Once nylon is dry, the next hurdle is keeping it on the plate. Nylon is naturally slippery — the same property that makes it great for gears makes it reluctant to stick — and it shrinks as it cools, so warping is a constant threat. Here is how to win both battles.
The best surfaces for nylon
Nylon does not bond to bare glass or standard PEI the way PLA or PETG do. The surfaces that work:
- Garolite (Tufnol/G10): the classic nylon surface — nylon grips it beautifully when warm.
- PVA glue stick on glass: cheap and effective; reapply between prints.
- Nylon-specific engineered sheets: some PEI-style plates are formulated for PA.
Whatever the surface, a hot bed (80–100°C) and a clean, grease-free plate are essential.
Fighting warping with heat
Nylon warps for the same reason ABS does — it shrinks as it cools and uneven cooling curls the corners. The fixes are the same family:
- Enclosure: holds ambient heat so the part cools slowly and evenly.
- No part cooling: keep the fan off (or minimal); active cooling promotes warping.
- Draft-free location: a cold breeze on one side is enough to lift a corner.
The enclosure does double duty here: it fights warping and helps keep the spool dry (see nylon drying).
Brims, rafts and geometry
Give the first layer mechanical help too: a wide brim (or a raft on a difficult surface) anchors corners, and softening sharp corners or splitting large flat parts reduces the shrinkage stress that drives warping. For big footprints, a brim plus garolite plus an enclosure is the combination that reliably holds nylon down.
FAQ
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More Nylon (PA) guides
Reviewed 2026-08-18. Starting points and general guidance — always calibrate for your filament brand and machine.