Key Takeaways

• Average estimate: if using up 7 grams per hour, 1kg lasts approx 140 hours per spool, or 4-5 weeks for average user.
• Example prints: 1kg filament can print 63 Benchies, 4 flower pots, 16 pencil holders, 166 miniatures, or 4 Darth Vader busts.
• Tips to conserve filament: Reduce infill, supports, and print size; buy quality filament; store it properly.

A factory-fresh spool of filament promises possibilities, but eyeing it up doesn’t really give you a sense of how much you can print with 1 kg of filament, or how long it will last. Should you make the most of a multi-spool deal, or settle for one 1KG roll?

As with most things in 3D printing, your mileage will vary – everyone has different printing plans and uses different settings that can affect filament use, like infill density. 

I’ve created a filament calculator in this article, to help you understand how many prints you can get out of a spool of PLA, and how many hours of continuous printing a kilo of filament will get you.

I’ve also estimated filament usage per hour, using a blended average of popular STL files in Cura, and how many of these you can print in an average 1kg spool.

So, whether you’re printing full-sized Master Chief helmets, flower pots, or churning out batches of miniatures for tabletop gaming, this article has you covered.

So, How Long Does a 1kg Spool of Filament Last?

Based on a 3D printer usage of 7 grams of material per hour, a 1 kg spool of filament will last 4.5 weeks if you 3D print for 30 hours per week.

Running the 3D printer 24/7 will use up a 1kg PLA filament spool in 143 hours, or roughly six days. For casual users who only use their 3D printer once a week for five hours, a spool will last 28.5 weeks, or a little over six months.

Here’s a calculator to help you estimate exactly how long your filament will last. Input your filament spool size, how often you 3D print, and the calculator will give you an exact answer:

However, filament usage depends on how much you 3D print, the size of your prints, and your slicer settings like infill density, wall thickness, and print speed. Larger prints like tabletop terrain, cosplay parts, helmets, and large vases also use filament much faster than smaller parts like miniatures and small household items.

To reach our estimate of 7 grams of filament per hour, we took several common 3D print STL files and found their print times and filament use per hour in Cura. We then averaged these results.

Here are the three sample models we used:

This gives us a solid starting point to estimate how much filament is used in 3D printing, and how long a 1 kg roll of filament will last the average user.

From there, we can calculate how long it will take to use up a 1 kg spool of filament:

To summarize, a 1 kg spool of filament can last anywhere from a week to six months, depending on how often you use your 3D printer. 

How Much Can You Print With 1kg filament?

With 1kg of filament, you expect to print roughly 63 3DBenchy test prints of approximately 16g of filament each. Other example models you could print with 1kg filament are 4 large flower pots, 16 pencil holders, around 166 miniatures, or 4 large Darth Vader busts.

However, this doesn’t factor in any failed prints, so you should be conservative with these estimates.

Breaking this down, we can see how this works based on the gram per model consumption established above:

Should you want an estimate more suited to your particular model, settings, and printer, we recommend loading it up in your slicer and slicing the model.

This will give you not just a print time estimate, but also how much filament in grams is required for the print. Though numbers can sometimes be a bit off, they offer a solid estimate to guide you.

Factors That Affect How Long Filament Lasts

1. Supports
2. Skirts/Brims/Rafts
3. Infill Settings
4. Downsize and Print Selectively
5. Filament Quality and Maintenance

1. Supports

Support structures are a vital part of 3D printing, especially when printing ambitious projects with lots of overhangs and rich details. 

However, supports use up filament. The more supports you use, the less mileage you’ll get out of a 1 kg spool of filament. 

The key to mitigating wasted filament is to be economical with supports – only use them where necessary, and angle your prints correctly in your slicer to require the least supports possible.

Manually adding supports where needed generally uses less filament than auto-support wizards and tools found in most slicing software.

2. Skirts/Brims/Rafts

The same applies to skirts, brims, and rafts. They are vital tools for preventing first-layer adhesion issues, but, again, cost filament. 

This isn’t a huge amount generally, but if you’re a heavy user you’ll use quite a bit of filament over time, reducing how many prints you’ll get per 1 kg spool of filament. 

To reduce unnecessary filament waste, cut down on the number of layers, the width, and infill density of brims and rafts, and reduce the number of lines that form a skirt.

3. Infill Settings

Infill settings arguably have one of the biggest impacts on filament consumption. By reducing the infill density percentage, you can significantly increase how many prints you’ll get from a spool of filament. 

While 20% infill is a common standard in most slicer software, for many prints you can get away with lowering this by a few percentage points, even as low as 0-5% for decorative prints that won’t be subject to wear and tear or functional applications.

Similarly, different infill patterns use different amounts of filament and have different advantages. 

If you’re after the most economical patterns, options like Line, Lightning, and Zig Zag tend to use less filament than other patterns. If you’re looking for a balance between material consumption and strength, use infill patterns like Hexagon. 

It’s also worth using settings like gradient infill to instruct the printer to use a higher infill density on the outer edges of the print, while reducing it as it nears the center.

4. Downsize and Print Selectively

Though large prints are certainly impressive, they aren’t always necessary, especially for decorative items. You can conserve filament by downsizing your prints.

Dropping the print size to 80%-90% won’t have a major impact on the part, but saves you lots of filament over time.

In the same vein, be more selective over what you print. All makers are guilty of printing parts and models that end up sitting on a shelf or in a workshop serving no purpose whatsoever. This filament could have been put to better use. 

In that spirit, it’s worth really thinking about whether you need an extra flower… or if you really need a fifth bust dedicated to your favorite blockbuster franchise (yes, you probably do). Cutting back where appropriate can greatly extend the lifespan of a spool of filament.

5. Filament Quality and Maintenance

As tempting as it is to buy the cheapest filament, it often comes with downsides, whether that’s a shoddy formula, poor manufacturing, or an approximate diameter, length, or weight. Not all 1 kg spools actually weigh 1 kg when you receive them… 

In other words, get your money’s worth by spending a little more on better-quality filament. This also reduces failed prints that can happen because of low-quality filament. We personally have a guide to the best PLA filaments, and best filament brands overall.

Another important part of conserving filament is to store and maintain it properly. Almost all filament are hygroscopic, meaning they absorb moisture if left in the open air and deteriorate over time.

To avoid this, we recommend investing in dry boxes or even a filament dryer. These do all the heavy lifting to keep your filament in top condition.

Related articles:

• How much can you print with 1L of resin?
• Complete Guide: Layer Height In 3D Printing
• Best Filament Dryers & Dry Boxes in For All Type of Budgets
• Make Your Own Filament Dry Box: Projects You Can Make at Home
• Top Ways to Recycle Empty Filament Spools
• Increasing Strength While Saving Filament by Using 3D Print Infill Settings
• How-To: Dry Your Wet Filament Effectively

Budget PLA Filament	Best PLA Filament Overall	Premium PLA Filament
Hatchbox PLA	MatterHackers Build Series	MatterHackers PRO Series
3DSourced Rating:	3DSourced Rating:	3DSourced Rating:
Primary Rating: 4.3	Primary Rating: 4.7	Primary Rating: 4.5
$28.00	$20-25	$50-60
Amazon here	MatterHackers Store	MatterHackers here

Budget PLA Filament

Hatchbox PLA

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.3

$28.00

Amazon here

Best PLA Filament Overall

MatterHackers Build Series

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.7

$20-25

MatterHackers Store

Premium PLA Filament

MatterHackers PRO Series

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.5

$50-60

MatterHackers here

But with so many PLA brands competing for your cash, how to sort through the duds to find the best PLA filament? Buy cheap PLA filament, and you’re taking a gamble on quality. Conversely, no one wants to spend too much when there are lower-priced same-quality alternatives.

Different Types of PLA Filament

PLA – This is your standard PLA: affordable, readily available, and ideal for general-purpose 3D printing projects.

PLA Plus – PLA Plus (or PLA+, Pro PLA) aims to mitigate the downsides of straight PLA while retaining its easy-to-print appeal. This is achieved through different polymer formulas blending PLA with additives to make it stronger, resistant to higher temperatures, and with better flexible properties. An excellent choice if you need a material that’s more reliable than PLA but simpler to print than ABS or TPU.

Conductive PLA – This type of PLA is notable for its ability to conduct electricity well. Manufacturers mix PLA with particulates, usually carbon, to make conductive PLA suitable for electronic 3D printing projects.

Glow-In-The-Dark PLA – The clue is in the name here – Glow-In-The-Dark filament is formulated with phosphorescent additives. After exposure to a light source, the filament will make your prints glow. Perfect for hazard-signaling or Halloween-themed decorative projects.

Wood-Filled PLA – It features PLA alongside wood fiber, generally cedar, birch, pine, willow, ebony, olive, bamboo, and cherry. The advantages of wood-filled PLA are the aesthetics and feel of the finish, which is ideal for decorative pieces and projects that require a more rustic or natural look.

Metal-Filled PLA – Metal-filled blends PLA with powdered metal to make it slightly tougher. It also provides a shiny, metallic finish to prints. Metals commonly include bronze, stainless steel, copper, brass, and aluminum.

Magnetic PLA – Powdered iron is added to the PLA formula to make printed parts stick to magnets. Fridge magnets are a popular application.

Color-Changing PLA – Also known as thermochromic PLA, color-changing PLA filament reacts to temperature fluctuation, circling through two defined colors thanks to leuco dyes mixed in the PLA formula. The benefits are purely aesthetic, and the filament retains the same properties as PLA.

Scented PLA – A novelty PLA, if there ever was one, scented PLA produces a distinctive fragrance or smell, such as beer and coffee.

Silk PLA – A shinier, silkier version of standard PLA filament.

Best PLAs: Blends & Brands

1. MatterHackers Build Series PLA

• Price: $20-$25 — Available at Matterhackers here
• Nozzle Temperature: 205°C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 40°C-60°C
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm, 1.85 mm
• Colors: Black, pink, bronze, white, magenta, red, orange, yellow, lime green, forest green, green, blue, light blue, royal blue, purple, brown, tan, gray, natural, silver, gold, copper, teal

MatterHackers Build Series PLA is a low-cost affordable PLA filament intended for quality general-purpose 3D printing. This balance between affordability and solid quality printed parts make MatterHackers Build Series PLA a favorite among amateur makers. It’s known for being resistant to snapping, strong quality control, and a decent 0.05mm dimensional accuracy.

MatterHackers Build Series PLA offers one of the most extensive single-brand range of colors and finishes, including silky finishes and glow-in-the-dark, so you’re likely to find an option whatever the needs of your project.

2. MatterHackers PRO Series PLA

• Price: $50 — Available at Matterhackers here
• Nozzle Temperature: 205°C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 40°C-60°C
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm, 1.85 mm
• Colors: Black, white, silver, red, blue, parthenon gray, infinite void black, concrete gray, midnight blue, natural translucent, ectro green, burnt orange, jet gray, electric orange, terracotta red, lime green, regolith gray, lemon yellow, dark green, translucent aqua, emerald dream, dark translucent, tortoise green, teal blue, electric yellow, lilac pastel, antares red, royal blue, merlot red, translucent red, translucent ice blue, firefly green, succulent green, antique white, paper white, tangerine orange, burgundy, Caribbean blue, gold, chocolate brown, tan, pearl blue, grapefruit pink, translucent violet, clear red, solar flare

MatterHackers PRO Series PLA is manufactured to produce superb, professional-grade, high-quality printed parts at a reasonable price. A precisely detailed chemical formula and excellent 0.02 mm dimensional accuracy ensure reliable and consistent results with every spool.

