{
  "opening": "These PLA rows list 190–230 °C (374–446 °F).",
  "question": "Why does PLA warp or elephant-foot on a hot bed?",
  "slug": "pla_heat_bed",
  "useCase": "pla",
  "useCaseLabel": "PLA",
  "updated": "2026-10-18",
  "shortAnswer": "These threads do not show elephant foot from a hot PLA bed. The Ender 3 that lifted wrote 50°F, and the top comment treats 50 °C (122 °F) as slightly low and says 60 or 65 can work. A closed enclosure at a 50 °C (122 °F) bed is heat creep, which is a different failure.",
  "recommendedMaterials": [
    "pla"
  ],
  "printerConsiderations": [
    "On r/FixMyPrint 1hym5rs the title says bed 50f and nozzle 200f. The score-53 comment says that is probably 50 °C (122 °F), that 50 °F would be far too low, that 50 °C (122 °F) is slightly low for PLA, and that 60 or 65 can work. It also says keep the room free of drafts. A score-10 comment says the part is cooling unevenly and mentions a draft shield or a wide brim.",
    "On r/3Dprinting 105by21 the enclosure is zipped, nozzle 200, bed 50, and the poster says Celsius. The score-25 comment says the extruder got hot enough to mangle PLA. The score-13 comment says PLA needs to cool and the enclosure is for ABS or PETG. The score-9 comment says heat creep. The bed in that post is 50 °C (122 °F). The problem they describe is the closed box.",
    "On r/FixMyPrint 117fwds the material is PETG at 240 °C (464 °F). The beds in the post are 70 °C (158 °F) and then 90 °C (194 °F). The score-12 comment says the part is cooling unevenly. That is a PETG warp thread."
  ],
  "pros": [
    "The one PLA bed comment in the set gives a direction: the written 50°F was a unit error, and 50 °C (122 °F) was called slightly low.",
    "Four catalog beds are on the page, so 60 °C (140 °F) and 65 °C (149 °F) can be checked against a row instead of used everywhere."
  ],
  "cons": [
    "Elephant foot is not described in the retrieved comments. A wide first layer from too much squish is not in this set.",
    "r/FixMyPrint vmmrlq prints at a 200 nozzle and a 60 bed. The score-29 comment says clog, moisture, or low extrusion. The score-5 comment says retraction pulling air, or wet filament."
  ],
  "community": "r/FixMyPrint 1hym5rs is an Ender 3, PLA+, one side lifting, title temperatures 50f and 200f. The score-53 comment corrects the unit and calls 50 °C (122 °F) slightly low. r/3Dprinting 105by21 is an Ender 5 Plus enclosure. Open prints, zipped under-extrudes, at 200 and 50 Celsius. Comments say the box is too hot for PLA. r/FixMyPrint vmmrlq is a rough print at 200 and 60. Comments say clog and moisture. r/FixMyPrint vx5cn4 clicks at extruder 211 and bed 55. The score-23 comment says a partial clog and tells the poster to try 230. r/FixMyPrint 117fwds is PETG warp at 240 °C (464 °F) with beds of 70 °C (158 °F) and 90 °C (194 °F).",
  "related": [
    "pla_temp",
    "warping",
    "bed_adhesion",
    "pla_print"
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Is 60 °C (140 °F) the Bambu PLA Basic bed?",
      "a": "No. Technical data sheet V3.0 lists 35–45 °C (95–113 °F). The score-53 comment's 60 or 65 is that comment, on an Ender 3 PLA+ print. Prusament PLA's catalog bed stops at 60 °C (140 °F). ELEGOO PLA's catalog bed includes 65 °C (149 °F)."
