Short answer: PLA needs 50–60 °C on the bed, PETG 70–80 °C, and ABS and ASA as much as 90–110 °C inside an enclosure. The difference comes from each material's glass transition temperature (Tg) — the higher it is, the more the print wants to shrink and peel off the bed as it cools. Too low a bed temperature ends in lifted corners and warping, too high a temperature — a squashed, over-flattened first layer.
In this guide you'll find exact ranges for four of the most popular materials, a ready starting table, settings for specific printer configurations (Bowden, direct drive, enclosed CoreXY, multi-material systems like AMS/CFS), and a list of mistakes that most often ruin the first layer even when the temperature "matches the datasheet".
Starting bed temperatures — table
| Parameter | Value | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Bed — PLA | 50–60 °C | Higher increases the risk of a squashed first layer and elephant foot |
| Nozzle — PLA | 190–220 °C | Full breakdown of settings in our separate PLA temperature guide |
| Bed — PETG | 70–80 °C | Below 70 °C the corners lift easily |
| Nozzle — PETG | 230–250 °C | Too low a nozzle temperature encourages under-extrusion |
| Bed — ABS | 90–110 °C | Requires an enclosure, otherwise corners crack |
| Nozzle — ABS | 230–250 °C | Higher end of the range for faster printing |
| Bed — ASA | 90–110 °C | Same as ABS, plus better UV and weather resistance |
| Nozzle — ASA | 240–260 °C | Slightly higher than ABS due to the different UV-stabilizing additive |
| Inside the enclosure — ABS/ASA | 40–50 °C | A cold enclosure causes warping even with a hot bed |
| First-layer adhesion | PEI / glass + glue stick | Choice depends on the material and bed surface type |
These values are a starting point, not a fixed rule — every printer and every batch of filament can shift the optimal temperature by a few degrees. You'll find the full table of all print parameters, not just bed temperature, on the temperature table page.
Why bed temperature matters
Every thermoplastic shrinks as it cools. As long as the bottom layer of a print stays warmer than the material's glass transition temperature (Tg), it remains flexible enough to absorb stress without lifting off the bed. Once it drops below Tg, it becomes rigid and starts pulling at the corners — that's what we see as lifted edges or cracks through the middle of a print.
PLA has a relatively low Tg, so 50–60 °C on the bed is enough — the rest of the cooling process happens after the print leaves the bed anyway, with little risk. ABS and ASA have a Tg closer to 100 °C, so to keep the bottom layer from "freezing" too quickly, they need a much hotter bed and a stable ambient temperature — otherwise the temperature difference between the bottom and top of the print grows too large before the model even finishes printing.
The same phenomenon is behind first-layer adhesion problems in general, regardless of material — if the bed temperature is correct and the print still lifts, it's worth checking bed leveling and nozzle distance, covered in our guide on first layer settings.
PLA — the safest temperature range
PLA forgives the most mistakes. The 50–60 °C range works on almost any surface — glass, PEI, even plain kapton tape. For large, flat models it's worth staying near the upper end (58–60 °C), while for small, detailed parts you can drop to 50 °C to avoid softening thin features.
PLA variants — Silk, PLA+, Rainbow — usually fall within the same range, though some versions with additives (wood-fill, metallic) can need 2–3 °C more because of the different filler composition. If the first layer of such a filament still lifts at 55–60 °C, check that product's page before changing the rest of your print profile.
PETG — the middle ground, but tricky
PETG tends to bond too well before it ever bonds too poorly. The 70–80 °C range usually gives good adhesion without the risk of having to chisel the print off once it cools.
PETG bonding permanently
If the model won't come off the glass after printing, or pulls off a piece of the PEI sheet with it, that's usually a sign the bed temperature is too high or the first layer is squashed too hard. Try dropping to the lower end of the range (70 °C) and slightly lowering the first-layer height as well.
PETG without a heated bed
For short, flat prints on a good surface, PETG can occasionally be printed without heating the bed at all, but that's an edge case — in most situations 70–80 °C simply gives a more predictable result, especially for models with a large contact area with the bed.
ABS — an enclosure isn't optional
ABS has one of the higher Tg thresholds among popular filaments, so a 90–110 °C bed is only half the equation. Without an enclosure, drafts from the room will cool the top layers much faster than the bottom ones, and the resulting temperature difference ends in cracked corners and internal stress in the model.
A DIY enclosure is enough
You don't need a printer with a factory heated chamber — cardboard, plexiglass, or even a plastic-sheet tent is enough to hold 40–50 °C inside during printing. Just make sure the enclosure doesn't completely block the printer's electronics ventilation.
