Choosing between PLA, PETG, and ABS shouldn’t require reading three separate material guides and trying to compare notes. This post is the decision guide: given what you’re making and how it will be used, which material should you reach for? The answer is almost always PLA, sometimes PETG, and rarely ABS for most hobby FDM work. Here’s exactly when each material is the right choice and when it isn’t.
Quick Decision Guide
| Your Application | Material | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Display model, figurine, deck box (indoor) | PLA | Easiest to print, best paintability, no heat exposure risk indoors |
| Cosplay prop (indoor con, not worn) | PLA | Indoor con with AC is fine for PLA. Matte PLA takes paint best. |
| Cosplay prop (outdoor Florida con, car transport) | PETG | 75°C heat resistance vs PLA’s 60°C. Survives Florida summer car storage. |
| Functional bracket, clip, or snap-fit | PETG | Better impact resistance and ductility than PLA. Snap-fits survive more cycles. |
| Dollhouse furniture (indoor display) | PLA | Easy printing, good detail, matte PLA reads as material (wood, stone, ceramic) |
| Part stored in Florida garage or car | PETG or ASA | PLA deforms in summer storage. PETG handles most garage/car storage. ASA for permanent outdoor. |
| Part needing vapor smoothing | ABS | ABS is the only FDM material with acetone vapor smoothing capability |
| Outdoor permanent installation (South Florida) | ASA | Best UV resistance and heat tolerance of the common FDM materials |
| Flexible strap, connector, or gasket | TPU | The only FDM material that gives meaningful flexibility |
The Full Property Comparison
| Property | PLA | PETG | ABS | ASA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Print difficulty | Easy | Moderate | Hard (needs enclosure) | Hard (needs enclosure) |
| Heat resistance | ~60°C | ~75°C | ~90°C | ~95-100°C |
| Impact resistance | Low | High | High | High |
| UV resistance | Poor | Moderate | Poor | Excellent |
| Paintability | Excellent | Moderate | Good | Good |
| Enclosure required | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Odor during printing | Mild, sweet | Mild | Strong, needs ventilation | Strong, needs ventilation |
| Price per kg | $15-25 | $18-30 | $18-28 | $22-35 |
Why ABS Is Less Common Than You’d Expect
ABS has a strong historical reputation in 3D printing because it was one of the original FDM materials and many industrial parts are injection-molded ABS. In practice, ASA has replaced ABS as the preferred engineering-grade material for outdoor and high-heat FDM applications because it provides better UV resistance and similar mechanical properties with the same basic printing requirements.
The main remaining reasons to choose ABS over ASA:
- Acetone vapor smoothing. ABS dissolves in acetone. ASA does not. If vapor-smooth surfaces are the goal, ABS is the only option.
- Price. ABS is sometimes marginally cheaper than ASA.
- Existing profile knowledge. If you’ve already dialed in ABS and it’s working, there’s no compelling reason to switch unless UV resistance becomes a requirement.
For new users deciding between ABS and ASA for an outdoor or high-heat application: start with ASA. It prints with slightly less warping tendency than ABS in most conditions and has better UV longevity.
The OreKo Default and Why
Every model in the OreKo catalog is designed and tested in matte PLA. The reasoning:
The models we make are deck boxes (indoor display), dollhouse furniture (indoor display), cosplay props (mostly indoor conventions), and gaming accessories (indoor use). None of these have heat exposure requirements that PLA can’t meet. All of them will potentially be painted, and matte PLA takes paint better than PETG, ABS, or ASA.
For South Florida makers who want to use PETG for car-transport durability on cosplay pieces: every OreKo model prints in PETG without modification. Use the PETG settings from the PETG printing guide and the models perform well in both materials.