# Is silk PLA weaker, and why does it clog?

Bambu PLA Silk+ lists a Z-direction tensile strength of 25 ± 4 MPa, which is the stress on a test bar pulled apart between layers. Bambu PLA Basic lists 31 ± 3 MPa on that same measurement. Z elongation is 1.5 ± 0.2 percent on Silk+ and 7.5 ± 1.3 percent on Basic. That pair is the strength gap this catalog can document. The sheets do not explain a clog, and the gap is not assigned to every silk spool.

Bambu PLA Silk+ lists a Z-direction tensile strength of 25 ± 4 MPa, which is the stress on a test bar pulled apart between layers. Bambu PLA Basic lists 31 ± 3 MPa on that same measurement. Z elongation is 1.5 ± 0.2 percent on Silk+ and 7.5 ± 1.3 percent on Basic. That pair is the strength gap this catalog can document. The sheets do not explain a clog, and the gap is not assigned to every silk spool.

On the one pair of sheets that publish both numbers, Bambu PLA Silk+ is weaker between layers than Bambu PLA Basic. That is not a result for every silk filament. The sheets also do not say why a silk spool clogs. [Silk PLA](/answers/silk), [dual-color silk](/answers/dual_color_silk), [clogs](/answers/clog), and [layer adhesion](/answers/layer_adh) are the longer pages.
## The only strength pair in the catalog

[Bambu PLA Silk+](/brand/bambu-lab/pla-silk-plus) leaves nozzle and bed empty in the catalog. Technical data sheet V1.0 lists a nozzle of 210–240 °C (410–464 °F), a bed of 35–45 °C (95–113 °F), and a speed under 250 mm/s. Z tensile strength, the pull that separates layers, is 25 ± 4 MPa. Z elongation is 1.5 ± 0.2 percent. Elongation across the layers, X-Y, is 2.8 ± 0.6 percent.

[Bambu PLA Basic](/brand/bambu-lab/pla-basic) lists 190–230 °C (374–446 °F), a bed of 35–45 °C (95–113 °F), and a speed under 300 mm/s. Z tensile strength is 31 ± 3 MPa. Z elongation is 7.5 ± 1.3 percent. X-Y elongation is 12.2 ± 1.8 percent. Bambu says those specimen numbers are for comparison, not a guarantee on your part. The Silk+ introduction still describes strength and toughness. The table and the introduction disagree. The table is the comparison used here.

[Polymaker Silk PLA](/brand/polymaker/silk-pla) stores 190–230 °C (374–446 °F) and a bed of 50–70 °C (122–158 °F) from the Open Filament Database, and no strength table. The Silk+ megapascals stay on Silk+.

A comment says silk generally runs about 10 degrees hotter than normal PLA. Silk+ starts at 210 °C (410 °F) and PLA Basic starts at 190 °C (374 °F). Polymaker silk stores 190–230 °C (374–446 °F). The comment is not a setpoint for all three.
## What the community says

[a Reddit thread in r/FixMyPrint](https://www.reddit.com/r/FixMyPrint/comments/122k25z/) says silk PLA generally has to be printed about 10 degrees hotter than normal PLA, and asks what temperature the poster is using.

[a Reddit thread in r/3Dprinting](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/t12hoo/) says layer adhesion with silk PLA is really bad, that it depends on brand and color, and that a structural part should use something else.

[a Reddit thread in r/3Dprinting](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/t12hoo/) says there is little difference, that variation across PLA types is larger than silk versus normal, and that breaking between layers usually means the print was too cold.

Updated 2026-10-27. Sources accessed 2026-10-27. Use case: PLA.

## Ranked filaments

| Rank | Filament | Nozzle | Bed | Price per kg |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Bambu Lab PLA Silk+ | 210–240 °C (410–464 °F) | 35–45 °C (95–113 °F) | — |
| 2 | Bambu Lab PLA Basic | 190–230 °C (374–446 °F) | 35–45 °C (95–113 °F) | — |
| 3 | Polymaker Silk PLA | 190–230 °C (374–446 °F) | 50–70 °C (122–158 °F) | — |

## Sources

- [Bambu PLA Silk+ technical data sheet V1.0](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0584/7236/6216/files/Bambu_PLA_Silk__Technical_Data_Sheet.pdf) (datasheet)
- [Bambu PLA Basic technical data sheet](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0584/7236/6216/files/Bambu_PLA_Basic_Technical_Data_Sheet_bf3411ce-be39-4db7-9669-1b4671d2196b.pdf) (datasheet)
- [a Reddit thread in r/FixMyPrint](https://www.reddit.com/r/FixMyPrint/comments/122k25z/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/3Dprinting](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/t12hoo/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/ender3](https://www.reddit.com/r/ender3/comments/115pa90/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/FixMyPrint](https://www.reddit.com/r/FixMyPrint/comments/vpzzcj/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/FixMyPrint](https://www.reddit.com/r/FixMyPrint/comments/11v9tr5/) (reddit)

HTML: https://filamentfacts.com/answers/silk_strength