How to Print PETG Matte: Settings and Recommendations for Perfect Results

PETG is one of the best materials for 3D printing thanks to its superior mechanical properties to PLA, chemical resistance, and ease of printing. Furthermore, any home printer, including open models without a heated chamber, can handle it perfectly. This makes it an excellent candidate for printing final parts, not just prototypes.

Although it's a fantastic material, traditional PETG has a common drawback: its extremely glossy finish. This shiny plastic appearance isn't always suitable for professional end products that require more discreet and elegant finishes.

In this article, we'll show you how to achieve 3D prints in PETG with a matte finish, avoiding excessive shine and creating pieces with a professional and modern aesthetic.

Why are my PETG printed parts so shiny?

The glossy surface of PETG parts is primarily due to the chemical composition of the material itself. In fact, in many applications, this gloss is desirable, whether for aesthetics or transparency. However, when you're looking for a matte finish, this natural shine can be counterproductive.

Let's first look at some tricks you can use with your current PETG filament to reduce that shine. Later, we'll look at a specific solution that makes this process much easier.

How to set up your 3D printer for a matte finish with standard PETG

If you are using a conventional PETG filament (like our PETG MAX), you can achieve a more matte finish by adjusting certain printing parameters:

Printing temperature

We generally recommend printing PETG between 240 and 250°C, but keep in mind that the hotter you print, the shinier your parts will be. For a matte finish, try reducing your print temperature to the lower recommended limit (e.g., between 225 and 235°C).

⚠️ Caution: If you reduce the temperature too much, you may experience layer adhesion issues and even extruder jams. Try slight reductions and always check the results.

Print speed

Slightly increasing the print speed can lead to a more matte finish, as the material will have less time to heat up and melt completely, thus reducing surface gloss.

A speed between 250-300 mm/s is usually effective for this purpose.

⚠️ Caution: Do not exceed the speed too much, as you could lose adhesion between layers or cause under-extrusion.

Using the layer fan

Increasing the fan power helps cool the deposited material more quickly, thus reducing its gloss. Settings between 50-75% fan power usually work well.

⚠️ Caution: Excessive ventilation can cause adhesion problems. Make gradual adjustments and check the results.

Definitive solution: PETG MATTE filament

If you're looking for consistently matte parts without having to extensively tweak parameters for each print, your best bet is to choose a filament specifically designed for a matte finish, like our esFil PETG MAX MATTE.

At 3DFils, we developed this filament by adding a matte additive directly to the material's chemical composition. This naturally eliminates surface gloss and greatly simplifies the process, allowing you to achieve perfectly matte pieces with no additional effort.

What advantages does our PETG MAX MATTE offer?

• Professional matte finish without special adjustments.
• Improved part definition and precision thanks to optimized cooling properties.
• Better performance on supports and overhangs.
• Save time and reduce configuration errors.

Specific tips when printing with PETG MAX MATTE

Recommended extrusion temperature: This material requires slightly higher temperatures due to the matte additive. We recommend temperatures around 250-260°C for best results.

Layer Fan: Since PETG MAX MATTE has excellent natural cooling, we recommend reducing the layer fan to a maximum of 50%. Too much ventilation can cause adhesion issues between layers.

Optimized printing profiles for PETG MATTE

To make your task even easier, at 3DFils we've created specific profiles that have been tested on popular 3D printers. You can download them for free from our downloads section, making your printing process even easier.

Final conclusions and recommendations

Achieving a matte finish in traditional PETG is possible, but it requires careful adjustments to temperature, speed, and ventilation. If you're looking for professional, consistent results without additional complications, using a specifically formulated MATTE PETG filament is, without a doubt, the best solution.

Now you can enjoy parts with a more professional aesthetic, without sacrificing mechanical properties or ease of printing.

Do you have questions or want to learn more about printing with MATTE PETG? Leave us a comment or visit our YouTube channel for step-by-step tutorials!

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