MatterHackers PRO Series PLA performs exceptionally well for functional parts, product-ready components, prototypes, and other demanding professional applications. Much like the Build Series range, MatterHackers PRO Series PLA is available in a dizzying selection of colors – you’re frankly spoilt for choice with every hue, finish, and tint you could ever need.

3. MatterHackers PRO Series Tough PLA

• Price: $50-60 — Available at Matterhackers here
• Nozzle Temperature: 220°C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 60°C
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm, 1.85 mm
• Colors: Black, gray, white, blue, light blue, green, jet gray, red, cotton candy pink, butterscotch gold, rust brown, purple, paper white, mint green, pistachio green, teal blue, yellow,

Marketed as an alternative to difficult-to-print ABS, MatterHackers PRO Series Tough PLA retains all the quality and reliability of the standard PRO PLA but adds strength and durability properties approaching those of ABS.

Strong impact and heat resistance make it a solid PLA-variant for functional prototyping and product-ready 3D printed parts. Better yet, it boasts superb layer adhesion, low warping, and looks just as great as MatterHackers straight PLA when it comes off the printer.

4. Hatchbox PLA

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Nozzle Temperature: 180°C-220°C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 0°C-60°C
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm, 1.85 mm
• Colors: Black, white, silver, red, blue, orange, gray, pink, light blue, mint, stone granite, pastel green, sparkle green, navy matte, bronze, purple, stone brick, stone brown, ash gray, beige

Hatchbox PLA is a solid quality PLA that many thrifty makers swear by. It contains a blend of plant-based materials and polymers alongside a superb 0.03 mm dimensional accuracy for the price to make it one of the tougher varieties of standard PLA. Prints come out sharp with good quality finish, plenty of detail, and colors that pop. As a daily-use PLA that’s reliable, Hatchbox comes highly recommended.

HatchBox PLA rivals MatterHackers for the range of colors you can choose from, most also available in metallic, silk, matte, and transparent finishes. Hatchbox also sells a Glow in the Dark PLA for just a few dollars more if that tickles your fancy.

5. Prusament PLA

• Price: Check latest price at Prusa Store here / Amazon here
• Nozzle Temperature: 215°C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 50°C-60°C
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm
• Colors: Black, white, azure blue, silver, jet black, lipstick red, galaxy black, vanilla white, galaxy purple, gentleman’s gray, lime green, pink, gold, opal green, pearl mouse, pineapple, orange, royal blue, simple green, bronze, mystic brown, army green, mystic green, gravity gray

From the folks at Prusa of i3 MKS3+ fame, Prusament PLA is another value-packed low-cost filament that’s easy to print and therefore excels for everyday-use 3D printing projects.

It features a fantastic 0.02 mm dimensional accuracy (something you’d expect to pay much more for usually) and all the quality-controlled precision and consistency we’d expect from Prusa. The company’s confident enough in the quality of each spool to include a unique scannable QR code to check the parameters and test results of each spool.

You can find Prusament PLA is a pretty unique spread of vibrant colors, all quality controlled for consistent results with every print.

6. Amolen Color-Change and Glow-In-The-Dark PLA

• Price: Check latest price at Available here
• Nozzle Temperature: 190°C-220°C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 0°C-60°C
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm
• Colors: Green, teal, ocean green, deep blue, purple, pine/brown/yellow, white/hot pink, white/blue, white/purple, red/white, green/yellow

Amolen offers well-priced, good-quality regular PLA, but we’re highlighting their color-changing PLA and Glow-In-The-Dark PLA for makers who want to jazz up their projects. These novelty PLAs generally come sided by a hefty premium, but Amolen keeps theirs within a reasonable price range. All come with a solid 0.03 mm dimensional accuracy and stand out for the quality, smooth finish.

They have a unique tri-color thermochromic filament that runs from pine to brown to yellow as the ambient temperature jumps from under 30°C to above 45°C. For those that want the best of both unique blends, there’s Amolen Glow-In-The-Dark Multicolor Change PLA – the spool changes color every 5 meters, cycling through green, blue, purple, and pink, while also being glow-in-the-dark throughout.

7. Sunlu PLA

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Nozzle Temperature: 190°C-230°C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 25°C-60°C
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm
• Colors: Black, white, red, blue, green, yellow, silver, gray, gold

Sunlu rightfully has a reputation for providing some of the best price-to-performance PLA on the market. Though it’s one of the cheapest out there, it’s a quality filament that prints great with a particular emphasis on clean details, reliable colors, and very little in the way of adhesion or warping issues.

Sunlu PLA also guarantees a sharp 0.02 mm dimensional accuracy for all its 100% tangle-free spools. It’s an excellent option for makers on a tight budget who need a no-nonsense, highly predictable PLA.

Beyond standard PLA, Sunlu also offers a good range of special blends, including tough PLA+, marble filament, smooth silk, and wood-filled PLAs. The color choice isn’t as expansive as some other brands, but Sunlu covers all the basic, maker-favorite hues.

8. Sunlu Recycled PLA

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon Here
• Nozzle Temperature: 195 °C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 60 °C
• Filament Diameter: 1.75mm
• Colors: Black, red, green, brown, yellow, pink

Sunlu recycled PLA provides an eco-friendly alternative to virgin PLA at a discounted price. It prints smoothly like normal PLA in my experience when using typical settings at 190-195C.

The tensile strength is very high for PLA, allowing for printed parts that can withstand more force without cracking or breaking.

This filament also comes in a wide variety of fun colors to choose from, which is rare for recycled filaments that often just offer black.

The only minor downsides I noticed are a dip in quality on overhangs and some minor moisture absorption when left out over time. But let’s be real, these are challenges most PLAs face.

So, if you’re aiming for a reliable, eco-friendly PLA without compromising on quality, Sunlu recycled PLA is a solid contender. It’s a win for both your prints and the planet!

9. FormFutura PLA

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Nozzle Temperature: 200°C-230°C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 50°C-60°C
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm, 2.85mm
• Colors: Black, bronze, brown, dark blue, dark green, gold, gray, light blue, light green, light gray, yellow, magenta, natural, orange, red, sapphire gray, white, pink, lavender, mid blue

Based out of The Netherlands, FormFutura sets itself apart from the more popular brands with a range of specialist PLAs at great prices. Its EasyFill PLA, as the name implies, banks on ease of use while also being tougher and less rigid than stock PLA. It’s also warp-free and shines for superb inter-layer adhesion and improved flow properties – a great general-use PLA.

Elsewhere, FormFutura offers a high-impact and high-heat-resistant variant known as Volcano PLA, a Premium PLA for more demanding applications, and ReForm rPLA formulated from recycled PLA waste. Then there’s a range of unique formulas such as cork-filled EasyCork, High Gloss PLA, Stone-Fill, antibacterial PLActive, MetalFil, and EasyWood.

10. Polymaker PLA

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Nozzle Temperature: 190°C-230°C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 25°C-60°C
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm, 2.85mm
• Colors: Black, white, gray, red, blue, green, yellow, orange, teal, purple, natural

Polymaker is a big-name filament brand offering well-priced everyday use PLA made from the best raw materials suited to everything from home hobby projects to demanding professional prototyping.

PolyLite PLA is the company’s most popular, costing only a smidgen more than the more budget-oriented options out there. Siding Polylite, there’s PolyTerra, an eco-friendly variant where Polymaker plants a tree for every spool purchased. Both deliver a fantastic, smooth finish and are a tad tougher than straight PLA. For those looking for a more premium option, PolyMax PLA includes nano-reinforcement technology for improved mechanical properties and higher print quality than PolyLite PLA.

Unlike many PLA filament manufacturers, PolyMaker ships all its spools with resealable bags. PolyTerra goes a step further with recycled cardboard packaging and spool.

11. ColorFabb PLA

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Nozzle Temperature: 195°C-220°C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 50°C-60°C
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm, 2.85mm
• Colors: Over 200 colors and custom on-demand color service

ColorFabb PLA is seriously good stuff. You’ll pay a little more than some other brands, but it’s well worth the extra cost. Not only does ColorFabb come in a variety of blends and price points, most of its PLA has a best-in-class dimensional accuracy of 0.01 mm and includes a special impact modifier additive to make it tougher than normal PLA.

Whether you opt for Economy PLA (big spools at a reasonable price), Light Weight PLA (for functional projects like RC planes and cars), or ColorFabb’s unique PLA/PHA (cuts down on the brittle properties of general PLA), expect excellent results and brilliant finish.

True to its name, ColorFabb is available in more than 200 colors. The company even offers a custom on-demand color service to help you land the perfect one for your projects, whether you need a single spool or a batch order.

12. Overture PLA

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Nozzle Temperature: 190°C-220°C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 25°C-60°C
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm
• Colors: Black, white, space gray, light gray, red, blue, purple, yellow, orange, pink, light blue, light green, jeans red, morning blue, brown, chocolate, sakura pink, wine, olive green, fresh red, light yellow, jeans blue, gray-blue, highlight yellow, royal cooper, cement gray, royal gold, green

Overture joins the likes of Sunlu and Hatchbox as a brand aiming to offer quality PLA at an unmissable price. Overture’s PLA is clog-free, easy to use, and has a decent 0.05 mm dimensional accuracy. Overture’s so confident in their product’s reliability that they throw in a no-questions-asked lifetime guarantee.

Overture also sets itself apart in the budget portion by shipping every spool with a 200 x 200 mm removable magnetic build plate. It’s specially tuned to work wonders for first-layer adhesion and reduce warping when paired with Overture’s PLA. To cap it off, Overture includes a vacuum resealable nylon bag with desiccants to keep the PLA nice and try when it isn’t fuelling your day-to-day projects.

Overture also proposes Easy PLA, Eco PLA, Matte PLA, Professional PLA, Silk PLA, and a special Rock PLA – all self-explanatory and excellent if you’re looking for something different from straight PLA.

13. Ultimaker PLA

• Price: $70.00 — Available Check latest price at Matterhackers here
• Nozzle Temperature: 200°C-210°C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 60°C
• Filament Diameter: 2.85 mm
• Colors: Magenta, orange, black, blue, silver, transparent, white, red, green, yellow, pearl

Ultimaker PLA is a premium, high-quality PLA that boasts a superb surface finish and is available in a range of vibrant colors. Typical applications include high-detail modeling, proof of concept designs, and casts for metal/ceramic parts.

It’s chiefly geared towards Ultimaker printers (and even has NFC-chip technology that allows the printer to find the optimal printer settings for the color and material) but pairs equally well with any 3D printer than 2.85 mm diameter filament.

Ultimaker also offers a Tough PLA that approaches the toughness of ABS while retaining the ease of printing of PLA. Ultimaker recommends it for functional prototypes and tooling at larger sizes.

Recommended PLA Settings

PLA is lenient when it comes to printer settings, performing well with various settings. However, here are some baseline setting ranges to get you going on the right foot.

• Nozzle Temperature: 190°C to 230°C
• Heated Bed Temperature: 50°C to 70°C
• Print Speed: 20 mm/s to 100 mm/s

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages of PLA

• Inexpensive: PLA is one of the cheapest FDM printer filaments, starting at around $20 for a 1 kg spool. PLA is available in a huge range of colors and different blends to suit all manner of applications.
• Biodegradable: As PLA is made from organic sources, it is environmentally friendly and decomposes naturally.
• Odorless: PLA doesn’t produce any odors when melted.
• Easy to print: PLA is flexible when it comes to settings, and it’s possible to obtain excellent quality prints with most consumer FDM 3D printers.

