We print every piece in PETG. It's tough, holds its shape in warmer rooms than PLA, prints in white or clear (clear glows when lit), and takes primer and paint for any finish. Flexible TPU 70A is coming soon. Here's how PETG compares with the other common plastics, and why the coating does as much work as the plastic.
| PLA | PETG | ASA | TPU 70A | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| At Ctrl+P | Not offered | What we print in | Not offered | Coming soon |
| Best for | Small indoor models | Large sculpture, handled pieces, translucent lights | Long-term outdoor parts | Soft-touch, flexible parts |
| Heat before softening | Low, around 55–60 °C | Medium, around 75–80 °C | High, around 95–100 °C | Low; bends rather than cracks |
| UV / outdoors | Poor unless coated | Fair; good with a UV coat | Good | Fair |
| Finishing | Sands and paints well | Harder to sand; primes and paints when keyed | Sands and paints well | Hard to paint; best left raw |
PLA: fine on a desk, weaker at room scale
PLA prints crisp detail and paints easily, but it softens around 55–60 °C. A piece in a hot shop window or under strong lights can sag. That's a big reason we don't use it for large work.
PETG: what we print in
PETG is tough and less brittle, so it suits pieces people sit on, lean on or knock into. It softens around 75–80 °C, prints clear, so a piece can glow when lit from inside (the lilac column above is a tinted coat over clear PETG), and takes primer and paint once keyed. It's harder to sand than PLA, so we plan seams and finish around that.
Outdoors: ASA, and what we do instead
ASA is the usual pick for years in direct sun. We don't print ASA. Outdoors we use PETG with a UV-stable coating, lighter colours and a solid anchoring plan, which suits seasonal installs. For longer, tell us early and we'll be straight about lifespan.
Flexible: TPU 70A, coming soon
TPU 70A is a soft, rubber-like plastic (Shore 70A) for parts that bend, squeeze or need a soft touch. We're adding it soon, but it isn't available yet. Ask in your brief if you'd like to hear when it is.
Fire rules
Standard printing plastics, PETG included, are combustible. Many venues ask for flame-retardant treatments and the certificates to prove it. Tell us in the brief so we can check whether a coating can meet the rule, and say plainly if it can't.
Colour
We print in white or clear PETG, then prime and paint: our palette runs 01 Ivory to 07 Ink, or we match any colour you need. Pieces can also be left raw so the layer lines show. See the materials page, then send a brief through the Start a print form.