How to Fix Warping in 3D Prints
Why prints warp
Filament shrinks as it cools from print temperature to room temperature. The bottom layers cool first and try to contract, but they are stuck to the bed. The internal stress shows up as the corners curling upwards or the whole print popping off.
Fix 1: bed adhesion
- Clean the bed with isopropyl alcohol
- PEI sheet for PLA and PETG
- Glue stick or ABS slurry for ABS and ASA
- Correct first layer height (squish a little)
- Bed temp at the higher end of the material's range
Fix 2: brims and mouse ears
A brim is a single-layer skirt that sticks to the bed and holds the print down. 5 to 8 mm wide is usually enough for PLA and PETG; 10 to 15 mm for ABS. For tall thin geometry, add 'mouse ears' (small flat disks at the corners) in your slicer or by hand-modelling.
Fix 3: kill the drafts
- ABS and ASA need an enclosure for anything over 80 mm
- Even PLA can warp on a 200 mm print if the printer sits under an air conditioner vent
- Don't open windows mid-print
Fix 4: temperature
- Bed too cold: filament does not stick well
- First layer too fast: not enough time to bond
- Layer fan too high on layer 2 for ABS: drop to zero for first 30 layers
Material warping ranked
| Material | Warping |
|---|---|
| PLA | Low |
| PETG | Low to medium |
| TPU | Low |
| ASA | Medium |
| ABS | High |
| Nylon | High |
| PC | High |
Browse the range
PLA warps least; PETG is the easy intermediate; ASA over ABS for outdoor durability.