Your First Print: What Went Wrong and How to Fix It

Eolas Prints

Jun 8, 2026

Your first 3D print didn't come out the way you expected. That's completely normal — FDM printing involves dozens of interacting variables and even experienced users troubleshoot regularly. This guide covers every common problem a first-time printer user is likely to encounter, with clear causes and fixes for each.

Before diving into specific problems: if your print failed badly, don't try to fix multiple settings at once. Change one thing, print a test, and observe the result. Changing three things simultaneously makes it impossible to know what actually solved the problem.

Problem 1: The Print Won't Stick to the Bed

This is the most common first-print problem and the most important to solve. A print that detaches from the bed mid-print is a wasted print.

Likely causes and fixes

Z-offset too high. The nozzle is too far from the bed on the first layer, so the filament isn't being squished onto the surface. Lower the Z-offset (usually done in the printer's calibration menu or in the slicer) by small increments (0.05mm at a time) until the first layer is visibly pressing into the bed surface. The first layer should look slightly squashed — not round and wire-like.
Dirty bed surface. Oils from your fingers prevent adhesion. Clean the bed with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) before every print. Wipe in one direction rather than circular motions to avoid spreading oils.
Bed temperature too low. PLA: 50–60°C. PETG: 70–85°C. ABS/ASA: 90–110°C. Check your slicer settings match your material.
First layer too fast. Slow the first layer speed to 15–25mm/s to give the filament time to bond to the bed.
Wrong bed surface for the material. PEI plates work well for PLA and PETG. Textured PEI is better than smooth for PETG to prevent permanent bonding. ABS and ASA benefit from a glue stick release layer on PEI, or a garolite bed.

Problem 2: Warping — Corners Lifting Off the Bed

Warping happens when the bottom layers of a print cool and contract while upper layers are still being printed hot, creating internal stress that pulls the base off the bed.

Likely causes and fixes

No brim. Add a brim (5–10mm) in your slicer settings. A brim is a flat extension around the base of the print that increases bed contact area and anchors the corners.
Drafts reaching the print. Air movement — from an open window, a fan, or air conditioning — dramatically increases warping. Shield the printer or print in a still-air environment.
Bed too cold. Increase bed temperature by 5–10°C.
Wrong material for an open printer. ABS and ASA warp severely on open-frame printers. Either switch to PLA or PETG, or add an enclosure. This is not a settings problem — it is a fundamental limitation of printing engineering materials on open machines.
First layer too thin. A thicker first layer (0.25–0.3mm) has more material to anchor the print. Try increasing first layer height in the slicer.

Problem 3: Stringing — Fine Threads Between Parts of the Print

Stringing happens when the nozzle travels between two points without extruding and leaves a thin thread of melted filament behind.

Likely causes and fixes

Retraction settings too low. Retraction pulls filament back into the nozzle before travel moves to prevent oozing. Increase retraction distance (for direct drive: try 1–3mm; for Bowden: 4–7mm) and retraction speed (40–60mm/s). Don't overdo it — too much retraction causes clogs.
Print temperature too high. Higher temperatures make filament more liquid and more likely to ooze. Reduce nozzle temperature by 5°C and test.
Wet filament. Moisture in filament causes bubbling and oozing that looks like stringing. Dry your filament at 45–65°C for 4–6 hours and retry before adjusting retraction.
Combing not enabled. Combing (also called avoid crossing perimeters) routes travel moves within the interior of the part rather than over open air, hiding most stringing inside the print where it doesn't matter. Enable it in your slicer.

Problem 4: Poor Layer Adhesion or Layers Splitting

Layers that separate, crack, or peel apart indicate that each layer is not bonding properly to the one below it.

Likely causes and fixes

Print temperature too low. Increase nozzle temperature by 5°C. Layers bond better when the incoming filament is hot enough to partially remelt the layer below.
Print speed too high. Reduce speed by 20% and test. Fast printing gives each layer less time to bond before the next is deposited.
Cooling too aggressive. Part cooling fans set to 100% can solidify each layer too quickly for good bonding, especially with PETG and ABS. Reduce cooling fan speed for materials other than PLA.
Layer height too large for nozzle diameter. Layer height should not exceed 75–80% of nozzle diameter. With a standard 0.4mm nozzle, maximum reliable layer height is 0.32mm.
Wet filament. Moisture causes microscopic voids within layers that weaken adhesion. Dry the filament and retry.

Problem 5: Under-Extrusion — Missing Layers, Gaps, or Weak Prints

Under-extrusion means the printer is depositing less filament than intended. Prints look sparse, have visible gaps between lines, or feel fragile.

Likely causes and fixes

Partial clog. The nozzle may be partially blocked by carbonised material or a fragment of debris. Heat the nozzle to printing temperature and perform a cold pull: feed filament until it extrudes normally, then let the nozzle cool to 90°C and pull the filament out sharply. Repeat 2–3 times. Then check if extrusion has improved.
Filament grinding. If the extruder gear is stripping the filament (you'll see filament dust under the extruder), the nozzle may be clogged or the print temperature too low. Reduce speed, increase temperature, or clear the clog.
Flow rate too low. Check that the slicer flow rate (extrusion multiplier) is set to 100%. A miscalibrated flow rate is a common source of weak prints.
Extruder tension too low. If the extruder arm is not gripping the filament firmly, it will slip under load. Check and tighten the extruder arm tension.
PTFE tube gap (Bowden printers). A gap between the PTFE tube and the nozzle causes filament to pool and clog. Ensure the tube is fully seated against the nozzle.

