Cricut Weld vs Cricut Attach [How to Use These Basic Tools]

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You have probably heard the term Cricut Weld and Cricut Attach while you are reading about using your Cricut.

Learning to use your new Cricut machine is like learning a new language sometimes. You wonder what about these crazy words that everyone is using. What do they mean? Do you need to use them too?

Yes! You do. But first, you need to know what they mean.

If you are still wondering about what a Cricut is and how to use one, you can read this post to learn more!

What is the Difference Between Weld Attach?

Let’s discuss the way these two tools work. And when you should use each one.

Cricut Weld is a function that does just what it says. It takes two objects in Design Space and WELDS them together. Think about how you weld with metal. It’s done as a permanent (hopefully) blending of two pieces.

For Cricut objects, it takes away the cut line where the two shapes overlap. It welds them together so they are one unit or shape.

Once you hit SAVE you will not be able to undo this action. The program now views the shape as one object with one path around the outside edge that it will cut.

Why Would You Use the Weld Tool?

The first reason to use the Cricut Weld tool is to make new shapes. You can create custom shapes by using the weld tool. Most designs are made up of basic shapes. When you make new designs you don’t want all the separate pieces cut out so you will WELD them together.

The second reason to use the WELD tool is to connect text. If you have a word that you want to cut as one piece instead of separate letters, you will overlap them and then click the WELD tool.

PRO TIP: Enlarge your text before you use the CRICUT WELD tool. Sometimes the Design Space software doesn’t recognize smaller details when it is changing paths of an object. It might accidentally fill in the circles of letters like o, a, e, or b. Enlarge the text, WELD it together, then resize it to the proper size for cutting.

The third reason to use the WELD tool would be so you can use the SLICE tool. You need to have only 2 objects to use the SLICE tool. You might have a phrase that you want to make a Knock Out (a white space around a design that overlays your text). You have to use the SLICE tool to do this and you can only slice with 2 items. That means you need to WELD the phrase and then SLICE the words and image once they are properly aligned.

What Does Weld Mean on Cricut?

Welding your art to make your objects one unit make it possible to use other Cricut Design Space tools.

Why Would You Use the Attach Tool?

The ATTACH tool sounds like it would work similarly to the WELD tool. If you look at the symbol for the Cricut ATTACH tool you will see that it looks like a paperclip.

The best way to think about this tool is that you are temporarily clipping your design objects together. You can undo this by clicking on the DETACH tool.

The reason you use this tool is to keep a design aligned the way it appears when it cuts. Cricut has your best interest at heart. They are trying to save you money and craft materials so they will rearrange objects so all the objects are squeezed up into the top left corner of the cut mat.

Saving materials this way is a great feature if you are cutting a bunch of singular items. What if you want all your letters to stay in alignment along with a symbol of your choice.

Attaching your items to each other will let Cricut Design Space know that you like the arrangement you have made and you want them to stay that way. You want the design to cut the exact same way that it looks on your screen.

You might be wondering about using the WELD tool to permanently stick your items together and why worry about using ATTACH.

WELD is overkill. And it removes paths around designs so they are all connected. You might not want your designs connected but you do want them to stay in place.

That is a key difference between Cricut Weld and Cricut Attach!