3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA Wood vs TPU soft

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

Wood-filled PLA guideSoft TPU (below 85A) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA Wood comparisonsMore TPU soft comparisons
PLA Wood vs TPU soft — documented properties and sources
PropertyWood-filled PLAPLASoft TPU (below 85A)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$34.49/kg median; $13.99–$76.40/kg across 6 dated product listings$114.04/kg median; $109.80–$122.27/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]Very soft thermoplastic elastomers below 85 Shore A. Fiberlogy's FiberFlex 30D measures 81 Shore A, the softest grade with a published datasheet found here[3]
Densityg/cm³1.15 (colorFabb) to 1.23 (Fiberlogy), ISO 1183; Bambu Lab 1.21[4][2][5]1.07 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 25; counting the 0.5 kg specialty spools the middle of the market is about 34[6][7][8]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 115[9][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[7][6][12][13][14][8]110–122 at 1 kg-equivalent; Recreus 70A 110 and 60A 116 at 500 g, NinjaTek Edge 83A 112, NinjaTek Chinchilla 75A 122; the Recreus 3 kg spools fall to 70–73[9][11][10]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[6][7][13][5]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3][15][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.85 and 1 kg spools[13][5][6]1.75, 2.85 and 3 mm; 0.5, 0.85, 1, 2 and 3 kg spools[3][9][16][10]
Typical applicationsDecorative and model-making prints that are sanded and stained like timber[4][2]Highly compliant seals, soft grips and prosthetic liners[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[4]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–240 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb advises 195–220 for its PLA/PHA base[4][2]Not documented
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–70 (Fiberlogy)[4][5]50–70 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[4]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanFan on[4]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[17][18]
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[19][4]Expert / industrial hardware only — below 85 Shore A the filament buckles in almost any feed path that is not a short, constrained direct drive[16][18]
Extruder requirementNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible; Bambu Lab does not recommend the AMS lite[19]Direct drive only, with a constrained filament path; Bowden is not viable at this hardness[16][15]
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[19][20]Brass fine indefinitely[21]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — wood fill[19]Non-abrasive[21]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; wood particles char and block small nozzles[19]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; below 85 Shore A the filament buckles and compresses, and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates most likely end in a jam[17][18][22]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedVery high — softens in the cold zone readily[18]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[17]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High — 1.25 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, the highest in the PLA family[4]Moderate[22]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%1.25 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[4]Not documented
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 8 h in a forced-air dryer; Bambu Lab lists pre-drying as required[4][19]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBambu Lab flags pre-drying and ventilation as specific requirements for this grade[19]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]
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[22][4]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[22]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[22]
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]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2360 ± 190 (Bambu Lab) and 2479 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 2950[4][2][5]Not documented
Elongation at break%4.5 (colorFabb) to 15.3 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 6.5[4][2][5]870 at break (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 527) — the highest elongation in the dataset[3]
Flexural strengthMPa55 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[4]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2780 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[4]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²3.81 (colorFabb) and 6.3 ± 2.2 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[4][2]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 12.28 (colorFabb) and 15.7 (Bambu Lab), printed, ISO 179[4][2]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa15 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 28 against 55 in XY[4]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[4]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented81 Shore A and 30 Shore D (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 7619)[3]
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[23][24][25]Poor — no creep test at this hardness; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[26]
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[27][4]Excellent — living hinges viable[18]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[4]Rubbery / highly elastic[3]
Z strength as % of XY%58 by tensile, 51 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[4]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedTear strength 95 kN/m (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 34-1)[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[4]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C57 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[4]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C54 (Bambu Lab, DSC); Fiberlogy quotes 55–60[4][5]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C156 peak melt (DSC)[4]170 melting (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, DSC)[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[28]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[18]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[18]
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[18]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[18]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[18]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[29]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[29]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room; Bambu Lab specifically advises ventilation for this grade[19]Open a window / occasional ventilation[29]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and stains like timber — the usual reason for choosing it[2]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[18]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[18]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[18]
Support material pairingSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab)[4]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[18]
Dimensional accuracy & detailWood grain hides layer lines; colour darkens with nozzle temperature[4][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.[30]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[31]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[30][32]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[31]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[33][32]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[31]

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. FiberFlex 30D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 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. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Chinchilla product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. NinjaFlex Edge product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. woodFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. SUNLU Optimized Wood PLA 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Filaflex 82A product page (Shore hardness and elongation) Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. NinjaFlex 85A Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  17. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  25. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  26. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  27. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  28. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  29. 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
  30. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  31. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  33. 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