Wood filament combines the natural look of wood with the easy printability of PLA. By adding wood particles to a PLA filament base, a 3D printer filament is created that offers a warm color, a subtle grain, and a matte surface. Those who equip their 3D printer with the right PLA wood filament settings can achieve impressive 3D printing results – whether for decoration, prototypes, or everyday objects.
What is Wood Filament?
Wood filament refers to a composite material made from PLA filament and fine wood fibers or wood flour, also known as woodfill filament. In the past, sawdust variants were sometimes used, but today most wood 3D printer filaments consist of much finer wood particles. Some manufacturers offer filaments with 15%-50% wood content – this gives objects both the texture and smell naturally associated with wood. The surface can be treated like real wood by sanding, staining, or oiling, and the smell during printing is also reminiscent of wood or slightly burnt wood – good ventilation is recommended here.
Advantages and Disadvantages of PLA Wood Filament
Before you decide on wood filament, you should be aware of its pros and cons.
What are the advantages of wood PLA?
In addition to its environmental friendliness, wood PLA offers several advantages: models appear warm and natural due to the wood look of this special 3D printer filament. Post-processing is easy, as the surface can be treated like real wood – sanding, oiling, or waxing lead to high-quality results. The use of fine wood particles and high wood content in the wood filament creates strong haptic properties; the smell during printing can also be a sensory experience. Thanks to the low printing temperatures of the PLA base component, the material is also suitable for less experienced users. Click here for more PLA filament properties.
What are the disadvantages of wood PLA?
The wood particles incorporated into the PLA 3D filament can lead to nozzle clogging if the settings are incorrect. In addition, a limited print speed is necessary to achieve clean surfaces. Wood PLA – especially with a high wood content – is less tough and mechanically resilient than pure PLA. Finally, heat resistance remains limited – a typical characteristic of PLA compounds.
Tips for Printing with Wood Filament
To achieve clean 3D printing results with wood PLA filament, the material should always be stored dry. A smooth filament guide and a clean feeder are also important. This is followed by the actual print settings: first the basic values for PLA filament (such as extrusion, flow, and fan performance), then the fine-tuning of the wood filament settings. Important: experimenting with slicer settings is worthwhile, e.g., with layer settings or special slicer functions (e.g., combing) to avoid stringing and unnecessary movements.
PLA Wood Filament Settings
The print temperature for using wood filament in PLA 3D printing should be between 190 and 230 °C. For Geeetech wood filament, it is recommended to print the first layer at 220 °C and then switch to 205 °C. The temperature also changes the color tone: the hotter the print, the darker the result. For using PLA wood filament, the following settings are also suitable: The heated bed of your printer is set to 60 °C, the print speed is 30 to 50 mm/s, the layer height is 0.25 mm. The fan should run at 50 to 70%.
Which Nozzle is Suitable?
For wood filament in PLA 3D printing, the choice of nozzle is crucial. Generally, the finer the nozzle, the more detailed the result, and the larger the opening, the lower the risk of clogging by wood particles. In this case, a 0.6 mm nozzle is recommended, which reduces the risk of clogging and ensures a smooth particle flow.
Examples from Wood 3D Printing
A look at specific models shows the potential of wood filament and how convincing the 3D printing results can be. With the right settings in wood 3D printing, objects are created that are both decorative and practical.
Flowerpot
A small plant pot is created with wood PLA, whose surface is captivating with fine grooves and a warm grain. After light sanding or oiling, it looks almost like it was made from real wood – an ideal example of how 3D printing from wood harmoniously integrates into everyday life.
Wood Ornament
Even delicate ornaments benefit from the use of Wood 3D Filament. The matte surface and fine structure create natural decorative elements that are reminiscent of hand-carved works. With moderate print speed and clean cooling, uniform contours can be achieved.
Cube (Customer Example)
A user printed a test cube with Walnut Wood PLA. The basis was a profile based on PLA filament, adjusted with a reduced volumetric rate of 10 mm³/s. The nozzle heating was 205 °C, the bed at 60 °C, the flow at 0.98, and the K-value for pressure advance at about 0.0175. The result: smooth sidewalls, a wood texture that almost makes the layer lines disappear, and only slight gaps in the top layer. This example shows how precise settings lead to excellent 3D printing results with wood filament.
Conclusion
3D printing filament made of wood combines the naturalness of wood with the printability of PLA. With the right 3D printer settings, objects are created that are visually and haptically appealing. Those who use moderate speeds, clean cooling management, and the recommended nozzles can control color nuances and individually design the surface through targeted temperature tuning. Thus, wood PLA filament becomes a versatile material for decorative and practical 3D printing projects.