3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA Wood vs Breakaway

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

Wood-filled PLA guideBreak-away support guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA Wood comparisonsMore Breakaway comparisons
PLA Wood vs Breakaway — documented properties and sources
PropertyWood-filled PLAPLABreak-away supportSUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$34.49/kg median; $13.99–$76.40/kg across 6 dated product listings$42.49/kg median; $26.00–$79.98/kg across 4 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]Break-away support compounds matched to a specific model material — Polymaker sells separate grades for PLA and for PA12[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.15 (colorFabb) to 1.23 (Fiberlogy), ISO 1183; Bambu Lab 1.21[5][2][6]1.22 (PolySupport for PLA) and 1.29 (PolySupport for PA12), ISO 1183[3][4]
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 span 26–80; the middle of the market is about 45[10][11][12]
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][13][14][15][9]26–80 across brands and grades; IEMAI 3D E-REMOVE 26, Polymaker PolySupport for PLA 40 at 750 g, YXPOLYER 45, PolySupport for PA12 80 at 500 g[10][11][12]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[7][8][14][6]Available from several mainstream brands[10][16]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.85 and 1 kg spools[14][6][7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[10]
Typical applicationsDecorative and model-making prints that are sanded and stained like timber[5][2]Support that peels off by hand, avoiding the moisture handling and dissolution time that soluble supports demand[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[5]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–240 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb advises 195–220 for its PLA/PHA base[5][2]220–230 (PolySupport for PLA)[3]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–70 (Fiberlogy)[5][6]25–60 (PolySupport for PLA)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[5]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanFan on[5]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3]
Warping tendency1–5None[5]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; pre-drying is required and the wood content chars if it sits hot[17][5]Easy — minor profile tuning[3]
Extruder requirementNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible; Bambu Lab does not recommend the AMS lite[17]A second extruder or a tool changer[3]
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[17][18]Brass fine indefinitely[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — wood fill[17]Non-abrasive[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; wood particles char and block small nozzles[17]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Polymaker specifies a 55 °C dry for the PLA grade and warns brass nozzle life falls to about 9 h on the PA12 grade[3][4]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High — 1.25 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, the highest in the PLA family[5]Moderate — 0.64 % equilibrium water absorption (PolySupport for PLA)[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%1.25 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[5]0.64 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySupport for PLA)[3]
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 8 h in a forced-air dryer; Bambu Lab lists pre-drying as required[5][17]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBambu Lab flags pre-drying and ventilation as specific requirements for this grade[17]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[19][5]Not a structural material; no dry-versus-conditioned data is published[19]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa26 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 28.4 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy quotes 35 at yield[5][2][6]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2360 ± 190 (Bambu Lab) and 2479 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 2950[5][2][6]Not documented
Elongation at break%4.5 (colorFabb) to 15.3 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 6.5[5][2][6]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa55 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[5]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2780 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[5]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²3.81 (colorFabb) and 6.3 ± 2.2 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[5][2]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 12.28 (colorFabb) and 15.7 (Bambu Lab), printed, ISO 179[5][2]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa15 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 28 against 55 in XY[5]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[5]Not documented
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[20][21][22]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[23][5]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[5]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%58 by tensile, 51 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[5]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[5]43 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, PolySupport for PA12). Polymaker's sheet prints a higher figure at the higher load, which is physically inverted; treat both HDT numbers as approximate[4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C57 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[5]53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, PolySupport for PA12) — printed above the 0.45 MPa figure on Polymaker's own sheet, which cannot be right; treat both as approximate[4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C54 (Bambu Lab, DSC); Fiberlogy quotes 55–60[5][6]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C156 peak melt (DSC)[5]Vicat 171 (PolySupport for PA12, ISO 306)[4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[24]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, THERMAX HTS2 and MTS1)[25][26]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[27]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[27]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room; Bambu Lab specifically advises ventilation for this grade[17]Open a window / occasional ventilation[27]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and stains like timber — the usual reason for choosing it[2]Not documented
Support material pairingSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab)[5]This is the support material. Polymaker publishes an adhesion matrix per model material, from very good to unusable, because break-away supports only work against the polymer they were matched to[3][4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailWood grain hides layer lines; colour darkens with nozzle temperature[5][2]Not documented
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.[28]None — break-away support is removed mechanically; 3DXTech lists no water or solvent route for it.[29]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[28][30]Not documented
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[31][30]None — there is no solvent to weld or smooth with.[29]

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. PolySupport Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. PolySupport for PA12 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  5. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Wood Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  6. FiberWood technical data sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · 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. YXPOLYER Breakaway Support Filament 1 kg Black — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. IEMAI 3D E-REMOVE breakaway support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. woodFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. SUNLU Optimized Wood PLA 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  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. THERMAX HTS2 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  26. THERMAX MTS1 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  27. 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
  28. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  29. THERMAX HTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  30. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  31. 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