PVA print settings
Polyvinyl Alcohol · Intermediate
PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol) prints at 190-220°C with the bed at 45-60°C. No enclosure needed. Dry the filament before printing.
A support material that dissolves in plain water. It exists so you can print geometry that would otherwise be impossible to clean up, and it is useless without a second extruder.
Settings at a glance
Ranges are typical manufacturer-published figures for this material class, not measurements we took. Always start with your filament maker’s own numbers where they differ. The price is an indicative street price for a 1 kg spool, not a live quote.
Good for
- Dissolvable supports for PLA and PETG
- Enclosed internal geometry
- Fragile overhangs that would break during removal
Avoid for
- Single-extruder printers
- Humid workshops without sealed storage
- Structural parts of any kind
The problem people actually hit
It degrades in the hot end during long prints, because it has already absorbed water on the spool. Store it sealed from the moment it arrives, not from the moment it misbehaves.
Drying
The most hygroscopic filament in common use. Dry at 45C for 6-8 hours and print straight from a dry box. Left in open air it can absorb enough moisture to be unusable within a day.
Buying PVA
PVA is easy enough to find, though from fewer brands than PLA or PETG. Stick to sellers who publish a diameter tolerance. Typical street price is $40-90 per 1 kg spool.
Check before you order
- Diameter 1.75mm unless your printer takes 2.85mm. Check before ordering, not after.
- Published diameter tolerance. ±0.02mm is good, ±0.05mm is loose and shows up as inconsistent extrusion.
- Vacuum-sealed with desiccant. Hygroscopic filament that shipped open has already absorbed moisture and will need drying before its first print.
Specialist suppliers
Deep engineering-material catalogue and published spec sheets, including grades general retailers do not stock.
Specialist stockist with strong coverage of nylon and carbon-fibre filled materials.
Named because they stock this class of material and publish specifications. We have no commercial relationship with either, and these are ordinary links.
Not sure this is the right material? Compare all materials.
What you need to print PVA
Gear that PVA genuinely requires, with the specification that decides whether a given unit will actually work.
Filament dryer
Must reach at least 45C
PVA will not print cleanly wet, and many budget dryers stop at 55-60C. Check the maximum temperature before buying, not the marketing copy.
See filament dryer on AmazonAirtight storage with desiccant
Sealed container plus rechargeable desiccant
Drying a spool once achieves nothing if it sits open afterwards. Storage is what keeps the filament usable between prints.
See airtight storage with desiccant on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links above are affiliate links, and using them costs you nothing extra.
PVA questions
- What temperature do you print PVA at?
- PVA prints at a nozzle temperature of 190-220C with the bed at 45-60C. Start at the lower end of the nozzle range and raise it in 5C steps until layers bond cleanly.
- Does PVA need an enclosure?
- No. PVA prints fine on an open-frame printer at normal room temperature.
- Do you need to dry PVA?
- The most hygroscopic filament in common use. Dry at 45C for 6-8 hours and print straight from a dry box. Left in open air it can absorb enough moisture to be unusable within a day.
- What is PVA good for?
- PVA suits dissolvable supports for PLA and PETG, enclosed internal geometry, fragile overhangs that would break during removal. Avoid it for single-extruder printers, humid workshops without sealed storage, structural parts of any kind.
- How much does PVA cost?
- A 1 kg spool of PVA typically sells for $40-90. That is an indicative street price rather than a live figure, so check the retailer for today's cost.
PVA or HIPS?
HIPS (High-Impact Polystyrene) prints at 220-250°C with a 100-115°C bed and needs an enclosure. Mostly used as a dissolvable support material alongside ABS. It dissolves in limonene, which lets you print overhangs that would otherwise be impossible.
Read the HIPS settings guide →