry data →
GIS software reads the elevation grid and traces a contour at each interval. Every contour becomes one layer's cut outline. This is the path most GIS tools, web tools, and scripts take.
Build a 3D terrain surface, then slice it horizontally into stacked profiles — which is literally how a layered wood map is assembled. CAD and 3D tools work this way.
| Software | Category | Cost | Approach | Laser-ready out? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WoodenDoodle pipeline | Script (Python) | Custom | Contour (2D) | Yes — full | Purpose-built: registration, hangers, lake guides, kerf. The map shop's own tool. |
| LaserMapMaker | Web, laser-specific | Freemium | Contour (2D) | Yes | Built specifically for laser-cut topo maps. |
| QGIS | Desktop GIS | Free | Contour (2D) | No — contours only | Most common free path; finish in Illustrator / Inkscape. |
| Civil 3D | CAD | Paid | Surface → both | No | Pro civil-engineering CAD; surfaces & contours (DWG/DXF). |
| ArcGIS Pro | Desktop GIS | Paid | Contour (2D) + 3D | No — SVG/DXF | Industry GIS standard; Esri even publishes a wood-cut terrain tutorial. |
| Global Mapper | GIS / terrain | Paid | Both | No — DXF/SVG + 3D mesh | Prosumer favorite; excellent DEM handling. |
| GRASS GIS | Desktop GIS | Free | Contour (2D) | No | Open-source GIS; r.contour → DXF/SVG. |
| SAGA GIS | Desktop GIS | Free | Contour (2D) | No | Open-source GIS alternative. |
| Slicer for Fusion 360 | 3D slicing | Free* / Fusion paid | 3D slice | Cut layouts | "Stacked slices like a layered cake." Mirrors the wood stack. *Standalone retired; lives on in Fusion 360. |
| Blender + BlenderGIS | 3D | Free | 3D slice / contour | No | Maker/hobbyist favorite; import DEM, build relief, export SVG/DXF. |
| Rhino + Grasshopper | CAD / 3D | Paid | 3D slice + contour | No | Design-world terrain modeling and slicing. |
| OpenTopography | Web | Free | Contour (2D) | No | Free DEM access plus a built-in contour-generation tool. |
| Cadmapper | Web | Freemium | Contour (2D) | No | Terrain + buildings → DXF/SVG/SKP. Low-friction. |
| GDAL (gdal_contour) | Script / CLI | Free | Contour (2D) | No | The open-source engine under QGIS and most custom scripts. |
Laser-ready = produces board-by-board cut files with registration, hangers, and kerf handling. Everything else hands you geometry you still finish yourself.
Plenty of tools get you contours. Far fewer go the last mile to a file you can actually send to a laser — split into individual boards, with the alignment holes, hanger slots, and kerf compensation that make the stack fit together. That gap is the whole job, and it's where the purpose-built tools earn their place.