Disadvantages

• Brittle: If you’re worried about how strong is PLA, it has very low impact resistance and shatters easily.
• Not durable: PLA cannot withstand sustained friction or wear and tear.
• Low temperature resistance: PLA melts are relatively low temperatures, with softening occuring at temperatures as low as 50°C and melts at around 130°C.
• Not suitable for outdoor use: Though PLA’s biodegradability is an advantage, it also means the filament doesn’t fare well at all when left out in the elements.

Applications and Uses

• Models, figurines, miniatures and other decorative toys/pieces
• Cos-play costumes, props
• Household items like vases, self-watering plant pots, cases and storage solutions, toothpaste squeezers, pen holders, lamps, clocks, stands, bottle openers, coasters, drain covers, phone holders
• 3D printer parts: filament clips, fan ducts, brackets, leveling knobs, cabling strain relief, mounts
• Low-cost prototypes, and concept models
• Jewelry, necklaces, earrings, rings
• Architectural models

Buyer’s Guide – What 3D Printer Do You Need To Print PLA

Unlike filaments like ABS and exotic materials that need specific features to thrive (enclosure, all-metal hot end, etc.) PLA printing is possible with all FDM 3D printers. Therefore, the question of what 3D printer you need to print PLA morphs into what are the best FDM 3D printers and, more importantly, your budget.

Low-cost 3D printers like the Ender 3 range and Ender 3 S1, Voxelab Aquila S2, and Anycubic Kobra, or pricier printers like the Prusa i3 MK3S+ are also excellent options for printing PLA.

What Is the Best Way to Store PLA Filament?

Though PLA isn’t as hygroscopic as other filaments like nylon and TPU, it’s good practice to keep it stored in an airtight container or sealed bag with desiccant sacs to avoid moisture degradation, especially if you leave it unused for long periods.

If your printer is placed in a low humidity environment and you’re printing from the same spool daily, leaving it on the spool holder is fine for a few days at a time.

How to Dry PLA Filament?

The easiest way to dry PLA is to place it in a domestic oven at around 45°C-50°C degree for four hours. Doing so removes any stored moisture.

Alternatively, you can invest in a purpose-designed filament dryer.

More reliable and hands-off than DIY oven drying, filament dryers take care of the entire drying process, leaving you with a bone dry spool within just a few hours. Many are also designed with an opening to feed filament through so that you can keep the PLA protected even while printing.

Where to Buy PLA Filament?

You can buy PLA filament directly from manufacturers. Big online retailers like Amazon also stock an ever-growing selection of PLA filament from the best 3D printer filament brands.

Other popular outlets include MatterHackers, who don’t just sell their own PLA but also those of most other major brands.

You may also find PLA available at brick and mortar hardware outlets such as Home Depot or smaller independent DIY hobbyist stores.

How Many Meters of Filament in 1KG PLA?

The length of a 1 kg spool of PLA depends on the density of the filament. For standard 1.24g/cm3 density PLA, a 1 kg spool includes roughly 330 to 340 meters of filament.

For exact figures, try our filament length calculator. We also have another guide on how long a spool of PLA will last if you print constantly.

PLA Filament FAQs

Other related articles:

• Every 3D printer filament type
• PLA filament guide
• Best ABS filament
• Best TPU filament
• Best Nylon filament
• Best Nylon 3D printers
• Best ABS 3D printers
• PLA, ABS, and PETG shrinkage: Everything you need to know
• How long does 1KG filament last? (Calculated)
• Which filaments are best for Ender 3?
• Is PLA safe for aquariums? (And other filaments)

With growing concerns about plastics, energy use, and wasted materials, reducing our carbon footprint has never been more important.

Because of how much 3D printing relies on energy use and plastics, it’s important to know how to make the process greener. A great way of doing this is to learn which 3D printing filaments are and aren’t recyclable and to what degree.

Unfortunately, most filaments can’t be recycled in the same way as you’d recycle a soda bottle. 

However, there are some methods for recycling filaments to keep in mind depending on which kind you use, all of which we’ll explain here.

Knowing which filaments you can recycle and how is imperative to reducing your carbon footprint without having to sacrifice 3D printing, and we’re going to look at all of them today.

Here we’re going to look at which 3D filaments you can recycle, and which you should avoid if you’re eco-conscious.

We’ll also look at the best ways to recycle various filaments for maximum eco-efficiency, like filament recyclers and even home composting.

3DSourced is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Which Filaments Can Be Recycled and How?

There are quite a few recyclable 3D printer filaments out there that will help you keep your printing as green as possible.

Keep in mind that there’s no one filament that’s easily recyclable by standard means, so even though they are the greener options, you won’t be able to simply throw these in with your plastic bottles and containers and just call it a day.

Going green with 3D printing isn’t easy, but it is worth the time and effort to reduce your carbon footprint and keep your passion eco-friendly.

PLA

PLA recycling is a very easy process. It’s a highly recyclable filament, and chances are you’ve even used already recycled PLA filament if you’ve been 3D printing for a while.

While PLA and PLA-based materials like wood filament can be recycled, they can’t be mixed with other recyclable plastics.

This is because it has a different melting point than what most recycling plants handle. As a result, leftover PLA needs to be processed separately, and so many industrial plants will refuse to take it.

That’s not to say there isn’t something you can do, though.

PLA is primarily made from plant starch, meaning it is 100% biodegradable and can be composted at home. For more information on how to go about this, you can check out some good advice and guidelines here.

Failing that, you can use a filament extruder to reuse any extra PLA yourself, effectively breathing new life into what would otherwise be wasted materials.

If you 3D print often, you’ll find this is a great money-saver too, as all the little bits of material that would otherwise be wasted all add up.

PETG

PETG is not biodegradable like PLA, but it is more widely accepted by recycling centers.

It will depend on the collection rules and laws of your local service, so it’s worth checking to see if they accept PETG filaments for recycling.

If not, you may still be able to find recycling centers and plants that will accept it.

This is particularly important because PETG shares a lot of chemical similarities with more commonly recycled plastics, but will render those plastics unrecyclable by standard means if they are somehow mixed together.

In essence, if you aren’t careful with recycling your PETG, you may end up doing more harm than good.

My Top Choice for Recyclable 3D Printer Filament

For recyclable 3D printer filament, I highly recommend Sunlu recycled PLA.

Even though it’s recycled, it prints as smoothly as any regular PLA I’ve used. Once I got my settings just right, the detailed prints and clean surfaces I achieved were very impressive.

The best part is its surprising durability – the tensile strength is very high for a PLA material. This allows for printed parts that can withstand more force without cracking or breaking.

The filament also comes in a wide variety of fun colors to choose from.

I did notice some challenges with overhangs and it does tend to absorb moisture over time. But hey, that’s a PLA thing.

If you’re a maker like me and care about our planet, I’d say give it a shot!

Non-Recyclable Filaments

Unfortunately, not all 3D printer filaments are recyclable, at least not easily.

Generally speaking, thermoplastics that aren’t PLA-based are the hardest to recycle as they don’t degrade naturally and aren’t fit for general recycling.

Here are the 3D printer filaments that you should avoid if you’re eco-conscious and why, as well as some methods to make them more environmentally friendly if you’d prefer to use them while still being conscious of your carbon footprint.

Thermoplastics (ABS, Polycarbonate, and Nylon)

While PLA is a thermoplastic, its biodegradable nature means its easily reused or recycled at home. The same is not true for other thermoplastics.

ABS is a commonly used 3D printer filament.

As a thermoplastic, it is not accepted by curbside recycling, and unlike PLA, it is not biodegradable, which also makes it unsuitable for composting. The same goes for polycarbonate and Nylon, making them some of the least green filaments around.

This makes these thermoplastic filaments a bad option if you want to go eco-friendly. However, wastage can be reduced with the use of a home filament recycler.

If you have the funds or 3D print as part of your business, you can also hire private recycling contractors who do accept thermoplastics if there are any in your area. These thermoplastics are marked as Type 7 plastics, so be sure your chosen company accepts these.

If you’re taking a more eco-friendly direction in life, it will prove useful to you to become familiar with the different plastic types and their environmental impact. You can find more information here.

Do not fret, though. New research is conducted every day in making PLA-based Type 7 plastics, which will allow you to use these materials that will effectively have the same recyclable properties as PLA.

If you do have a penchant for these materials, then try to follow the steps above to reduce plastic waste and get as much as possible from these filaments.

Ceramic

While most ceramic filaments are PLA-based, they’re not as widely or easily recycled as wood or coffee filaments. While ceramic is easily recyclable on its own, PLA is not, and so it can’t be recycled once the two are combined.

Ceramic filament can, however, be recycled using a filament recycler, so don’t be discouraged if you happen to prefer using ceramic filaments but are concerned about its eco-friendliness.

Resins

While the recyclability of your resin will depend on its type, they are not widely or easily recycled in general.

Even if you are trying to dispose of your failed resin prints properly, you will need to cure them first to remove the toxicity that will further damage the environment.

If you use a resin 3D printer, we recommend using professional recycling centers and, even better, using plant-based resins instead of your standard type or brand.

Special Mention: Reusing ABS at Home

While ABS is a thermoplastic, which we’ve mentioned above, it needs its own section because it has some uses that go beyond standard or professional recycling, many of which you can do at home.

Reusing and repurposing ABS yourself will take some work but is rewarding and practical as well as eco-friendly by turning wasted material into usable tools!

By treating ABS scraps with acetone and leaving it overnight, you can make adhesive for helping with bed adhesion (though it only works on glass), glue for 3D printing projects and general use, or slurry to help fill in any gaps in your prints.

The only difference between making these three is how much leftover ABS you use. For every 50ml of acetone, you simply need to mix small snips of ABS, stir, and leave it overnight.

For this, you’ll use around 4g of ABS for the adhesive, 8g for the glue, and 20g for the slurry.

Reusing ABS like this is a great way to use an otherwise non-recyclable material while also making some useful things to help with your 3D printing!

Eco-Friendly 3D Printing Solutions

If your filament is recyclable, you’ll need to work out how.

Not all of these methods are universal, so they’re all worth keeping in mind if you regularly change your filament type.

Filament Extruders/Recyclers

Filament extruders are excellent ways to reuse filaments and even create your own. They’re simple to use and are fantastic for taking any wasted materials and making them usable again.

As well as recycling filaments, you can use filament extruders to make some new filaments or buff yours out by using extra materials.

Personally, I recommend blending PLA with coffee grounds for filament with some very cool color diversity that’s also completely biodegradable.

You can also buy a filament shredder, which further streamlines the reusing process as well as making it easier to reuse otherwise non-recyclable materials like ABS and other non-PLA thermoplastics.

The Felfil Filament Recyclers and shredders are products we highly recommend, and can be found here.

In general, desktop extruders like the Mabelstar are great additions to any eco-friendly 3D printing enthusiast’s workstation.

Home Composting

Most PLA and PLA-based filaments are largely, if not completely, biodegradable. These include coffee, beer, and wood-based filaments.

Because they will naturally decompose, they are suitable for home composting and are ideal for use in the garden the same way you’d use hedge trimmings.

