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🛠️ Common Print Problems

Every 3D printer owner hits these. Click a problem to see exactly how to fix it.

🌊
Print lifted off the bed / warping
Edges curl up, print shifts, or peels off mid-print
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How to fix it

1
Clean the bed with IPA. Wipe it down with 91%+ isopropyl alcohol before every print. Finger oils and dust destroy adhesion.
2
Add a brim. In PrusaSlicer: Print Settings → Skirt and Brim → Brim width: 6mm. This anchors the edges to the bed.
3
Check bed temperature. PLA needs 60°C. PETG needs 85°C. Too cold = poor adhesion.
4
Live Adjust Z. First layer lines should look slightly squished and shiny. If they look round and loose, go lower (more negative Z offset) during the first layer.
5
No drafts. AC, fans, or open windows cool the print unevenly. Block airflow around the printer.
💡 PLA tip: if warping keeps happening, try a glue stick on the bed. Cheap washable glue stick creates a thin bond layer and wipes off with water.
🕸️
Stringing / cobwebs between parts
Fine threads of plastic stretching across gaps
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How to fix it

1
Lower print temperature by 5°C. PLA at 215°C stringing? Try 210°C. Hotter plastic is runnier and drips more between moves.
2
Increase retraction. In PrusaSlicer: Filament Settings → Retraction length. For direct drive printers (like Prusa MK4/Core One): 1–2mm. For Bowden: 4–6mm.
3
Dry your filament. Wet PLA strings badly. If it's been sitting out over a few weeks, dry it at 45°C in an oven or food dehydrator for 4–6 hours.
4
Enable "Avoid crossing perimeters" in Print Settings → Travel. The nozzle travels over already-printed areas instead of open air.
📐
First layer not sticking / gaps in first layer
First layer looks thin, gapped, or peels right off
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How to fix it

1
Run First Layer Calibration. On Prusa: LCD Menu → Calibration → First Layer Calibration. Follow the on-screen steps. This is the single most important calibration on any printer.
2
Slow down the first layer. Print Settings → Speed → First layer speed: 15 mm/s. Slow = more time to bond.
3
Increase first layer height. Print Settings → Layers → First layer height: 0.25mm (instead of 0.2mm). A thicker first layer squishes better.
4
Make sure bed is at temp before starting. Wait for the bed to fully reach 60°C, not just start heating. Some slicers start the print before the bed stabilizes.
💡 The Live Adjust Z is your best friend. During the first layer, press the knob and turn it until lines look fused together. Save the value when done.
💥
Layer separation / print splitting apart
Layers cracking horizontally, print breaks easily
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How to fix it

1
Increase nozzle temperature. Layers aren't bonding because plastic is too cool. Try 220°C for PLA, 235°C for PETG.
2
Slow down print speed. Print Settings → Speed → lower Print speed to 40–50 mm/s. Faster printing = less time for layers to bond.
3
Reduce cooling fan. Fan cools layers before the next one bonds. Try Fan Speed: 50% instead of 100% for PLA.
4
Dry filament. Wet filament has steam bubbles that prevent layer bonding. Dry at 45°C for 6 hours.
🔇
Clicking / grinding noise from extruder
Skipping sounds, under-extrusion, thin layers
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How to fix it

1
Increase temperature by 5–10°C. The extruder is struggling to push plastic. Hotter = easier to push.
2
Slow down print speed. Demanding too much flow too fast causes skipping.
3
Check for a partial clog. Heat to 220°C, manually push filament through the nozzle. Should flow smoothly. If not, do a cold pull: heat to 200°C, push in, cool to 90°C, pull out firmly — repeat until the pulled plastic comes out clean.
4
Check filament path. Make sure filament isn't tangled on the spool or kinked going into the extruder.
💡 Cold pulls (also called "atomic pulls") are the best way to clear a partial clog without disassembling anything. PLA is easiest to pull at 90°C.
🕳️
Holes or gaps in top surface
Top layer looks patchy, you can see infill through the top
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How to fix it

1
Add more top layers. Print Settings → Layers → Top solid layers: set to 5 or 6 (instead of 3). More top layers = fully closed surface.
2
Increase infill percentage. Low infill (10–15%) doesn't support the top layers enough. Try 20–30% for most prints.
3
Check for under-extrusion. If the whole print looks thin or weak, temperature may be too low — see the clicking/grinding fix above.
📏
Print came out the wrong size
Too big, too small, or won't fit what it's supposed to
›

How to fix it

1
Check the scale in PrusaSlicer. After importing the STL, look at the dimensions panel on the right. If it shows something wildly wrong, select the object and press S → type exact size, or click "Scale to fit".
2
Make sure units match. Some STL files are in mm, some in inches. PrusaSlicer assumes mm. If the print is 25x too big, the file was in inches — scale it to 1/25.4.
3
Holes too tight? That's normal — FDM prints run slightly small on inner diameters. Scale up 1–2% or use the Horizontal Expansion setting in Print Settings.

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Step-by-step settings for PrusaSlicer, OrcaSlicer, Cura, and Bambu Studio — plus downloadable profiles so you never have to set it up manually again.

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