Problem 6: Over-Extrusion — Blobs, Zits, and Rough Surfaces

Over-extrusion is too much material being deposited, resulting in blobs on corners, rough surfaces, and dimensional inaccuracy.

Likely causes and fixes

Flow rate too high. Reduce flow rate to 95% and test. Run a wall thickness calibration to find the correct value for your filament and printer combination.
Print temperature too high. Excess heat makes filament more liquid and prone to oozing. Reduce temperature by 5°C.
Pressure advance / linear advance not calibrated. These firmware features pre-compensate for nozzle pressure during acceleration and deceleration. Without them, corners tend to over-extrude as the nozzle slows. Bambu Studio and OrcaSlicer both include pressure advance calibration tools.

Problem 7: First Layer Problems — Elephant Foot or Gaps

The first layer has an outsized impact on the entire print.

Elephant foot (base wider than the rest of the print): Z-offset is too close, or bed temperature is too high. Raise Z-offset slightly (0.05mm at a time) and/or reduce bed temperature by 5°C.
First layer has gaps or doesn't bond: Z-offset is too far, or nozzle temperature is too low for first layer. Lower Z-offset and increase first layer temperature by 5°C.
First layer lines not joining: Line width may be set too narrow, or Z-offset is too high. Check slicer line width settings (should be 100–120% of nozzle diameter).

Problem 8: Spaghetti — Print Collapses Mid-Way

You return to find a tangled mass of filament on the bed instead of a finished print. This is called spaghetti and is one of the more disheartening failures.

Likely causes and fixes

First layer wasn't attached properly. The root cause of most spaghetti is a first layer that wasn't properly bonded. The print appeared to start correctly but lifted mid-print and the nozzle then dragged through it. Fix first layer adhesion (see Problem 1 above) and it won't happen.
Print knocked off bed by nozzle. On tall, narrow prints, the nozzle can knock the print over during fast travel moves. Add a brim, reduce travel speed, or enable Z-hop (lifts the nozzle slightly during travel).
Filament runout. If the printer ran out of filament mid-print and has no runout sensor, the nozzle continues moving without depositing material. Enable filament runout detection if your printer supports it, or weigh your spool beforehand to verify you have enough.

Problem 9: Clicking or Grinding from the Extruder

A clicking or grinding sound from the extruder during printing means the extruder gear is slipping on the filament — it is trying to push more filament than the nozzle can accept.

Likely causes and fixes

Print temperature too low. The filament is not melting fast enough. Increase nozzle temperature by 5–10°C.
Print speed too high for the temperature. Reduce speed by 20%.
Partial clog. Perform a cold pull (see Problem 5) to clear any debris from the nozzle.
Bowden tube gap. A gap at the nozzle end of the PTFE tube creates a zone where molten filament pools and eventually blocks. Remove the tube, trim the end cleanly, and reseat fully.

Problem 10: Dimensional Inaccuracy

Parts are printing too large, too small, or distorted compared to the design file.

Likely causes and fixes

Flow rate not calibrated. Print a calibration cube (20mm × 20mm × 20mm) and measure with calipers. Adjust flow rate by the ratio of measured to expected dimensions.
Extruder not calibrated (steps/mm). On non-Bambu/non-Klipper printers, the extruder motor steps per millimetre may need calibration. See the extruder calibration guide.
Elephant foot on bottom layers. If only the base is oversized, reduce first layer squish (raise Z-offset) and lower bed temperature.
Wrong shrinkage compensation for material. PETG and ABS shrink slightly as they cool. Your slicer may have a shrinkage compensation setting for specific materials.

Quick Diagnosis Reference

Symptom	Most likely cause	First fix to try
Print won't stick	Z-offset too high or dirty bed	Clean with IPA, lower Z-offset
Corners lifting	Warping — no brim or draft	Add brim, eliminate air movement
Thin strings between parts	Retraction too low or wet filament	Dry filament, increase retraction
Layers splitting	Temperature too low or too fast	Increase nozzle temp by 5°C
Gaps in walls	Under-extrusion or partial clog	Cold pull, check flow rate
Blobs on corners	Over-extrusion or pressure advance	Reduce flow rate, calibrate pressure advance
Elephant foot base	Z-offset too close	Raise Z-offset 0.05mm at a time
Extruder clicking	Clog or temperature too low	Increase temp, perform cold pull
Spaghetti collapse	First layer failure mid-print	Fix bed adhesion (see Problem 1)
Wrong dimensions	Flow rate or extruder uncalibrated	Print calibration cube, adjust flow

Still stuck? The Eolas Prints team provides free technical support for all filaments and printers purchased from us. Contact us with a photo of your failed print and the material you are using and we'll help diagnose it.