3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA Glow vs PLA Wood

Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.

Glow-in-the-dark PLA guideWood-filled PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA Glow comparisonsMore PLA Wood comparisons
PLA Glow vs PLA Wood — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlow-in-the-dark PLAPLAWood-filled PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$24.99/kg median; $19.99–$49.16/kg across 5 dated product listings$34.49/kg median; $13.99–$76.40/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA with a phosphorescent additive at 2–20 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS, filler not named)[1]PLA filled with wood powder — 10–18 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS); colorFabb woodFill uses a PLA/PHA base with recycled wood fibre[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.24 (colorFabb) to 1.26 (Bambu Lab), ISO 1183[4][5]1.15 (colorFabb) to 1.23 (Fiberlogy), ISO 1183; Bambu Lab 1.21[6][3][7]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 25[8][9]1 kg spools cluster near 25; counting the 0.5 kg specialty spools the middle of the market is about 34[10][11][12]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg20–49 across brands; ELEGOO 20, Bambu Lab 25, Polymaker 25, Filament PM 49 on 0.5 kg spools[11][8][9][13]14–76 across brands; SUNLU 14, ELEGOO 19, Bambu Lab 25, Prusament 44, Filament PM 49 on 0.5 kg spools, colorFabb 76[11][10][14][15][16][12]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][9][11]Stocked by most mainstream brands[10][11][15][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 and 1 kg spools[17][5]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.85 and 1 kg spools[15][7][10]
Typical applicationsSignage, novelty and cosplay parts that glow after light exposure[4]Decorative and model-making prints that are sanded and stained like timber[6][3]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[6]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230 on the Bambu Lab TDS against 210–240 in its own material table; colorFabb advises 195–220[4][18][5]190–240 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb advises 195–220 for its PLA/PHA base[6][3]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–60 (colorFabb)[4][5]35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–70 (Fiberlogy)[6][7]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[4]Open frame is fine[6]
Part cooling fanFan on; colorFabb allows 0–100 %[4][5]Fan on[6]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[6]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; a hardened nozzle is mandatory[18][9]Easy — minor profile tuning; pre-drying is required and the wood content chars if it sits hot[18][6]
Extruder requirementBambu Lab: hardened steel and high-flow nozzles only, 0.2 mm excluded, AMS lite not compatible[18]Nozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible; Bambu Lab does not recommend the AMS lite[18]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[18][9][5]Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work — Bambu Lab's PLA compatibility table lists no hardened-nozzle requirement, but its nozzle guide names wood among the abrasive filaments hardened steel exists for[18][19]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — the phosphor is a hard ceramic; Bambu Lab groups glow with carbon fibre as the materials that wear nozzles and grind AMS PTFE, and both Bambu Lab and Polymaker require a hardened nozzle[18][5]Moderately abrasive — wood fill[18]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[18]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; wood particles char and block small nozzles[18]
Hotend requirementHardened steel nozzle; Bambu Lab lists glow-in-the-dark among the filaments its hardened-steel nozzle exists for[19][18]Not documented
Other hardware wearBambu Lab reports the filament adds enough feeding resistance to fail prints on the AMS lite; colorFabb warns of brass nozzle wear[18][5]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.46 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[4]High — 1.25 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, the highest in the PLA family[6]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.46 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[4]1.25 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[6]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 8 h in a forced-air dryer; Bambu Lab lists pre-drying as required[6][18]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBambu Lab flags pre-drying and ventilation as specific requirements for this grade[18]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[20]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. At 1.25 % saturated uptake the practical loss shows as poor layer adhesion, rough surface and weak layers[20][6]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa32 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb quotes 61.5 by ISO 527 on its own specimens[4][5]26 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 28.4 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy quotes 35 at yield[6][3][7]
Young's modulusMPa2030 ± 210 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 2960[4][5]2360 ± 190 (Bambu Lab) and 2479 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 2950[6][3][7]
Elongation at break%8.6 ± 1.2 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 10.5 at break[4][5]4.5 (colorFabb) to 15.3 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 6.5[6][3][7]
Flexural strengthMPa76 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[4]55 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[6]
Flexural modulusMPa2640 ± 130 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 3295[4][5]2780 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²2.8 (colorFabb, ISO 179-1/1eA) and 8.8 ± 1.7 (Bambu Lab, ISO 179) printed XY, notched[4][5]3.81 (colorFabb) and 6.3 ± 2.2 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[6][3]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 27.3 (Bambu Lab) and 30.8 (colorFabb), printed, ISO 179[4][5]Charpy unnotched 12.28 (colorFabb) and 15.7 (Bambu Lab), printed, ISO 179[6][3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa26 ± 3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[4]15 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 28 against 55 in XY[6]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[4]Brittle — snaps with little warning[6]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no glow-grade creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[21][22][23]Poor — no wood-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[21][22][23]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and the glow filler leaves a brittle, highly abrasive compound[24][4]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and the wood filler cuts elongation and the parts snap without warning[24][6]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[4]Rigid[6]
Z strength as % of XY%81 by tensile, 72 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[4]58 by tensile, 51 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[6]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[4]60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C52 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[4]57 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[6]
Glass transition (Tg)°C55 (DSC)[4]54 (Bambu Lab, DSC); Fiberlogy quotes 55–60[6][7]
Melting point / Vicat°C155 peak melt (DSC); colorFabb quotes above 155 by ISO 3146-C[4][5]156 peak melt (DSC)[6]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[25]Degrades within weeks outdoors[25]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[26]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[26]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[26]None needed in a normal room; Bambu Lab specifically advises ventilation for this grade[18]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands and stains like timber — the usual reason for choosing it[3]
Support material pairingSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab)[4]Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[6]
Dimensional accuracy & detailGlow brightness rises with wall thickness; 0.2 mm nozzles are not usable[18]Wood grain hides layer lines; colour darkens with nozzle temperature[6][3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[27]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[27]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[27][28]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[27][28]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[29][28]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[29][28]

Material entries describe families or representative grades, not an interchangeable specification for every spool. Test methods, orientations and conditions may differ. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. Safety Data Sheet SDS20251127A12 — Bambu PLA Glow Bambu Lab · 2025-11 · msds
  2. Safety Data Sheet SDS20250723SA16 — Bambu PLA Wood Bambu Lab · 2025-07 · msds
  3. woodFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Glow Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. glowFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Wood Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  7. FiberWood technical data sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  8. PLA Glow — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Panchroma Luminous PLA — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. PLA Wood — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PLA+ WOODJet - Natur (1,75 mm; 0,5 kg) Filament PM shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Filament PM PLA GlowJet technical data sheet Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  14. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. woodFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. SUNLU Optimized Wood PLA 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  25. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop Three-Dimensional Printers with Multiple Filaments (Azimi et al.) Environmental Science & Technology 50(3) 1260-1268 · 2016-01 · paper
  27. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  28. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper