3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA Wood vs PVB

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

Wood-filled PLA guidePVB guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA Wood comparisonsMore PVB comparisons
PLA Wood vs PVB — documented properties and sources
PropertyWood-filled PLAPLAPVBSPECIALTY
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$34.49/kg median; $13.99–$76.40/kg across 6 dated product listings$66.65/kg median; $49.32–$79.98/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA filled with wood powder — 10–18 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS); colorFabb woodFill uses a PLA/PHA base with recycled wood fibre[1][2]Polyvinyl butyral — a printable thermoplastic whose surface can be smoothed with isopropyl alcohol instead of a hot solvent[3]
Densityg/cm³1.15 (colorFabb) to 1.23 (Fiberlogy), ISO 1183; Bambu Lab 1.21[4][2][5]1.10 (Polymaker PolySmooth, ISO 1183); Prusament PVB 1.10[3][6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 25; counting the 0.5 kg specialty spools the middle of the market is about 34[7][8][9]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 80[10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg14–76 across brands; SUNLU 14, ELEGOO 19, Bambu Lab 25, Prusament 44, Filament PM 49 on 0.5 kg spools, colorFabb 76[8][7][11][12][13][9]49–102 across brands; Polymaker PolySmooth 49 at 750 g, Prusament PVB 80–102 at 500 g[10][11]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[7][8][12][5]Available from several mainstream brands[10][11]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.85 and 1 kg spools[12][5][7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[10][11]
Typical applicationsDecorative and model-making prints that are sanded and stained like timber[4][2]Display models and light guides where a layer-free surface matters more than strength[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[4]+/- 0.03 (Prusament PVB)[6]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–240 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb advises 195–220 for its PLA/PHA base[4][2]215 +/- 10 (Prusament PVB)[6]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–70 (Fiberlogy)[4][5]75 +/- 5 (Prusament PVB)[6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[4]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanFan on[4]100 % part cooling (Prusament PVB)[6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedSmooth PEI sheet or satin sheet; Prusa states a brim is not generally necessary[6]
Warping tendency1–5None[4]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; pre-drying is required and the wood content chars if it sits hot[14][4]Easy — minor profile tuning; it prints close to PLA[3]
Extruder requirementNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible; Bambu Lab does not recommend the AMS lite[14]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass 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]Brass fine indefinitely[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — wood fill[14]Non-abrasive[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; wood particles char and block small nozzles[14]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa calls PVB very prone to absorbing moisture and requires a 60 °C, 4 h dry before every print[16][17]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High — 1.25 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, the highest in the PLA family[4]Very high (>2 %) — 2.36 % equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySmooth), above every PLA and PETG grade here[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%1.25 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[4]2.36 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySmooth); 2.09 for PolyCast; Prusament PVB takes up 0.18 in 24 h and 0.35 in 7 days at 24 °C and 22 % RH[3][18][6]
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 8 h in a forced-air dryer; Bambu Lab lists pre-drying as required[4][14]Maximum 60 °C for 4-8 h depending on how wet the filament is (Prusament PVB)[6]
Symptoms when wetBambu Lab flags pre-drying and ventilation as specific requirements for this grade[14]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthNo dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. At 1.25 % saturated uptake the practical loss shows as poor layer adhesion, rough surface and weak layers[17][4]Polymaker publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; at 2.36 % equilibrium uptake the material has to be kept dry to print cleanly[3][17]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant[17]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa26 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 28.4 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy quotes 35 at yield[4][2][5]51.8 ± 0.7 printed XY, ISO 527 (PolySmooth); 53.2 ± 1.1 for PolyCast; Prusament PVB gives 50 +/- 5 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1) and 57 +/- 1 on the filament (ISO 527)[3][18][6]
Young's modulusMPa2360 ± 190 (Bambu Lab) and 2479 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 2950[4][2][5]2199 ± 43 printed XY and 2010 ± 69 printed Z, ISO 527 (PolySmooth); Prusament PVB gives 1700 +/- 100 in both print directions (ISO 527-1)[3][6]
Elongation at break%4.5 (colorFabb) to 15.3 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 6.5[4][2][5]5.7 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (PolyCast)[18]
Flexural strengthMPa55 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[4]72 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 73 +/- 3 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament PVB)[6]
Flexural modulusMPa2780 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[4]2233 ± 106 printed XY, ISO 178 (PolyCast); Prusament PVB gives 2200 +/- 100 horizontal and 2300 +/- 100 vertical (ISO 178)[18][6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²3.81 (colorFabb) and 6.3 ± 2.2 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[4][2]7 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 10 +/- 1 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament PVB)[6]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 12.28 (colorFabb) and 15.7 (Bambu Lab), printed, ISO 179[4][2]Charpy unnotched 55 +/- 7 printed horizontal and 59 +/- 12 printed vertical (Prusament PVB, ISO 179-1)[6]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa15 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 28 against 55 in XY[4]26.3 ± 2.1 printed Z, ISO 527 (PolyCast); Prusament PVB gives 49 +/- 5 at yield printed vertical (ISO 527-1) and 9 +/- 1 on Prusa's interlayer adhesion test[18][6]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[4]Moderate[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedShore D 77 (Prusa Polymers method)[6]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no wood-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[19][20][21]Not documented
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 wood filler cuts elongation and the parts snap without warning[22][4]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[4]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%58 by tensile, 51 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[4]98 (Prusament PVB, printed vertical against horizontal tensile yield, ISO 527-1: 49 +/- 5 against 50 +/- 5) — the most isotropic printed material in this dataset[6]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[4]68 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa; Prusament PVB 63 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa)[3][18][6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C57 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[4]66 (PolySmooth) and 53 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament PVB 58 (ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa)[3][18][6]
Glass transition (Tg)°C54 (Bambu Lab, DSC); Fiberlogy quotes 55–60[4][5]70 (DSC) for both PolySmooth and PolyCast[3][18]
Melting point / Vicat°C156 peak melt (DSC)[4]Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 70 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 306[3][18]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[23]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[24]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[24]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room; Bambu Lab specifically advises ventilation for this grade[14]Open a window / occasional ventilation[24]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and stains like timber — the usual reason for choosing it[2]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedIsopropyl alcohol vapour smoothing is the point of the material — Polymaker markets PolySmooth for hands-free post-processing to a layer-free surface[3]
Support material pairingSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab)[4]PolyDissolve S1 is rated for PVB (Polymaker)[25]
Dimensional accuracy & detailWood grain hides layer lines; colour darkens with nozzle temperature[4][2]PolyCast is the investment-casting variant of the same chemistry — it burns out cleanly rather than being smoothed[18]
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.[26]Isopropyl alcohol dissolves it; Prusa describes PVB as soluble only in IPA, and it is not water-soluble.[16]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[26][27]Not documented
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[28][27]Isopropyl alcohol: brushed or sprayed on for speed, or several hours in IPA vapour for a glass-like surface.[27][16]

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 SDS20250723SA16 — Bambu PLA Wood Bambu Lab · 2025-07 · msds
  2. woodFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  3. PolySmooth Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Wood Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. FiberWood technical data sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Prusament PVB Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  7. PLA Wood — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. PLA+ WOODJet - Natur (1,75 mm; 0,5 kg) Filament PM shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. woodFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. SUNLU Optimized Wood PLA 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Prusament PVB — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  17. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PolyCast Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  19. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  20. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  23. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. 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
  25. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  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