Sometimes a print should not look like plastic. Our speciality PLAs change the look and feel of a part: carbon fibre for a dark technical finish, wood for a natural look, marble for a stone effect, translucent for parts that let light through, and rainbow for prints that change colour as they rise.
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Choose the material in the quote, set the size and infill, and the price appears straight away. All of these print on the same FDM printers as our standard PLA, up to 400 x 400 x 450 mm.
Carbon fibre PLA
Carbon fibre PLA is PLA filled with short, chopped carbon fibres. It prints with a dark, matte, slightly textured surface that hides layer lines well and gives a part a technical, engineered look. The fibres also make it stiffer than standard PLA, though it is more brittle, so it is better for rigid parts than ones that need to flex.
Good for: drone and RC parts, camera and tool mounts, housings, brackets and prototypes that should look like a finished product.
Wood PLA
Wood PLA is PLA blended with fine wood particles. The printed part has a matte, natural wood look and feel rather than a plastic sheen. It suits decorative pieces more than load-bearing ones, since the wood content makes it weaker than standard PLA.
Good for: ornaments, figurines, plant pots, frames, boxes, game pieces and gifts.
Marble PLA
Marble PLA has fine speckles mixed through the plastic, so printed parts look like stone. Because the effect is in the material itself, there is no painting needed to get a stone finish.
Good for: busts and statues, vases, architectural models, bookends and decor.
Translucent PLA
Translucent PLA lets light pass through, so a part glows softly when it is lit from behind or inside. It is translucent rather than glass-clear: the layers and infill scatter the light, and you will see the inside structure of the part. If you need a clear part with less visible structure, clear resin may suit small pieces better.
Good for: lampshades and light diffusers, light covers, night light shells and decorative display pieces.
Rainbow PLA
Rainbow PLA changes colour gradually along the length of the filament, so a print shows bands of colour as it gets taller. The bands depend on how much plastic each layer uses, so you cannot choose exactly where each colour falls, and no two prints come out quite the same. It is priced as a standard PLA.
Good for: vases, toys, figures, fidgets and anything where a bit of colour is the point.
For prints with specific colours in specific places, see multicolour 3D printing, priced instantly from a colour 3MF file.
What speciality PLA costs
The price of every PLA part is mostly based on the weight of plastic actually printed, which depends on the size of the part and the infill, plus a small charge for the part’s volume. The minimum is $1 per part.
- Rainbow PLA is charged at the same rate as standard PLA.
- Marble costs a little more per gram than standard PLA.
- Translucent costs a bit more again.
- Carbon fibre and wood are the dearest PLAs we offer.
As a real example from our quote, a 30 x 20 x 10 mm block printed at 100% infill costs $1.92 in black PLA and $2.50 in wood PLA. On most parts the difference is small in dollars; on large parts it adds up. Our infill percentage guide shows how infill changes the price.
Prices include GST, and shipping is a flat $15 per order anywhere in Australia, free on orders of $80 or more.
Other finishes
- Silk PLA for a shiny, metallic-looking surface.
- Matte PLA for a flat finish that hides layer lines.
- Glow in the dark PLA.
Our 3D printing materials guide compares every material we sell, and our online 3D printing service explains how ordering works.
Frequently asked questions
Is carbon fibre PLA as strong as carbon fibre?
No. It is PLA with short carbon fibres mixed in, not a woven carbon fibre part. It is stiffer than standard PLA but more brittle.
Can wood PLA be sanded or stained?
Wood PLA can be lightly sanded like other PLA prints. Results with stains vary, so test on a hidden area first. Our guide to post-processing 3D prints covers sanding and finishing.
Is translucent PLA see-through?
It lets light through but is not glass-clear. You will see the layers and the inside structure of the part, which gives a soft, diffused glow when lit.
Can I choose where the colours go on a rainbow print?
No. The colour changes along the filament, so the bands depend on the shape of the model. For colours in set places, ask about multicolour printing.
Which speciality PLA is best for a functional part?
Carbon fibre PLA, for rigid parts. For most working parts, standard PLA at a higher infill is a good choice and costs less.