3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA-PHA vs PLA Wood

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

PLA/PHA blend guideWood-filled PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA-PHA comparisonsMore PLA Wood comparisons
PLA-PHA vs PLA Wood — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA/PHA blendPLAWood-filled PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$76.40/kg median; $76.40–$76.40/kg across 1 dated product listings$34.49/kg median; $13.99–$76.40/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA blended with polyhydroxyalkanoate, a bacterially fermented bio-polyester[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/cm³1.2 (ISO 1183)[1]1.15 (colorFabb) to 1.23 (Fiberlogy), ISO 1183; Bambu Lab 1.21[4][3][5]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg spools cluster near 25; counting the 0.5 kg specialty spools the middle of the market is about 34[6][7][8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented14–76 across brands; SUNLU 14, ELEGOO 19, Bambu Lab 25, Prusament 44, Filament PM 49 on 0.5 kg spools, colorFabb 76[7][6][9][10][11][8]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[1][3]Stocked by most mainstream brands[6][7][10][5]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 2200 g spools[1]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.85 and 1 kg spools[10][5][6]
Typical applicationsGeneral-purpose printing where PLA's brittleness is the limiting factor[1]Decorative and model-making prints that are sanded and stained like timber[4][3]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C195–220 (colorFabb)[1]190–240 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb advises 195–220 for its PLA/PHA base[4][3]
Bed temperature°C50–60 (colorFabb)[1]35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–70 (Fiberlogy)[4][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fan0–100 %; colorFabb states the blend runs on both heated and unheated beds[1][12]Fan on[4]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s3.2–8 at colorFabb's 40–100 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[12][13]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[4]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[1]Easy — minor profile tuning; pre-drying is required and the wood content chars if it sits hot[14][4]
Extruder requirementNot documentedNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible; Bambu Lab does not recommend the AMS lite[14]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[1]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[14][15]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Moderately abrasive — wood fill[14]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low — unfilled PLA blend; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle for PLA[16]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; wood particles char and block small nozzles[14]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; colorFabb publishes no figure for the blend[17][18]High — 1.25 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, the highest in the PLA family[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented1.25 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[4]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 8 h in a forced-air dryer; Bambu Lab lists pre-drying as required[4][14]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBambu Lab flags pre-drying and ventilation as specific requirements for this grade[14]
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[19]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[19][4]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa62–64 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[1]26 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 28.4 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy quotes 35 at yield[4][3][5]
Young's modulusMPa2960–3070 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb)[1]2360 ± 190 (Bambu Lab) and 2479 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 2950[4][3][5]
Elongation at break%4 and 11 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[1]4.5 (colorFabb) to 15.3 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 6.5[4][3][5]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented55 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[4]
Flexural modulusMPa2500–3300 flexural modulus (ISO 178, colorFabb)[1]2780 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²2.8–3.7 (ISO 179, notched, colorFabb)[1]3.81 (colorFabb) and 6.3 ± 2.2 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[4][3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 12.28 (colorFabb) and 15.7 (Bambu Lab), printed, ISO 179[4][3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented15 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 28 against 55 in XY[4]
Brittleness1–5Moderate — colorFabb positions the blend as tougher and less brittle than its generic PLA grades[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[4]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no PLA/PHA creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[20][21][22]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[20][21][22]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve for the blend; colorFabb positions it as tougher and less brittle than its generic PLA, which ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[23][1]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[23][4]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[4]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented58 by tensile, 51 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented57 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[4]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented54 (Bambu Lab, DSC); Fiberlogy quotes 55–60[4][5]
Melting point / Vicat°CAbove 155 melting (ISO 3146-C)[1]156 peak melt (DSC)[4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[24]Degrades within weeks outdoors[24]
Biodegradability / compostabilitycolorFabb states the PHA component is 100 % biodegradable[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[25]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[25]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[25]None needed in a normal room; Bambu Lab specifically advises ventilation for this grade[14]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands and stains like timber — the usual reason for choosing it[3]
Support material pairingNot documentedSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab)[4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedWood grain hides layer lines; colour darkens with nozzle temperature[4][3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves the PLA phase (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C); THF and DMF need 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[26]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[26]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[26][27]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[26][27]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[28][27]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[28][27]

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. PLA/PHA technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  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 Wood Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. FiberWood technical data sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  6. PLA Wood — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. PLA+ WOODJet - Natur (1,75 mm; 0,5 kg) Filament PM shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. woodFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. SUNLU Optimized Wood PLA 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. glowFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  13. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  18. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  24. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. 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
  26. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  27. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  28. 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