As a side, if you have a garden and haven’t started home composting yet, I highly recommend doing so.

It’s a great way to turn garden waste and food scraps into working compost and is a fantastic way to go greener with almost no effort.

It’s a far greener alternative to wastage that will also help you out with your gardening. It’s simple to start and very much worth the time.

It’s worth noting, however, that most filaments need temperatures of over 140°F to properly degrade, and so aren’t suitable for home composting.

Reducing Plastic Waste

There are a few ways to cut down on plastic waste entirely. This is especially important if you use filaments that are not easily recyclable.

A good way to do this is with proper 3D printer maintenance. If your printer is running at maximum efficiency, then it vastly reduces the risk of warped and unusable prints, as well as cutting down on general filament waste.

Don’t forget to keep your extruder in good condition, too!

This risk is further reduced by using good quality filament and storing it properly to make sure it stays in top condition so everything runs smoothly.

You can also simply opt for projects that don’t use any more filament than necessary. By opting for well-designed STL files that require few or no supports, you’ll use less material in general for the same results.

It’s also worth noting that, as well as 3D printer maintenance, you should keep a close eye on your printer settings to ensure efficient bed adhesion.

Broken-off pieces and overheated filaments will also contribute to plastic wastage, and these seemingly insignificant fragments will add up over time if you happen to use your 3D printer regularly.

Use Eco-Friendly Materials

There’s no real point in recycling things if you don’t use recycled products yourself.

Recycling is only half the battle, after all, and we can still do our bit by simply opting for more eco-friendly and recycled materials.

There are a lot of companies out there that offer or even specialize in recycled filaments, and buying from these sources helps to support the recycling industry as well as reduce your environmental impact.

If you don’t use an FDM printer, you can also buy eco-friendly, plant-based resins like this one from Anycubic.

Just like buying recycled products, using recycled or partially recycled filaments is a good way to be more eco-friendly without expending any more effort or sacrificing quality or reliability.

Other articles you may be interested in:

• What To Do With Empty Filament Spools?
• Biodegradable filaments
• PLA 3D Printing Filament – Everything You Need to Know
• HIPS Filament: The Complete HIPS 3D Printing Guide
• PLA vs ABS: Which is Best for your 3D Printing Needs?
• How to Untangle a Tangled or Knotted Filament Spool

Top Budget Pick	Premium Pick
eSUN eBox 3D Printer Filament Dryer Box	PrintDry PRO Filament Drying System
3DSourced Rating:	3DSourced Rating:
Primary Rating: 4.6	Primary Rating: 4.3
N/A	$189.00
Amazon here	Matterhackers here

Top Budget Pick

eSUN eBox 3D Printer Filament Dryer Box

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.6

N/A

Amazon here

Premium Pick

PrintDry PRO Filament Drying System

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.3

$189.00

Matterhackers here

By now you should have a good idea of why 3D printer filament dryers are so important. And so now the important question is which dryer is right for you.

There are many ways to keep your filament dry, some of which are commercially made devices designed to maximize your filaments’ lifespans. Which one you go for depends largely on what filaments you use, how long you want to store them for, and what kind of budget you’re working with.

If you’re on a budget, there are also DIY filament dryer options using household items, which we’ll get to later.

1. Matterhackers PrintDry PRO – best filament dryer for multiple spools

• Price: $189 — Available at Matterhackers here

The Matterhackers PrintDry PRO is a filament drying system that any 3D printing enthusiast should check out, and is a steal at under $250.

The PrintDry PRO holds up to 4 spools of 3D printing filament at once, and even has adjustable temperature controls which make it especially ideal for PLA and ABS users.

The best way to use the PrintDry PRO is as a storage container as well as a dryer. It’s designed so the filament can be fed directly from the dryer to your 3D printer, eliminating the risk of further exposure between removal and printing.

This means you can leave your filaments in the PrintDry PRO overnight and then immediately and directly use your perfectly dried filaments whenever you like.

The temperature control system includes presets that are ideal for each type of filament, meaning you won’t need to double-check the correct temperature for each one. Simply select the type of filament in the box, and the PrintDry system will know what to do.

It’s the best filament dryer for Nylon, PETG, NylonX and tougher filaments, with its power and moisture control settings.

Premium Pick

PrintDry PRO Filament Drying System

$189.00

Matterhackers here

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

2. Sunlu Dry Box

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

If you’re on more of a budget, or simply don’t need the storage space of the PrintDry PRO, then a Sunlu Dry Box is the perfect fit for you.

Sunlu Dry Boxes give you more direct control over your filament drying procedure than the PrintDry PRO, allowing you to set the exact temperature and drying time so you don’t end up ‘overcooking’ your filaments.

This means the Sunlu Dry Box is better for those of you with more experience in filament management and want a more hands-on experience when it comes to taking care of it.

Sunlu Dry Boxes can only hold one spool of up to 1kg of filament at a time, whereas the PrintDry PRO can handle 5kg. Despite this, they do have a controllable and watchable temperature gauge so you can be sure you’re keeping your filaments in top condition.

At around $50, they’re half the price of a PrintDry PRO, and so are much more ideal if you don’t have that kind of money to spend.

Budget Pick

SUNLU Filament Dryer Box

$37.99

• Compact and user-friendly design.
• Precise and consistent filament drying.
• Front-facing temperature gauge with capacity for one 1 kg spool.

Amazon here

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

11/17/2025 05:00 am GMT

3. Sunlu S4 Filament Dryer

Note: The Sunlu S4 Filament Dryer I reviewed is a pre-production model set for a Kickstarter launch. The final product’s quality and features may vary slightly

While the standard Sunlu Dry Box is a great budget option for drying a single filament spool, enthusiasts using multiple materials will want to invest in the S4 when it’s released.

The spacious chamber, multiple heater fans, and compatibility with various materials make the S4 perfect for those constantly switching filaments across multiple printers.

It also has a humidity sensor and auto drying mode, with a sleek, modern design looks great in any workshop.

At $129 RRP, the S4 costs far more than the $50 basic Sunlu box, but offers far greater versatility and drying power for an advanced user’s diverse material needs.

So for those printing with just PLA or ABS, the single spool Sunlu Dry Box suffices. But makers employing exotic filaments on multiple printers will find the S4’s ample drying capacity and swift moisture removal well worth the added investment.

Just be ready to take some time to learn the unintuitive LCD controls. But with handy presets for different filaments, it’s easy to get great results once you get the hang of it.

4. eSun eBox

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

The eSun eBox is very similar in both usability and price to a Sunlu Dry Box, with the key difference being that it also detects remaining material weight.

This means that it’s the most ideal storage solution if you, like me, often find yourself excited to get a print going only to find that you’ve overestimated how much filament you’ve got left.

Like the Sunlu Dry Boxes, eSun eBoxes give you full control over how your filament is stored and dried. Though newbies shouldn’t be dissuaded as the helpful instructions will tell you exactly what you need to do to keep your filaments ready to go.

The eSun eBox dehumidifier is also designed to be 100% recyclable, so you can stay green when replacing it.

Top Budget Pick

eSUN eBox 3D Printer Filament Dryer Box

Amazon here

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

5. Vacuum Seal Bags

• Our recommended vacuum seal bags are available here

If you’re really on a budget, or simply have no real use for the added features of commercial filament dryers, then your best option is standard vacuum seal bags. If you’ve bought your own filament recently, it more than likely came vacuum sealed.

These bags can be bought from many online retailers like Amazon, and are by far the cheapest option for those of you who don’t want to go down the DIY filament drying route. They also take up less space than standard 3D printer filament dryers, so they’re good news if you have limited space to work with.

It’s worth noting that while vacuum-sealed bags are the best way to keep away moisture and dust, they won’t dry out the filaments if they’ve already been exposed, nor will they control the temperature at which the filaments are stored.

So if you decide to use these bags, then you will need to take extra steps to make sure your filament is kept out of sunlight and in cool, dry places.

Best DIY Filament Drying Options

If you don’t have a lot of money to work with, or simply want an easy and fast solution to your filament drying needs, then there are a host of ways to dry your 3D printer filaments with things around your house.

These options are great if you need a quick, cheap fix, or if you don’t want any more new machines clogging up your workspace.

Use an Oven

It may seem too simple to be true, but a standard electric oven is great for drying out filament that you’re worried has been exposed to moisture.

After heating your oven to around 80℃ (or 45℃ if you’re drying PLA), you can use it to dry out your filament in under six hours.

You will need to be careful, though. Overheating your filaments will cause them to melt and fuse, rendering them completely unusable.

The main downside to using an oven to dry your filament is that it gets expensive if you do it regularly. Using an oven for that long is not very energy efficient or green, and will add up to a far greater cost than using a standard filament dryer.

Use a Food Dehydrator

If you’re an avid cook, then you probably have a food dehydrator in your home. These can work wonders for drying out filaments too. If you don’t have one, you’d be surprised how cheap and useful they are.

If your food dehydrator is big enough, then you can fit the filament in and set it to the same temperatures as the oven method to allow the moisture in the filament to evaporate.

Read more: our guide to several DIY filament dry box projects.

What is a Filament Dryer?

Simply put, filament dryers, or filament dehydrators, are designed to keep airborne moisture from affecting and degrading FDM 3D printer filaments over time. 3D filament dryers come in many forms, from specialty items you can buy online to simple methods using household items to keep filaments dry and smooth.

Filament dryers are often vacuum-sealed containers that remove any moisture in the air and keep any more from getting in. Sealing and storing them in this way is the best way to extend the lifespan of your 3D filaments.

While it may seem like an auxiliary purchase or add-on, having a filament dryer as well as knowing how to properly store filaments ensures that they’ll be stable and usable for much longer than if left out and exposed to the elements.

Filament dryers are like storage boxes for your filament with temperature and atmosphere controls to create the best environment to increase the longevity of your filaments.

Personally, I recommend labeling filaments as soon as you get them so you have an idea of how long they should last, like how a café will label their food stock. After that, using filament dryers and carefully storing materials will be a lifesaver down the line.

What are the Risks of Wet Filament?

Most 3D printing filaments are hygroscopic, meaning that they absorb airborne moisture over time. If this happens, they will become unusable or even unstable. It’s not enough to think that your workspace is dry, as a lot of that moisture is undetectable to us.

Other variables in filament degradation include direct sunlight, heat, and dust, all of which will wear away your materials faster.

While the sensitivity of a filament to these environmental effects depends on what they’re made from, no 3D printer filament is impervious to damage, and will need to be stored correctly.

Absorbed moisture will expand the filament, imperceptibly in most cases, but enough to affect your print’s appearance. Wet filament will warp and disfigure 3D prints, and filament that’s too thick for the nozzle will clog and cause long-term, potentially dangerous damage if left unchecked.

You can often tell if a filament has absorbed too much moisture if it is cracked or coarse. If your prints are coming out misshapen or rough on a regular basis, then your filament has probably been worn.

Which Filaments Degrade Fastest and Why?

Not all 3D filaments degrade at the same rate. Depending on which filaments you use, you may need to take extra care when it comes to drying and storing them.

Let’s take a look at which 3D filaments degrade faster than others, and what should be done to protect them.

PLA

PLA has a lifespan of approximately three months if kept away from direct sunlight, making it one of the most susceptible filaments out there.

It’s best to keep PLA dry and stored in opaque boxes, even better if the storage container is vacuum-sealed. Using a standard 3D filament dryer and employing careful storage methods, PLA can last up to two years before wearing down.