When to raise the upper end of the range
For large, flat models with a wide contact area on the bed, aim for 105–110 °C — the larger the surface, the more stress accumulates in the corners, and the harder it is to hold them down at a lower temperature.
ASA — like ABS, but built for outdoors
ASA prints essentially the same as ABS in terms of bed temperature — the same 90–110 °C and the same need for an enclosure. The difference lies elsewhere: ASA has an additive that boosts UV resistance, so it doesn't yellow or become brittle as quickly under long sun exposure. Parts meant to be mounted outdoors — enclosures, brackets, garden fittings — usually make more sense in ASA than ABS, even though the printing process itself stays the same. You'll find technical materials, including ABS and ASA, in our technical filaments collection.
How to check whether your bed temperature is right
Before you start nudging values a few degrees in either direction, it helps to diagnose the problem systematically. Bed temperature is only part of adhesion — the rest depends on leveling, surface cleanliness, and first-layer height.
The single-wall test
Print a single wall, 2–3 cm tall, with no brim or skirt, using the settings from the table at the start of this article. If the edges lift while still printing, the bed temperature is too low for that material, or the enclosure (for ABS or ASA) isn't holding enough heat. If the bottom layer looks squashed and glossy beyond the model's outline, the temperature is too high — the most common scenario with PLA printed above 60 °C.
Symptoms by material
With PLA and PETG, too low a bed temperature mainly shows up as lifted corners, with the rest of the print unaffected. With ABS and ASA, the problem more often looks like a crack running through the middle of the model, because stress builds up throughout the whole part, not just at the edge touching the bed. In both cases it's better to change the temperature gradually, by 3–5 °C, and check the result on the next print rather than jumping straight to the other end of the recommended range.
Settings for popular configurations
| Configuration | Suggested bed temperature | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bowden (PLA/PETG) | standard values from the table above | The feeder type itself doesn't directly affect bed temperature |
| Direct drive (ABS/ASA) | upper end of the range, 105–110 °C | A heavier hotend assembly cools the print slightly faster, a higher bed temperature compensates |
| Enclosed CoreXY | lower end of the range, 90–95 °C | The enclosure itself holds ambient heat, so the bed doesn't need to run at maximum |
| Multi-material system (AMS/CFS) | match the most demanding filament in the project | When mixing PLA and PETG in one print, use the PETG value |
Common mistakes
Bed temperature too low for ABS. Corners lift mid-print — raise it to 100–110 °C and close up the enclosure.
Bed temperature too high for PLA. Above 60–65 °C the first layer gets squashed and elephant foot appears at the edges — go back to 50–60 °C.
Printing PETG on a cold bed. Below 70 °C, PETG lifts easily at the corners — stay within the 70–80 °C range.
No enclosure at all for ABS or ASA. A draft from an open room causes layer cracking even at the correct bed temperature — even an improvised cardboard shield helps.
Using the same temperature for every spool of the same material. Different production batches and colors, especially blacks with carbon black added, can vary by a few degrees — recalibrate when you switch spools.
Ignoring room temperature. A cold workshop in winter lowers the effective bed temperature — on cold days, add 3–5 °C to the table values.
Removing ABS or ASA from a hot bed right after printing. The part needs to cool to room temperature first, otherwise it cracks from sudden stress.
Frequently asked questions
What bed temperature is safe for PLA?
For most PLA filaments, the safe range is 50–60 °C. Above that, the risk of a soft, squashed first layer increases.
Can PETG be printed without a heated bed?
With short, flat models and a good surface it's possible, but in practice 70–80 °C gives much more predictable adhesion and fewer lifted corners.
Why does ABS need to be printed in an enclosure?
ABS shrinks significantly as it cools, and the temperature difference between the bottom and top layers leads to cracking and lifting — a closed enclosure keeps a stable 40–50 °C around the print.
Does ASA need a different bed temperature than ABS?
No — ASA prints in the same 90–110 °C bed range as ABS. The difference is mainly UV resistance, not the printing process itself.
What should I do if the print lifts even at the correct bed temperature?
Check bed leveling and nozzle distance, clean any grease off the bed, and consider extra adhesion help (glue stick, a PEI surface) — temperature is only one of several factors affecting adhesion.
Summary
If your first layer still gives you trouble even after matching the temperature from the table, and you print ABS or ASA regularly, it's worth switching to a filament with consistent parameters instead of re-testing every new spool — our range includes Porima ABS, tested within the same temperature ranges described above.
Bed temperature is one of the simplest parameters to calibrate, and also one of the most often overlooked — match it to the material from the table at the start of this article, adjust it to your printer's configuration, and check out the rest of our technical materials in the technical filaments collection.