    },
    {
      "q": "Where is the elephant foot in these threads?",
      "a": "It is not in the retrieved comments. The lifting thread is a corner coming off the bed. The enclosure thread is heat creep. The clicking thread is a clog at bed 55. The PETG thread is PETG. The warping guide and the bed-adhesion guide are the pages for those failures."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Bambu PLA Basic technical data sheet V3.0",
      "url": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0584/7236/6216/files/Bambu_PLA_Basic_Technical_Data_Sheet_bf3411ce-be39-4db7-9669-1b4671d2196b.pdf?v=1734060943",
      "kind": "datasheet"
    },
    {
      "title": "Prusament PLA Jet Black",
      "url": "https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusament-pla-jet-black-1kg/",
      "kind": "manufacturer"
    },
    {
      "title": "Polymaker PolyLite PLA",
      "url": "https://shop.polymaker.com/products/polylite-pla",
      "kind": "manufacturer"
    },
    {
      "title": "ELEGOO PLA 1.75 mm",
      "url": "https://us.elegoo.com/products/pla-filament-1-75mm-colored-1kg",
      "kind": "manufacturer"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/FixMyPrint vmmrlq",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/FixMyPrint/comments/vmmrlq/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/FixMyPrint 1hym5rs",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/FixMyPrint/comments/1hym5rs/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/FixMyPrint vx5cn4",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/FixMyPrint/comments/vx5cn4/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/FixMyPrint 117fwds",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/FixMyPrint/comments/117fwds/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/3Dprinting 105by21",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/105by21/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    }
  ],
  "recommendations": [
    {
      "rank": 1,
      "note": "Bambu PLA Basic lists a bed of 35–45 °C (95–113 °F) and a nozzle of 190–230 °C (374–446 °F) on technical data sheet V3.0. The score-53 comment's 60 or 65 is above that bed. Do not copy 65 °C (149 °F) onto this row.",
      "brand": "Bambu Lab",
      "product": "PLA Basic",
      "material": "PLA",
      "url": "/brand/bambu-lab/pla-basic",
      "nozzle": "190–230 °C (374–446 °F)",
      "bed": "35–45 °C (95–113 °F)",
      "pricePerKg": null,
      "datasheetUrl": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0584/7236/6216/files/Bambu_PLA_Basic_Technical_Data_Sheet_bf3411ce-be39-4db7-9669-1b4671d2196b.pdf?v=1734060943",
      "affiliateUrl": null
    },
    {
      "rank": 2,
      "note": "The catalog lists a bed of 40–60 °C (104–140 °F) and a nozzle of 205–225 °C (401–437 °F). The Jet Black page lists a heatbed of 50–60 °C (122–140 °F) and a nozzle of 215 °C (419 °F). 60 °C (140 °F) is the top of both. 65 °C (149 °F) is outside both.",
      "brand": "Prusament",
      "product": "PLA",
      "material": "PLA",
      "url": "/brand/prusament/pla",
      "nozzle": "205–225 °C (401–437 °F)",
      "bed": "40–60 °C (104–140 °F)",
      "pricePerKg": null,
      "datasheetUrl": null,
      "affiliateUrl": null
    },
    {
      "rank": 3,
      "note": "PolyLite PLA lists a bed of 25–60 °C (77–140 °F) and a nozzle of 190–230 °C (374–446 °F), with the fan on. 60 °C (140 °F) is the top of this bed. The lifting comment's 65 is above it.",
      "brand": "Polymaker",
      "product": "Polylite PLA",
      "material": "PLA",
      "url": "/brand/polymaker/polylite-pla",
      "nozzle": "190–230 °C (374–446 °F)",
      "bed": "25–60 °C (77–140 °F)",
      "pricePerKg": null,
      "datasheetUrl": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0548/7299/7945/files/PolyLite_PLA_TDS_EN_V5.4.pdf",
      "affiliateUrl": null
    },
    {
      "rank": 4,
      "note": "ELEGOO PLA lists a bed of 35–65 °C (95–149 °F) and a nozzle of 190–230 °C (374–446 °F). 65 °C (149 °F) is the top of this bed and matches the high end of the lifting comment. The comment was about PLA+ on an Ender 3, not this spool.",
      "brand": "ELEGOO",
      "product": "PLA",
      "material": "PLA",
      "url": "/brand/elegoo/pla",
      "nozzle": "190–230 °C (374–446 °F)",
      "bed": "35–65 °C (95–149 °F)",
      "pricePerKg": null,
      "datasheetUrl": null,
      "affiliateUrl": null
    }
  ]
}