The absolute best way to store PLA is with a 3D filament dryer with adjustable temperatures, keeping it between 10-40℃.

ABS

ABS has a similar basic lifespan to PLA, but is more susceptible to UV light. However, by using the same storage methods as we’ve recommended for PLAs, you’ll find ABS filaments to be perfectly safe and usable for five years.

Keeping ABS away from sunlight and UV light is just as important as shielding it from moisture, so make sure you use an opaque container after drying it carefully.

Like PLA, you should use an adjustable filament dryer and keep it between 5-50℃.

PETG

PETG lasts longer than many filaments, still being usable up to six months even if left out. It’s not as sensitive to sunlight as either PLA or ABS, and is generally slower to absorb moisture from the air.

That’s not to say that it’s perfectly safe to leave out, so we recommend a vacuum-sealed container to ensure its much longer possible lifespan of around three years.

Nylon

While Nylon is UV resistant, it is one of the most hygroscopic filaments, meaning it’s very sensitive to moisture and will need to be kept as dry as possible as soon as possible.

To keep Nylon going beyond its expected lifespan of around a year, you’ll want to vacuum seal it at once. Using a filament dryer as storage is perfect for this.

It’s worth noting that sunlight and UV light won’t damage Nylon as much as ABS or PLA, it will wear away any dyes that have been applied. There’s also the risk of shrinkage, which occurs if Nylon cools down too quickly.

What’s Changed?

We’re constantly updating our recommendations based on our latest reviews.

September 2023 updates:

• Added the Sunlu S4 filament dryer based on our latest hands-on testing.

Jan 2024 updates:

• Updated pricing information for 2024.

Related articles:

• Best PLA filament
• Drying wet filament guide
• Best ABS filament
• Best nylon filament
• Best TPU filament

Overall, Sunlu Recycled PLA is a great option for eco-conscious makers looking for an easy printing experience without sacrificing strength. 

The recycled PLA filaments are surprisingly strong, making them great for printing household items like utensil organizers and certain functional models, such as small gears.

However, one problem I had with Sunlu Recycled PLA was the filaments’ hygroscopy. The filaments absorbed moisture from the air like a sponge, and I started to notice moisture-related print quality issues after leaving the filament in the open air for just a few days.

Regardless, Sunlu Recycled PLA is still a terrific filament option, and I’ll definitely be back for more. So keep reading if you want to learn more about this eco-friendly filament!

Sunlu Recycled PLA: Summary

Below, I’ve provided a quick run-down of Sunlu Recycled PLA.

Pros

• Easy to print: Not very sensitive to slicer settings
• Comes in a handful of colors
• Performs great with small layer heights
• Not very hygroscopic (drying is optional)
• Very durable (high tensile strength and elongation)

Cons

• Not truly recycled (just repurposed waste)
• Poor performance with larger layer heights
• Low-quality overhangs
• Stringing is prevalent for higher printing temperatures

Background: What Is Recycled Filament?

Before we enter the bulk of this review, it’s important to understand what recycled filament is exactly.

Generally, the term “recycled filament” refers to 3D printing filament that’s been sourced from the industrial scraps of a manufacturer’s regular filament production process.

Moreover, filament manufacturers usually end up with a lot of excess raw materials that don’t meet the manufacturer’s quality standards. This scrap material is separated from the rest of the raw materials and usually ends up in a landfill. 

However, some companies, like Sunlu, collect the scrap and use it to produce “recycled” filament, which they sell at a steep discount.

So, no, recycled filament is not actually made from recycled goods like thrown-out plastic bottles. However, recycled filament still can be considered eco-friendly as its purpose is to prevent unnecessary landfill waste.

Finally, before I get into the testing process, it’s worth noting that this review article encompasses three different variations of Sunlu Recycled PLA, including the standard option, PLA-Meta, and PLA-Matte. While each of these variations differ slightly in their properties (e.g. surface finish, print settings), they are all similar enough to compare side-by-side.

Testing & Results

The best way to evaluate a 3D printing filament is to test it! And that’s exactly what I did!

After a few initial prints to make sure the filament was actually usable, I printed 5 different models in Sunlu Recycled PLA and recorded the results in the subsections below. Each model is meant to test the filament in a different way, like the strength, accuracy, overhang quality, and more.

Keep in mind that the quality of these prints depends on many factors besides just the filament material. I did my best to keep the printing conditions consistent, and I printed all of the models on the same Creality Ender 5 S1.

Now let’s get into it!

Test #1: 3DBenchy

My first print, like always, was a standard 3DBenchy. I printed the model using Cura’s default “Standard” profile, with the only change being lowering the nozzle temperature to 190 °C.

As you can see, the print turned out terrific! Even the letters on the bottom of the model came out looking pristine, though it might be difficult to see it in the images. And the overhangs also look very nice with no drooping or sagging in sight.

Of course, it’s not perfect. There are some signs of stringing (due to the printer) and even a hint of stringing, but for the first attempt, I couldn’t ask for better. 

Printing specifications:

• Layer height: 0.2 Mm
• Nozzle temperature: 190 °C
• Print time: X minutes

Test #2: Temperature Tower

My second test print was this temperature tower, which I used to determine the best printing temperature for Sunlu Recycled PLA filament. To do this, I sliced the model using Cura using G-code modifications that change the temperature at each distinct block.

As you can see, the best temperature for printing this recycled PLA filament is between 190-195 °C, which is about average for a PLA filament, if not on the lower side.

However, it’s important to note that the true best printing temperature will depend on the model you’re printing. For example, if you’re printing a phone case and it needs to be strong, you should use a higher nozzle temperature, like 210 °C. Even though this high temperature will likely cause stringing and over-extrusion on your print, it will create a much stronger and less brittle print because more heat means stronger layer-to-layer bonds.

Conversely, if you’re printing a detailed model that doesn’t need to be strong, a slightly lower temperature, like 185-190 °C, might yield the best results.

Printing specifications:

• Layer height: 0.2 Mm
• Nozzle temperature: 175-220 °C
• Print time: X minutes

Test #3: Hexagonal vase

My third test print was this hexagonal vase, which I like to use for testing performance with large layer heights and vase mode. Moreover, I sliced the model with a 0.28-mm layer height and used Cura’s vase model (“Spiralize Outer Contour”), but the results I got were not exactly what I expected.

First off, the use of a larger layer height sped up print time dramatically. The entire model took under 2 hours to print, which is unachievable using a normal layer height (e.g. 0.2 mm), where it might take 2.5-4 hours.

While the speed was there, the quality of the print was lacking significantly. The larger layers struggled to adequately bond and, as you can see, some sections show some obvious layer sagging. These problems are likely a result of using such a low nozzle temperature (195 °C) and minimal cooling, but some of the blame definitely goes to the material itself.

I also printed the model in a smaller, 0.24-mm layer height and faced basically the same problems. Because of this, I don’t recommend going above 0.2 mm for the layer height when printing Sunlu Recycled PLA filament.

Printing specifications:

• Layer height: 0.28 Mm
• Nozzle temperature: 195 °C
• Print time: 1 hour 47 minutes

Test #4: Gear Fidget

My fourth test print was a 4-piece gear fidget, which I found on Printables and loved at first sight. The mechanism comprises four 3D prints (two sets of 2 models), which fit together without any real assembly.

Printing all of the pieces at once took just over 4 hours, and I loved the results. The main reason I chose this model was to see how the material handled more precise geometries, and I used a 0.16-mm layer height to test this.

The gear pieces came out beautifully, and while the frame parts had a lot of stringing, I was using a higher-than-normal printing temperature, which was likely the culprit of this problem. 

I also tested the strength of the material using this model, which I’ll talk more about later, but it definitely passed my test.

We also have an article on other 3D printable gears for more project options.

Printing specifications:

• Layer height: 0.16 Mm
• Nozzle temperature: 215 °C
• Print time: 4 hours 9 minutes

Test #5: Simple Hinge

Lastly, I printed a simple hinge in Sunlu Recycled PLA to test how the material handled print-in-place mechanisms. And, further improving my impression of the material, the hinge functioned right off the print bed.

Besides the internal mechanism, the hinge has a very simple design, so it also didn’t surprise me when it came out looking as clean as could be. Overall, a successful test to say the least!

Printing specifications:

• Layer height: 0.2 Mm
• Nozzle temperature: 195 °C
• Print time: 59 minutes

Material Properties & Findings

Using the test print results and my other first-hand observations, I’ve made a few conclusions about Sunlu Recycled PLA and its properties. I’ve organized these insights in the subsections below.

Strength & Elongation

PLA is generally considered a very weak and brittle filament material, and PLA 3D prints tend to break very easily when pulled apart. However, the strength of the prints made with Sunlu Recycled PLA took me by surprise.

Specifically, I’m speaking about tensile strength and elongation of the filament, which are two similar measures of how much you can pull an object apart before it breaks.

I tested my theory by trying to pull the gear fidget (test print #4) apart to see if the frame piece would break as I expected. But, instead, the part stretched a noticeable amount and then recompressed once I stopped pulling, indicating this material has a high elongation at break.

So, though PLA filament isn’t recommended for printing functional, high-strength models, I’d say Sunlu’s Recycled PLA is an exception as it’s very durable.

Stringing Issues

One recurring issue I faced when printing Sunlu Recycled PLA was stringing. Stringing not only hurts the visual aesthetic of your model but it also affects the dimensional accuracy, as those small whisps of excess plastic alter the exact size of your model. 

I was able to eventually handle the stringing problem, but I had to significantly lower the nozzle temperature, and this, unfortunately, worsened the strength of prints due to weaker layer-to-layer bonds. Moreover, when printing at higher temperatures, like 220 °C, stringing was prevalent, but dropping to 190-195 °C almost completely fixed the problem.

Poor Overhangs

Next, I want to point out that this set of PLA filaments struggled a bit when faced with overhangs. While it wouldn’t be fair to blame all of the overhang issues on the filament itself, I was able to achieve much better overhangs using the same slicer settings with other filament materials.

Because of this property, you should consider activating supports for prints with even small overhangs to ensure the print doesn’t fail when using this filament. Increasing your printer’s cooling settings (e.g. fan speed) can also help with printing overhangs.

Easy to Print

Finally, I’d like to point out that Sunlu Recycled PLA is relatively easy to print. In other words, the material isn’t hyper-sensitive to the slicer settings, so you can achieve decent 3D prints without spending hours and hours tuning your settings.

My first print was very impressive given that I used the default Cura settings for PLA, and they only got better as I continued adjusting my settings.

Optimal Print Settings

As with any 3D printing filament, it’s unlikely that you’ll achieve perfect prints using your slicer’s default settings. Luckily, I already spent over 3 hours analyzing prints and trying new settings so you don’t have to. 

I’ve listed the optimal print settings for Sunlu’s recycled PLA filament in the bullet points below:

• Nozzle Temperature: 195 °C
• Bed Temperature: 60 °C
• Layer Height: 0.2 mm
• Print Speed: 60 mm/s
• Infill Density: 10-20%
• Infill Pattern: Cubic (any will work)
• Retraction Length: 5.2 mm (and 2.1 mm for direct drive printers)
• Retraction Speed: 45-50 mm/s (depending on stringing)

Of course, the quality of your prints isn’t only dependent on the slicer settings so don’t worry if these settings don’t produce the results you’re looking for right off the bat. You’ll likely have to tune your slicer on your own a little bit, but, hopefully, these settings are a good starting point.

