PLA is the most common FDM filament for a reason. Plant-based, easy to print, and available in more finishes than any other material. Standard, matte, silk, PLA+, and specialty variants are all covered here with specific temperatures and honest assessments of each.
PLA (polylactic acid) is a plant-based plastic, typically derived from corn starch or sugarcane. It prints at lower temperatures than most other filaments, doesn’t require a heated bed, and produces minimal odour. For decorative objects, display pieces, and most hobbyist applications, it’s the right answer.
Its main weakness is heat sensitivity. PLA softens at around 55-60°C. Leave a PLA print on a car dashboard in summer and it will deform. For indoor display pieces, desktop accessories, and models kept in air-conditioned spaces, that threshold is never reached. For parts exposed to sustained heat or outdoor use, consider PETG instead.
Standard PLA is what most slicer profiles are tuned for out of the box. Stiff, consistent, and available in hundreds of colours. It has a slight sheen and bonds well between layers. First-layer adhesion is reliable on a PEI sheet with the bed at 30-40°C, and many printers run it without a heated bed at all.
Nozzle: 190-220°C. Most brands hit their sweet spot around 200-210°C. Bed: 0-60°C. Layer height: 0.08mm for fine detail, 0.20mm for standard quality, 0.28mm for fast drafts. For display surfaces where layer lines matter, 0.12mm is the practical balance between print time and finish quality.
Standard PLA takes paint but needs preparation. A thin coat of spray primer bonds to the surface and creates a paintable base. Without primer, acrylic paint will bead and lift on the slightly glossy finish.
Matte PLA has a flat, non-reflective surface with a microscopically rough texture. That texture changes how paint behaves on the print. Primer and acrylic paint bond directly to matte PLA without heavy sanding. You skip the prep work that standard PLA requires.
Print at 200-220°C. Same bed and layer height settings as standard PLA. The surface finish comes from the material, not the settings. Matte PLA also hides layer lines better than standard when left unpainted, which matters for display pieces that stay as-is.
Full breakdown on why matte works for painted prints: Why Matte Filament Is Best for Painted Prints.
Silk PLA produces a metallic-like sheen that catches light differently at different angles. Unpainted display pieces look dramatically better in silk compared to standard PLA. The Dollhouse Balcony Railing in silk marble white looks like cast stone directly off the plate.
Print at 210-230°C, slightly hotter than standard PLA. Silk tends to string more between features, so enable combing in your slicer or lower travel speed. Bed at 30-60°C.
The trade-off: silk PLA does not paint well. The smooth, shiny surface repels paint adhesion even with primer. Pick silk when the print stays unpainted. Use matte when you plan to finish it.
PLA+ (sometimes labelled PLA Pro) adds toughness and impact resistance to standard PLA. Printing temperature is similar at 195-225°C, but the material is noticeably less brittle and holds up better under repeated handling.
Worth it for parts that get picked up frequently, clips and closures that flex, and prints where standard PLA has cracked on impact. Not worth the premium for purely display pieces that sit on a shelf. Standard PLA handles those just fine.
Wood fill PLA has wood particles suspended in the plastic. The surface can be sanded and stained to look convincingly like real wood. Print at 190-210°C with a 0.4mm or larger nozzle. Smaller nozzles will clog with the particles. Sand through increasing grits, then apply wood stain directly.
Metal fill PLA (copper, bronze, iron) is noticeably heavier than standard PLA. Iron fill prints have real weight that adds to the effect on display pieces. Requires a hardened steel nozzle. The abrasive particles will wear brass very quickly. Print at 200-220°C, slower than standard at 25-40mm/s.
Glow-in-the-dark PLA contains phosphorescent particles that also require a hardened steel nozzle. Print at 210-220°C with a minimum layer height of 0.15mm. The glow is strongest in the 30 minutes after light exposure and fades gradually from there.
| Type | Nozzle | Bed | Layer Height | Notes |
| Standard PLA | 190-220°C | 0-60°C | 0.08-0.28mm | Most versatile; easiest to tune |
| Matte PLA | 200-220°C | 30-60°C | 0.08-0.20mm | Best for painted prints; hides layer lines |
| Silk PLA | 210-230°C | 30-60°C | 0.12-0.20mm | Enable combing to reduce stringing |
| PLA+ | 195-225°C | 30-60°C | 0.08-0.28mm | Tougher and less brittle than standard |
| Wood Fill | 190-210°C | 30-60°C | 0.15-0.28mm | 0.4mm+ nozzle required |
| Metal Fill | 200-220°C | 30-60°C | 0.15-0.28mm | Hardened steel nozzle required |
| Glow PLA | 210-220°C | 30-60°C | 0.15-0.28mm | Hardened steel nozzle required |
Every OreKo model is designed and tested in PLA before any other material. These are the settings documented on each product page.
One Piece Deck Maker Set: standard or matte PLA at 0.12mm, 205°C nozzle, 55°C bed. Matte gives the box a more finished look without painting.
One Piece Jolly Roger Deck Box: standard PLA at 0.12mm. The skull detail prints cleanly at this layer height.
MTG Fallout Deck Box: standard PLA at 0.12mm. Matte works well if you plan to paint the Vault Boy details.
Dollhouse Balcony Railing Set: silk or matte PLA at 0.12mm. Silk marble white looks like cast stone. Matte grey is the pick for painted finishes.
Miniature Windows with Working Shutters: standard PLA at 0.12mm. White PLA for the frames, any accent colour for the shutters.
We run eSUN PLA Basic for standard prints and eSUN Matte PLA for anything going under paint. Consistency between spools matters when you’re documenting specific settings. Temperature, flow rate, and surface finish stay predictable batch to batch. When we publish “print at 205°C” on a model page, that’s been verified against real hardware with eSUN filament in the printer.
Their full PLA range, including Basic, Matte, Silk, PLA+, wood fill, metal fill, and glow, is available through the eSUN Official Store.
Disclosure: the eSUN link above is an affiliate link. If you purchase through it, we earn a small commission at no cost to you. We only recommend products we use ourselves.
Every OreKo model is designed and verified in PLA. Settings on each product page assume a 0.4mm brass nozzle and PLA filament unless otherwise noted.