Obloid
All guides
Up next Wrong build plate selected = instant fail Transcript & details below

Don't use PLA for useful prints

Don't print a soap dish in PLA because the color looked good. Warm water or a sunny window will sag the walls. PLA is for models and prototypes. Prusa says it is not for technical use. Bambu skips it around 50 C. Use PETG for holders, clamps, and waterproof parts. Still not a food plate.

Tips & Tricks 0:58

#3dprinting#3dprintingtips#3dprinter#prusa#bambulabs

Featured in this video

AI Model Generator tool visual progressing from an apple prompt to a white low-poly mesh and a red 3D-printed apple 3D Model Generator Figures, toys, props — printable models Open

How to pick plastic for a part that has a job

  1. 1 Pretty PLA is not the useful-print spool

    You printed a soap dish in PLA because it was easy and the color looked good. Then warm water hit it, or it sat by a sunny window, and the walls slowly sagged.

  2. 2 PLA is for models and prototypes

    Prusa says it is not for technical use. It gets soft and deforms over 60 C. Toys, figures, and quick prototypes. Not a sink. Not a parked car. Not a hot bathroom.

  3. 3 Skip PLA around 50 C or higher

    Bambu is blunter: skip PLA around 50 C or higher. A sink, a parked car, a hot bathroom. That is the job. The walls sag. You will not always see it melt.

  4. 4 PETG is the useful-print plastic

    Use it for mechanical parts, holders, clamps, and waterproof parts. It resists water and humidity, and holds up below about 80 C. That is why a soap dish belongs in PETG, not the pretty PLA spool.

  5. 5 PETG still is not a food plate

    Layer grooves can hold bacteria. Prusa says the same about printed dishes in general. Coat it if you insist. Do not treat a PETG soap dish as dinnerware.

FAQ

Can I print a soap dish or bathroom holder in PLA?

No. Warm water and a hot bathroom are the job. PLA sags. Print it in PETG.

What temperature does PLA actually fail at?

Prusa: it gets soft and deforms over 60 C. Bambu: skip PLA around 50 C or higher. A parked car and a sunny window both clear that. You will not see it melt. You will see it sag.

Is PETG food-safe for plates and cups?

No. The plastic can be food-contact in industry. A 3D print is layers. Those grooves hold bacteria. Prusa does not recommend printed dishes without a food-safe coating. This clip's soap dish is a wet holder, not a plate.

Can I use PLA outside?

Prusa says PLA is not for outdoor use. UV degrades it, and heat softens it. PETG is the usual step up for parts that live below about 80 C.

Full transcript

You printed a soap dish in PLA because it was easy and the color looked good. Then warm water hit it, or it sat by a sunny window, and the walls slowly sagged. PLA is for models and prototypes. Prusa says it is not for technical use. It gets soft and deforms over 60 C. Bambu is blunter: skip PLA around 50 C or higher. A sink, a parked car, a hot bathroom. That is the job. PETG is the useful-print plastic. Use it for mechanical parts, holders, clamps, and waterproof parts. The finished part resists water and humidity, and holds up below about 80 C. That is why a soap dish belongs in PETG, not the pretty PLA spool. But keep in mind, PETG still isn't fit to be a food plate. Since the layer grooves can hold bacteria. Need that dish at your size with drain holes? Obloid's Parametric generator builds CAD-style models from a prompt.

Sources

Wrong build plate selected = instant fail Stop using a metal scraper on your PEI plate Why your prints won't stick (it's your dirty bed) Wet filament is ruining your prints (and you can't see it) Stop putting supports everywhere