Happy printing!

Over the past few days, I’ve been hands-on with the upcoming Sunlu S4 Filament Dryer (AKA the “FilaDryer”), and have absolutely loved it!

This behemoth of a filament dryer can store and actively dry up to four 1kg spools of filament at once, making it a great option for enthusiasts like myself who are constantly switching filaments. 

Plus, the S4 FilaDryer is capable of drying practically any filament material from PLA to PC, so it’s versatile for both hobbyists and professional makers.

Overall, the Sunlu S4 Filament Dryer is easily the most well-designed filament dryer I’ve ever worked with, and it makes my life much easier when dealing with different filaments.

Keep reading to learn more about this device, its specs, features, and more about why I think it’s one of the best filament dryers!

Sunlu S4 Filament Dryer Summary

Below, I’ve summarized the strengths and weaknesses of the Sunlu S4 Filament Dryer based on my testing experience.

It’s worth noting that the Sunlu S4 Filament Dryer isn’t officially released yet, and it’s launching as a Kickstarter campaign. As such, keep in mind that the product I reviewed is technically a pre-production unit so the quality and features might slightly differ from the final version of the product.

Pros

• Can store and dry up to four 1kg spools at once
• Great air circulation to help evenly dry all filaments
• Relatively fast heating process
• Compatible with all consumer-grade filament materials (PLA to PC)
• Clean and modern look
• PTFE tubing included
• Touchscreen LCD makes using the device fun

Cons

• Doesn’t come with silica gel packets
• Confusing LCD interface
• LCD is positioned slightly too high (cropped view)
• Risks associated with Kickstarter campaigns

Assembly & Setup

Setting up the Sunlu S4 FilaDryer couldn’t have been easier! The device was well-packaged and came entirely pre-assembled, alongside some PTFE tubing and a tutorial pamphlet.

To set up the S4 Filament Dryer, all you have to do is remove a few pieces of tape from the inside, insert the power cable, and flip the switch to turn it on! 

After that, push the mechanical button on the top of the box and swing open the respective flap door to load your filament spools into the drying chamber.

And, if you plan on using your filament while it’s inside the dry box (I recommend this), make sure to insert some PTFE tubing into one of the built-in PTFE couplers so the filament stays dry when moving from the dry box to the extruder.

All in all, setting up the Sunlu S4 Filament Dryer shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes!

Design & Features

During my intensive testing process with the Sunlu S4 FilaDryer, I noticed a few important features, which I’ve described in the sections below:

Large Drying Chamber

Easily the most noteworthy feature of the Sunlu S4 is its massive drying chamber. There’s enough space in the S4 to store and dry four 1kg spools of filament at the same time. This is very unique as most, if not all, other filament dryers can only hold one or two spools.

With this much space, the Sunlu S4 Filament Dryer is naturally a great option for advanced and professional makers who work with multiple filaments and printers on a daily basis.

Efficient Drying

Obviously, the most important function of a filament dryer is to dry the stored filament. The main way filament dryers, like the S4 FilaDryer, do this is by heating the ambient air in the drying chamber. The warm air helps extract the moisture from the filament material, restoring its printing performance to some degree.

The Sunlu S4 Filament Dryer is equipped with not one, not two, but three heater fans! This helps ensure that the hot air is circulating the entire drying chamber so that all of the filament spools are evenly dried. Sunlu also points out that the S4 heats up twice as fast as the previous version of the Sunlu FilaDryer.

On top of its heating capabilities, the S4 FilaDryer is also equipped with a humidity sensor, which displays the humidity percentage of the chamber on the LCD.

I suggest setting the S4 Filament Dryer to MO2 (mode 2) so that the device automatically begins drying the filament when the humidity rises above 50%.

Additionally, the S4 FilaBox has two small storage spaces meant for placing silica gel packets, which remove moisture from the air. 

Unfortunately, my FilaDryer did not come with these, which I find odd given that they are very cheap. But, hopefully, by the time the product is publicly released, Sunlu will step it up and give buyers some silica gel to use.

Confusing LCD Interface

While the touchscreen LCD on the Sunlu S4 FilaDryer works perfectly, the user interface that it runs is poorly designed and makes using the device a bit confusing.

The LCD interface has four different buttons, including an up and down button, a power button, and a “Set” button. You can use the buttons together to control numerous aspects of the filament dryer, like its target temperature, drying time, drying mode, LED color, and more.

I first tried to use the interface without looking at the tutorial pamphlet but was forced to retreat as the UI is anything but intuitive. As such, make sure you review the included pamphlet to learn what each button and icon means on the LCD interface.

Wide Material Compatibility

Next, this filament dryer is capable of drying a wide variety of 3D printing filament materials. 

The Sunlu S4 can achieve ambient chamber temperatures between 35 and 70 °C, making it compatible with just about every common filament material, including PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU, PC, and PA.

For reference, filament materials with a lower melting point, like PLA and TPU, should be dried with lower ambient temperatures and for shorter periods of time. Conversely, higher-temperature materials, like PC and ABS, should be dried for longer under higher temperatures.

Luckily, the S4 FilaDryer has pre-made drying profiles for all the common filament materials, so you don’t have to come up with your own drying temperature and time. 

But, if you want to manually set the temperature and time, feel free to check out our guide all about how to dry filament to learn the best drying configurations for different materials.

Sleek Design

Lastly, I can’t call this review complete without commenting on the S4 FilaDryer’s sleek and modern design.

Unlike some other 3D printing products, the Sunlu S4 doesn’t look like a cheap product. The dryer box is almost all black and perfectly rectangular, with no crazy cables or protruding features that might give the product a messier visual aesthetic.

Plus, the S4 dryer box has a built-in LED light bar that shines green if you activate it (through the LCD interface), further adding to the device’s modern appeal.

So, if keeping your 3D printer room looking nice and clean is important to you, I’m confident the Sunlu S4 FilaDryer will leave you more than satisfied.

Final Thoughts on the Sunlu S4 Filament Dryer

After my hands-on review of the Sunlu S4 Filament Dryer, I can confidently recommend this product.

With enough space to comfortably store four spools of filament, the S4 FilaDryer is a great solution for advanced users who use multiple FDM printers with numerous filament spools. You won’t have to decide which filament you want to keep dry when you’ve got the S4 because you can dry them all dry, simultaneously.

And, though using the device might seem daunting at first, the well-balanced and rather speedy heating system of the S4 more than makes up for it. Plus, the Sunlu S4 Filament Dryer has an outstanding design and style that will make the device a visually pleasing addition to any 3D printer setup.

Happy printing (or drying)!

Key Takeaways

• Untangle mid-print: Move the spool closer to the feeder, pull the slack back, and feed the spool through the knot. Or use the ‘change filament’ option to pause the print.
• Re-spool the filament: Unroll the filament from the spool and carefully reroll it so it’s tight and non-overlapping. Use a filament respooler or an electric drill to speed up the process.
• Prevent tangling: Keep the filament tight and secure on the spool, place it close to the extruder, and store it vertically. Use a filament guide or clip to avoid slack and jumping.
• Fix printing issues: Check for clogged nozzle, warped prints, poor layer adhesion, and filament damage caused by tangled filament. Adjust layer height, print temperature, flow rate, and nozzle size accordingly.

Tangled filament is one of the most frustrating problems any 3D printing enthusiast can encounter. It wastes material, leads to poor quality or failed prints, and can even be dangerous if left unchecked.

In this guide, I’ll explain what causes 3D printer filament to tangle, all the common causes and solutions, and filament storage advice to avoid knots in the first place.

After my step-by-step untangle instructions, we’ll also weigh up how a filament guide can help you save time and money – and teach you how to print your own at home!

What Causes Knotted Filament?

It’s practically impossible for filament spools to come out of the factory knotted due to how they’re initially spooled.

So long as it’s kept straight during the spooling process, which all reputable manufacturers are careful to do, a fresh spool will never tangle while being packaged.

Filament knotting is actually caused by owners allowing their filament to become loose by accidentally failing to keep the filament suitably tense on the spool. And it’s a very common problem even amongst 3D printing veterans.

If this is allowed to happen, some rings of the loose filament will begin to widen and shift sideways over to a tightly coiled part of the filament, becoming tangles. This is similar to how improperly stored Christmas lights or earphone cables will tangle if left too loose, and those of you who know that pain will know how important it is to untangle filament.

Once a filament spool has tangled, it can take a while for the knot to become tight and “lock up”, so you may not notice the problem until well into your print.

How to Untangle Filament Spool Mid-Print

If you notice a tangled filament spool mid-print, you’ll need to learn to deal with it immediately to avoid wasting your filament and ending up with a failed print.

The first thing to do is unmount the spool and move it closer to the feeder entrance, giving you some slack to play with. Be sure to do this carefully, making sure you aren’t at risk of touching any moving or hot parts of your printer.

You can then pull the slack back through the knot to create a big enough loop to feed the spool through. It’s the same principle as if you’d stopped the print and removed the filament altogether, except you’re treating the spool as the filament end.

Once untangled, simply place it back on the spool holder and ensure that it’s not moving too freely to cause it to happen again. Keep an eye on the filament feeding for a little while to make sure the problem has been solved.

If your printer is equipped with a tuning menu, you may be able to access a ‘change filament’ option designed to print one project with multiple filaments. This will halt the print safely and give you the chance to untangle the filament without worrying about timing.

Alternatively, you can also reduce the print speed to slow down extrusion and buy yourself more time, making untangling the filament both easier and safer to manage.

How to Reroll Your Filament Tangle-Free

One of the easiest fixes for tangled filament is simply unrolling the filament from the spool and carefully rerolling it so it’s tight and non-overlapping. It may take a lot of time, and even be tedious, but it’s a simple and effective way to make sure your filament isn’t tangled or indeed going to tangle anytime soon.

We have included a visual demonstration along with step-by-step instructions below.

To re-spool your knotted filament like the above video, simply follow these easy steps:

• Unload the filament from the printer (if necessary)
• Unravel the filament (the entire spool if needed) until you’ve found the tangle
• Rewind the spool carefully, making sure it’s tight and straight without overlapping itself
• Secure the filament to the spool with a strong clip, or reload it onto your 3D printer

In essence, rerolling your filament to remove tangles is as simple as manually winding a vacuum cleaner cord. Simply straighten the filament out and rewind it carefully back.

However, this will be very time-consuming if you have larger filament spools. If this is the case, you may benefit from a filament respooler to save you both time and effort. Alternatively, you can also use an electric drill on a low setting to rotate the spool holder for you.

Consequences of Tangles in Filament Spools

Filament tangles in 3D printing can cause costly failures and hardware damage, impacting time, resources, and productivity. In professional or academic settings, this can cause missed deadlines and hurt your margins.

Vibrations

Particularly small tangles may not lead directly to failed prints, but they can cause the printer to over-exert itself while extruding. This will lead to small, maybe even imperceptible, vibrations while printing, which will warp prints and even completely ruin them.

The most common issues with 3D printer vibrations are ghosting and ringing. And while there are a few ways to fix these, ensuring your filament is free from knots and tangles is a good way to avoid the issue altogether.

If left unchecked, these vibrations will cause moving parts to overexert and even clash together, causing potentially irreparable (and expensive) damage to your hardware.

