Yes, PLA can be stained with a water-based stain. It’s important to remember that stains contain pigments that may not adhere well to the PLA. The pigments in some stains, such as coffee or tea, can leave areas that are darker than others and may not look like the color on the package.
For example, a stain made for oak may turn out looking more like cherry or mahogany.
Read more on How to stain wood different colors without bleeding
Yes, you can stain wood filament. The question is, do you want to?
The factors to consider are:
- The color of the filament itself.
- The color of the stain.
- Whether or not you will be painting over the stain (yes, even stained wood needs a protective coat).
Can You Stain Filament?
Color of the filament: Most wood filaments come in natural browns, but there’s a wide range of browns. There’s everything from deep rich chocolate browns to medium hues that look like oak planks, to light honey browns that look like pine.
That means that if your project is mostly an off-white or another light color, you’ll probably need to paint it after you stain it. It also means that if your project is supposed to be varnished or painted later, you’ll have some work ahead of you when it comes time for priming and painting. You may have to prime with a neutral gray or black primer before staining and then use a white primer for painting after the stain dries.
The best way to get a consistent color is to spray the filament with an acrylic sealer before staining. That way, all parts of the print will be treated equally and will absorb dye at the same rate.
Can You Stain Pla Wood Filament?
PLA can be painted with any water-based paint. Just like with stains, it’s important to use paints intended for plastics because they are specifically formulated to adhere well to plastic surfaces. Be sure to use enough coats of paint to cover all areas of the print because even fully cured PLA filaments have some ‘give’ to them, which can make them difficult to paint evenly.
Stain can be used on some woods, but it will not penetrate to the core of a solid wood piece.
Wood filaments are rarely hollow so the stain will sit on top of the surface and not color the inside or middle of your print.
Staining wood filaments is a process used to give the filament a wood effect. This creates an aesthetic appeal to any 3D printed object.
The staining process can be achieved with either paint or dye, depending on the desired effect.
However, it is important to note that not all PLA filaments are compatible with dyes or paints; some only stain using alcohol, while others will become sticky and mushy if stained.
How Do You Paint Wood Filaments?
Before you begin, there are also a few things you need to know in order to properly obtain the staining effect you desire. If you are using a different filament than what was listed below, then it is best to research the material before being stained.
When printing with wood filament there are a few things to keep in mind. The first is that wood filaments are prone to splintering so you need to be extra careful while handling them after they have been printed. Also, they will warp when in contact with water so if you stain them make sure to let them dry before painting or gluing them together.