Clogged Nozzle

Knotted filament won’t go through the extruder in the smooth line it was designed to. This leads to melted filament bunching up in the extruder and eventually clogging the nozzle.

Clogged nozzles lead to a host of further issues like warped prints, poor layer adhesion, and even damage to the extruder itself. If you run into such problems or hear a clicking sound during the printing process, then your nozzle is likely clogged, and that could be because of entangled filament.

Damaged Filament

Another issue caused by tangled filament not properly extruding is the filament itself becoming damaged. If it’s not fed through the extruder smoothly, it will scrape against both the feeding system and the extruder will be unable to pull it efficiently.

This effectively leads to the filament being ‘eaten’ by the pulley, damaging it on the way through and out, severely impacting the print. This not only wastes filament, but also costs valuable time and will lead to you needing to start the print from scratch.

Common Causes of Filament Tangles

Filament Spool Not Spinning

Like any spooled material, 3D printer filament needs to be able to spin easily for smooth feeding and extruding. If the filament doesn’t roll off the spool as easily as it should, then it will begin to overlap, bunch, and eventually tangle.

The most common cause of this is incorrect or inefficient filament placement, causing it to loosen. If the filament is set in an awkward position or too far from the printer, the increase in tension needed for feeding can cause the filament to bend, which will heighten the risk of tangling.

A simple fix for this is to place the filament as close to the extruder as possible.

You can also use a filament guide, which is an extra holder for your filament to make sure it feeds into your 3D printer smoothly and efficiently. They’re a great way to add an extra safety measure against tangling, and they help avoid other issues like clogging too.

The best part is, you don’t even have to buy a filament guide because you can always print one yourself!

Loose Spool

Filament can also become loose purely because of the spool holder itself.

Filament spool holders bought from reputable manufacturers will almost always be perfectly fine. But if you’ve reused a spool holder or have found yourself using one with low rolling resistance, then it could end up spinning too fast for your printer’s speed setting to keep up with, leading to increased slack.

It’s worth noting that this is also a risk with spool holders that use bearings, this is because it lowers the friction and can lead to the spool spinning too quickly, making the filament ‘jump’ off the holder.

Fortunately, you can easily fix this simply by restraining the filament and ensuring an ideal amount of tension to reduce slack, similar to how people would manually feed thread through a spinning wheel so it stayed tight.

Be careful if you’re doing this mid-print, however, as tugging too much on the filament will strain and potentially damage your printer’s feeding system.

The goal here is to essentially increase tightness and friction, but only in slight increments.

How to Prevent Filament Tangles

The best way to fix the issue is to stop it from happening in the first place.

Before Printing

While tangled filament straight from the production line is rare, it’s still good to look out for. Depending on the filament, it will either be fastened through a hole in the spool itself or secured with tape.

When you begin to unravel your new filament, be sure to keep a tight hold on the end to maintain the tension and keep it tight enough. This will help avoid giving too much slack, which is the main cause of tangles and knots.

After Printing

Once you’ve finished with your filament for that print, make sure you store it correctly. Pull the filament tight around the spool so there’s no slack before refixing it, using either the guide hole in the spool or a filament clip. This will stop the spool from unraveling when not in use and tangle over time.

Storing your filament vertically is a good idea as an extra precaution. This will prevent the spool from tangling if there is still any slack in the roll.

Printable Accessories to Prevent Filament Tangles

As well as purely manual fixes, there is a wide array of tools you can print at home to prevent your filament from becoming knotted or tangled.

Dragon Clip

• Download: Thingiverse
• Designer: Lyl3
• Price: Free

The Dragon Clip, named for its shape, is one of the easiest solutions to filament tangling, both to print and to use. Using only 1.75mm of filament, it’s the perfect solution to your feeding and tangling issues, helping you get just enough slack regardless of the kind of filament you’re using.

It achieves this by having a wide ‘neck’ that’s designed to hold filament of just about any thickness or fragility, making it an ideal universal filament clip and a great fix to tangling due to excess slack off the spool.

Anti-Tangle Filament Spool Holder

• Download: Thingiverse
• Designer: Ryan_Ghosh
• Price: Free

The anti-tangle filament spool holder is designed to prevent the filament ‘jumping’, reducing the risk of too much slack forming as the filament is fed to the printer. This helps significantly reduce the risk of tangles and looks pretty stylish while doing it.

This holder can manage up to 90mm spools, meaning you should be fine with almost any standard filament you’re using. The link above includes instructions, tips, and extra equipment you’ll need, so it’s perfect for any beginners out there who are struggling with tangled filament and need an easy (but creative) way to prevent them.

Filament Clamp

• Download: Printables
• Designer: camolito
• Price: Free
• Compatible with: 1.75mm filaments

This designer was just as sick of their filaments tangling while in storage as the rest of us, and made this very simple filament clip for any 1.75mm material.

The simple design holds the filament in place while not in use, preventing any slack or overlapping happening over time and ensuring the spools remain tangle-free.

This quick and easy solution can even be modified to hold different-sized filaments.

Related articles:

• How to fuse filament
• How many meters of filament on a spool (calculator)
• The complete PLA filament guide
• Smoothing PLA
• Acetone smoothing ABS filament

Key Takeaways

• Why sand PLA? Sanding PLA can make your prints smoother, sharper, and more precise. It can also improve the appearance and safety of your prints.
• How to sand PLA? Use a three-stage sanding process with different grits of sandpaper, from coarse to fine. Sand in a circular motion and wet the sandpaper to avoid heat damage.
• What to avoid when sanding PLA? Do not use a powered sander, as it can melt the PLA. Do not skip any stage of the sanding process, as it can affect the final result. Do not use poor quality PLA, as it can be harder to sand.
• How to polish PLA? Use a liquid metal polish and a soft cotton cloth to rub the surface of your print in small circles. Then buff it up with a clean cloth to get a shiny finish.

Sanding PLA is my personal favorite technique for smoothing PLA prints to a professional grade. 

But, it has to be done the right way. 

By sanding your PLA, you get:

• Less sharp edges: this is essential for anything wearable like cosplay costumes, or 3D printing toys or figurines kids will play with.
• Nicer aesthetic: smooth, layer-less prints look beautiful.
• Precision: for parts that require really tight tolerances, sanding can really help.

With my tested methods, I’ll show you how everything you need to know to polish PLA 3D prints to a shine you won’t believe was ever 3D printed.

Things to Note Before You Get Started

Do not use a powered sander when sanding PLA. The heat generated will deform the outer layers of your print. 

It’s also worth noting that not all PLA is created equal. Poorer quality PLA isn’t as easy to sand as the best-quality PLA filaments. So if you are going to sand PLA, you’ll save yourself hassle printing with high-quality filament.

Also, the quality of your filament, and print settings, can make sanding PLA much easier. This is because the smoother the surface finish, the less defects and layer lines you’ll have to sand down. Here are some settings and factors to optimize for:

• Store your filament properly so it doesn’t get ‘wet’
• Use smaller layer heights where possible
• Slower print speed for better surface finish
• Ironing slicer settings for a smoother top layer
• Correct wall thickness
• If you designed the model yourself, optimize chord height

What you’ll need:

To start, you’re going to need a selection of fine grit sandpapers.

I suggest following a 3-stage sanding process, where you use three different grits of sandpaper to gradually achieve a very smooth surface finish for your 3D print. For this process, you’ll need sandpaper in the following grits:

• 80-100
• 150-200
• 300-400

Additionally, you can get sandpaper with even higher grits (e.g. 600, 800, 1000+) to achieve an even smoother surface finish. But, for 3D prints, 400-grit sandpaper will yield a surface finish that’s more than smooth enough for most people.

It’s best if you can use ‘wet & dry’ paper when sanding 3D prints (black grit as opposed to beige effect), especially with PLA. This is because if you’re sanding fast, heat can build up and affect the smooth surface you’re trying to achieve.

I also recommend wetting the glass paper to lubricate and cool the surface when you’re sanding PLA prints.

How to Sand PLA 3D Prints For the Best Results: Step-By-Step Guide

Now, let’s get into how you can sand your PLA 3D prints to give them a super smooth surface finish!

1. Prepare the 3D Print

The first step to sanding your PLA 3D print is to properly prepare the model.

This involves removing any support structures or adhesion assistants, like a brim or raft. I like to use a pair of sharp pliers to remove these detachable structures but you can pop these features off with your hands too.

I also recommend lightly scrubbing the overhang areas of your model with a file if they required support structures. Doing so will better prepare these areas for sanding later.

2. Start with the coarsest sandpaper

Now that you’ve prepared your model for sanding, start with the coarsest sandpaper of around 80-100 grit. Sand the model until the entire surface is just as smooth as the piece of sandpaper.

To sand the model, scrub the sandpaper in a circular motion over the outer surface of your PLA 3D print. Make sure to maintain the same direction of rotation throughout the entire process, as this will yield a more consistent finish.

I recommend you keep a bowl of water right next to you and dip the sandpaper into the water before scrubbing. The water will act as a lubricant for the sandpaper and will help you sand your model faster.

I also suggest sanding your model one area or segment at a time as this will be easier than trying to sand the entire part evenly all at once.

3. Scale up the sandpaper grit

After you’ve completely sanded your PLA 3D print with the 80-100 sandpaper, move on to the next stage and sand your model with the 150-200-grit sandpaper.

Follow the same process described in the previous step, scrubbing the sandpaper in a circular pattern across the entire surface of the model until it matches the smoothness of the paper. You should notice that your model is significantly smoother than it was after the initial round of sanding.

Next, complete the third stage of the process, sanding your model with the 300-400-grit sandpaper.

It’s important to not rush any one of the three stages of this sanding process. That’s because not sanding your model enough in stage one will make sanding more difficult in stage two, and so on.

Also, make sure you also sand the smaller features on your 3D print. While these areas will be more difficult to sand because they are more fragile and intricate, if you don’t sand them, it will be noticeable later. You want the entire model to have the same level of smoothness.

4. Optional: Use higher-grit sandpaper

As I mentioned, you might want to sand your model with even higher-grit sandpaper if you want an even smoother surface finish. Of course, this is completely optional because 300-400-grit sandpaper typically provides a smooth-enough surface finish for painting and polishing.

But, if you want to continue sanding, simply repeat the process described in the previous two steps until you reach the desired level of smoothness. Just make sure you gradually increase the grit instead of making large leaps (e.g. 400 to 2000-grit). With each finer grit, you won’t need to spend as much time sanding that layer.

5. Start polishing the PLA print

The final, and most fun part, is polishing the PLA print. Layering up those sandpaper increments doesn’t feel like you’ve made much progress, but once you polish up, the final finish looks great. 

To smooth the PLA to a mirror finish, you’ll need a good liquid metal polish. Our favorite is the trusty Brasso.

The technique to polish your prints is simple. Get a soft cotton cloth, and apply a small amount of liquid polish. Then apply to your 3D print surface in small circles until all the polish is rubbed into the surface. 

Once you’ve finished that, the surface should look reasonably shiny. The final stage is to buff up the surface into that mirrored, polished shine.

To do this, get an unused area of your cloth, without any polish on, and go back over the area you’ve just worked on to buff it up to a shine. And that’s it. 

Here’s a before and after reminder on the technique: 

Now you should have a perfectly sanded PLA with a fantastic finish, and if you polished it, it’ll look even better! I hope you found this guide on how to smooth and sand PLA 3D prints useful.

We also have a comprehensive guide to other professional grade 3D printing finishing techniques here, including PLA painting techniques.

Key Takeaways

• Painting ABS: The article explains how to paint ABS plastic parts, which are commonly used for 3D printing and other applications. It provides a step-by-step guide and some tips for achieving the best results.
• Surface preparation: The article emphasizes the importance of sanding and cleaning the surface of the ABS part before applying any paint. It recommends using a low-grit to high-grit sandpaper sequence and a cloth towel or a vacuum to remove any dust.
• Primer and paint: The article suggests using a primer paint that is specifically designed for plastic surfaces, or a two-in-one primer paint that also serves as the actual paint. It also recommends using acrylic-based paints or spray paints that are weather-resistant and durable.
• Clear coat and sanding: The article advises adding a final clear coat to the ABS part to make it more UV-resistant and protect the paint from fading. It also mentions that a light sanding can be done after the clear coat to adjust the surface texture and glossiness.

Found in everything from LEGO bricks to car interiors, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is one of the most popular plastics on Earth. Its high tensile strength and impact resistance makes it ideal for 3D printing, and it’s also pretty easy to paint!

Painting ABS parts not only allows you to change the color and appearance of the object, but it also can make the part more durable and UV-resistant. This comes in handy for outdoor parts, such as a 3D printed tent stake or bike accessory.

If you want to paint an ABS part without the paint falling off, though, you’ll have to follow some specific guidelines, such as properly preparing the surface, using the right type of paint, and more. In the sections below, I’ll let you know how to finish 3D prints to achieve the best ABS paint job!

Can you paint over ABS Plastic?

Yes, ABS is one of the easiest plastics to paint over. While ABS is known for having a slick surface texture (which discourages paint from sticking), properly sanding and priming the part’s surface will fix this issue. And, from there, you can coat your ABS part in basically any acrylic-based paint!

On this note, while acrylic and other plastic-based paints work best for ABS parts, generic spray and oil paints should also work just fine. You might just have to spend more time sanding and priming the surface, and the paint job might not last as long. We’ll talk more about the process later.

Why paint ABS? What are the benefits?

Painting ABS makes it more durable by helping prevent dust and other contaminants from getting in the cracks and crevices of a part, as well as improving the print’s aesthetics. Additionally, painting ABS plastic parts will better protect them from UV rays, which can deform it. 

Of course, painting ABS plastic also allows you to change the appearance of ABS parts. You can paint intricate detailing on your models however you like, but it also means if you don’t have one particular color of ABS filament, you can paint it this color.

How To Paint ABS 3D Prints: Step-By-Step Guide

Painting ABS plastic isn’t much different from painting other plastics, except that you might have to spend a little extra time preparing the part’s surface to ensure the paint sticks. 

You start by heavily sanding the surface of your ABS part and applying a coat or two of a primer. Then, you apply a coat of acrylic-based paint to the surface and finish it off with a clear coat!

In the step-by-step instructions below, I’ve gone into more detail about how you can paint ABS plastic parts!

Step 1: Prepare the Surface

First, you’ll need to prepare the surface of your ABS plastic part by sanding and cleaning it. Remember that the better you prepare the surface, the longer your final paint job will last, so don’t skip this step.

To sand your part, you’ll want to start with low-grit (rough) sandpaper, and work your way up to high-grit (smooth) sandpaper.

I personally recommend:

1. Beginning with 80-100 grit sandpaper
2. Moving to 150-200 grit
3. And stopping after 300-400 grit.

This 3-stage process works great for ABS 3D prints, as well as regular ABS parts. You can also keep a bowl of water nearby and dip the sandpaper in it for extra lubrication to speed up the process. 

Once you’ve sanded the entire surface of your ABS part, make sure to properly clean it and remove any leftover bits of plastic. You can do this by running some water over the part and drying it with a cloth towel.

Step 2: Apply a Primer

Second, you should apply a primer to the surface of your ABS part. 

For reference, a primer paint is a preliminary coating, applied to a surface before painting, and it provides an even and clean base for the topcoat of paint to adhere to later. 

Additionally, primers seal the surface they’re applied to, enhancing the strength and durability of your part.

I recommend using a standalone primer paint that’s specifically meant for plastic surfaces, as this will make the paint stick the longest. However, two-in-one primer paints will also work just fine!

You can get away with only using one coat of primer, but I recommend two to ensure the best paint adherence. 

Also, once you’ve applied the primer, let it sit in a stable environment (e.g. no rain) for at least an hour before moving on to the next step.

Step 3: Choose a High-Quality Paint

Next, it’s time to apply the actual paint to your ABS part. When choosing a paint for ABS surfaces, you should look at more than just the color, as the type of paint (what it’s based on) is very relevant to how long the paint will stick on the ABS part.

Acrylic and other plastic-based paints are perhaps the best options for ABS parts as they tend to last the longest. 

It’s also worth mentioning that aerosol spray paints yield more even surface finishes than brush paints, because there aren’t any brush marks. I’ll go over more about the best paint options for ABS parts in a later section!

Once you’ve picked out your paint, it’s time to apply it! I recommend 2 or 3 coats, as any more could lead to dripping or running on the surface of your ABS part, and any fewer would be too thin and could rub off. 

And, make sure to wait at least an hour between each coat, or whatever length of time is recommended by the manufacturer of the paint.

Step 4: Apply a Protective Clear Coat

After you’ve waited for the last coat of paint to dry, you’ll want to add a final clear coat to your ABS part. 

A clear coat doesn’t significantly change the appearance of your part and goes a long way in making it more durable and UV resistant, as well as ensuring the actual paint doesn’t fade quickly.

There are many different options for protective clear coats, but, just like for the other paint options, it’s best to use an acrylic-based paint as it’ll stick best. 

I recommend Rustoleum Painter’s Touch 2X Ultra clear (gloss) and Krylon Fusion All-In-One clear — both are great options that should work miracles on your painted ABS parts.

One coat of clear or protective paint should work just fine. But, if your ABS part is going to face a lot of weathering, you might want to apply two coats for safety. Just make sure to wait at least 30 minutes between each coat.

Step 5: Final Sanding (Optional)

Finally, after painting your ABS part, you should lightly sand it and then let the clear coat dry. 

While this might seem counterintuitive to the previous steps, a final round of sanding improves the part’s surface finish to your desired level of smoothness.

Moreover, your ABS part will be the most glossy and smooth after the final clear coat has dried, and any additional sanding at this point will only make the surface rougher. So, if your painted ABS part is a bit too smooth and glossy for your liking, you can lightly sand the surface with some high-grit sandpaper to alter its appearance and texture.

It’s critical that you don’t sand too much or too intensely at this point, because you might accidentally rip off the clear coat and even the actual paint from the ABS part. For this step, the gentler, the better.

As for what sandpaper to use: choose the grit that matches the surface texture you want the part to have. I recommend going to your local hardware store and feeling the different grit levels before choosing one. Remember: the higher the grit, the smoother the finish.

Once you sand the part, make sure to clean all of the little paint and plastic particles off of the part using a damp towel. A handheld vacuum also works very well for this process!

The Best ABS Paints To Use

Because plastics adhere best to other plastics, you’ll want to use an acrylic-based paint for ABS parts. Some great ABS plastic paints include:

• Krylon Fusion for Plastic spray paint
• Rustoleum Painter’s Touch 2X Ultra spray paint
• Krylon Fusion All-In-One Spray Paint.

General-purpose paints that work on all surfaces will also work well, but often don’t last as long as acrylic-based paints.

Krylon Fusion for Plastic spray paint is specifically meant for plastic parts, including ABS, and offers a glossy finish without any priming necessary. (Of course, it’s still recommended that you prime the surface of your ABS part as it almost always yields better results.) While this option costs a good bit more than other spray paints, it’s known to last long, look great, and it also comes in many colors.

The other two spray paints I mentioned, including Rustoleum Painter’s Touch 2X Ultra and Krylon Fusion All-In-One, are both primer paints. This means they serve as both a primer and an actual paint, which simplifies the painting process. Both options aren’t specifically meant for painting plastic, but they’re known to work well on ABS parts, and they also are very affordable.

FAQs:

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Sanding PLA: Achieving A Mirror-Like Finish

Key Takeaways

• Filament calculator: Enter the weight of your remaining spool and select the material to find out how much filament is left in grams and length.
• Filament density: Different materials have different densities, which affect how many meters of filament are in a 1KG spool. PLA has a density of 1.24g/cm^3.
• Filament length: A table in the article shows the lengths of filament for various materials, diameters, and spool weights. For example, 1KG of PLA that is 1.75mm has 335.3 meters.
• Filament usage: Knowing the length and weight of your filament can help you budget your prints and avoid running out of filament mid-print. You can also request new materials to be added to the list.

Use the calculator below to work out how much filament you have left on a spool. Simply weigh your remaining spool, and select the material.

Our calculator will tell you how much filament is left in grams and length. The table below also shows popular spool sizes and lengths for filament over a variety of different materials. 

Filament Length Calculator

If you find this calculator useful, please bookmark it and share.

This is a comprehensive list of filament materials and their lengths on 500g, 750g, 1KG, and 3KG spools for both popular 1.75mm and 2.85mm sizes, based on each material’s density.

This should allow you to correctly budget your remaining filament for prints based on the remaining weight of your spool. So you can work out exactly how many meters of filament in a 1KG (or whatever size) spool you’re using. 

What is PLA Density g/cm3?

PLA Density is 1.24g/cm^3.

Here we explain the relationship between filament volume, density and length. Before we can ask how much filament is on a 1kg spool, we first need to know the weight of the empty spool. 

How Much Does an Empty Filament Spool Weigh?

For reference, our empty spools weigh 248g. And this is approximately an industry average.

Using this knowledge you can easily weigh your spool, to see how much filament in weight is left – and knowing the weight, diameter and density of the material, you can work out how much is left on your spool in meters.

How Long is 1kg of PLA Filament?

Wondering how many meters are in a KG of filament? We make it easy for you in the table below. 

Our filament calculator has been made to 6 decimal places, which should be accurate enough given that manufacturers’ resin densities are always rounded to just 2 decimal places.

These lengths are meant as an accurate guide only, not a guarantee of what you will have received on your spool from other suppliers. They are however a guarantee as to what you will have received from us, had you ordered filament from us.

You might be wondering how much does PLA weigh, or any other filament for that matter.

Well, we use a density figure to work out how many grams of filament in each cubic cm. This is represented as usually a figure just over 1. For example, the density of PLA filament is 1.24 grams per CM^3.

This means we know how many meters in a kilogram of PLA 1.75mm to be 335.3 meters. Or if you’re wondering how many grams in a meter is 1,000 Grams / 335 Meters = 2.98 grams per meter. 

To see how many meters is 1KG of filament, look under the 1KG spool column. Move left and right to see lengths for other spool weights.

How Long is a Spool of Filament

Now You Can Work Out How Much Filament is on a Roll

We hope this list of lengths based on weight and density is useful to you. Now you know how many meters of ABS in a 1KG spool. Or you’ll know the answer to how much can you print with 1KG of filament. 

Please comment below if you have any questions, and feel free to provide any constructive feedback if you feel we’ve missed anything. We hope this tool allows you to easily calculate how much filament is on a 1KG spool.

Alternatively, there might be a material we’ve missed, so you cannot work out the length of filament in a 1KG spool – if yours isn’t mentioned, please let us know. 

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• What to do with empty filament spools
• Best 3D printers