10+ Ways to Reduce Layer Lines in 3D Prints

If you’re a 3D printing enthusiast, you’re likely familiar with the frustration of layer lines. These visible ridges on the surface of your prints are an inevitable part of FDM printing affecting both quality and appearance. Fortunately, there are several techniques you can use to reduce layer lines in 3D prints and achieve a smoother, more professional finish.

In this article, we’ll look at more than ten proven strategies to reduce layer lines in 3D prints to improve the quality and appeal of your projects. I’ve been testing and refining these techniques for several years, and I’ve found that combining several of these approaches can transform even basic prints into professional-looking models. Implementing these techniques will not only improve the visual sophistication of your prints but also their structural integrity, allowing for new applications and performance.

Reduce Layer Lines in 3D Prints

Reduce layer height

The most obvious trick to reduce layer lines in 3D prints is to reduce the layer height as much as possible for your 3D printer. The layer height defines the vertical resolution of each layer. The bigger the layer height, the more prominent the layer lines, and thinner the layer height, the more subtle the layer lines.

I’ve found that going below 0.12mm on a Prusa MK3S+ for detailed prints like miniatures gives excellent results—though it nearly doubles the print time compared to standard settings. For functional parts where appearance isn’t critical, I’ll typically use 0.2mm to balance quality with print speed.

However, adjusting layer height has other consequences, so make sure you’re using the best layer height for your printer which can be based upon decisions relating to the filament you’re using, the nozzle diameter, the design of the object, the application of the object and so on.

Note that reducing the layer height means more slices of your object which in turn means more time to print. So, your overall printing time will increase, but if reducing layer lines is your primary goal and time is not an issue, then do choose the smallest layer height possible.

Adjust nozzle diameter

Nozzle diameter can also have an impact on the amount of visible layer lines on a 3D print. It is critical to understand that, while layer height influences part quality in the vertical or Z-direction, nozzle diameter influences details in the horizontal plane.

So, regardless of the nozzle diameter, the visible layer lines are influenced by the layer height, but you can follow a general rule to ensure that the layer height and the nozzle diameter are in sync to operate at optimal settings.

As a general rule, the layer height should not be greater than 80% of the nozzle diameter. So, if you use a standard 0.4 mm diameter nozzle, the layer height should be around 0.32 mm, and if you use a 0.6 mm diameter nozzle, the layer height should be around 0.48 mm.

If you follow this rule, your 3D prints will undoubtedly improve. From my experience with Creality and Anycubic printers, following this guideline has helped me avoid common extrusion issues that can worsen layer lines, such as inconsistent flow or under-extrusion on fine details. This is the most basic setting I adhere to each and every time.

Optimise printing temperature

The printing temperature also has a significant impact on the visibility of layer lines. If you’re an experienced printer user, you’re probably aware that a fluidic (or less viscous) material flows slightly more through the nozzle during extrusion. This means that more material is deposited than desired, causing the layers to overflow, resulting in visible layer lines.

To avoid this, make sure to set an optimal printing temperature. You can determine the optimum temperature by following the manufacturer’s instructions or by conducting your own experiments. The ideal process would be to set the heating temperature as per the manufacturers guidelines. And from then increase of decrease the temperature in 5 degree gaps and test the prints. This simple experiment will help you identify the ideal temperature. Unfortunately this is a process you might have to follow for most desktop 3D printers when you are loading a new spool or at least when you are changing the filament.

The optimal temperature ensures that the exact amount of material is extruded, that the material remains fixed to the previous layer, and that the material will not ‘misbehave’ to result in reduced layer lines.

Now a days this testing is made a bit simple. Most slicers like PrusaSlicer and Cura now include temperature tower generators. . This single test print allows you to see how different temperatures affect the same filament, making it much easier to identify the sweet spot for each material.

Reduce temperature fluctuations

This is obviously a continuation of the previous method of ensuring there are no temperature fluctuations in all of the heating elements like the nozzle, bed, and enclosure. Any variation in any of these elements can affect print quality and, ultimately, layer lines.

While PLA may not be affected, sensitive filaments such as ABS, Nylon, and others will see drastic results as the filament will immediately react to temperature fluctuations by expanding or shrinking, affecting print quality and increasing the visibility of layer lines.

I once struggled with inconsistent layer appearance when printing PETG parts for an outdoor project. After checking various settings, I discovered my printer was positioned near an air conditioning vent. The fluctuating room temperature was affecting the hotend temperature stability. Moving the printer to a more environmentally stable location and adding a simple cardboard enclosure improved my results dramatically. Even a basic 3D printer enclosure / build chamber will help in this case if not a heated chamber.

You can purchase original 3D printer enclosure from Creality or cheaper options from other companies from Amazon website.

Use high-quality filament

Most of the time, prominent layer lines in 3D prints are caused by the filament you are using. There is a general tendency to gravitate towards a cheaper filament. But using branded filaments will result in a range of benefits including better first layer adhesion, minimal to no heating or cooling issues, etc. You would be surprised at how significant a difference a high quality filament can make to your prints.

If you haven’t tried good filaments yet due to the high cost, now is the time. Simply trying out a few branded filaments will yield much better results.

Below are some popular brands and their PLA filaments for your consideration.

Use post-processing techniques

In addition to the above solutions where you try to avoid or reduce the layer lines before an object is 3D printed, we present an alternative solution. Reducing the layer lines after you have the print by using post-processing techniques. Below are some of the post-processing techniques that you can follow to reduce layer lines on your prints.

Sanding and polishing: Sanding and polishing the surface of your 3D print after printing can help to eliminate visible layer lines. Depending on the size and complexity of the print, this can be done manually or with an electric sander or polisher. This especially works great for FDM. You can read about more such techniques for post-processing of FDM 3D printed parts.

Personally, I keep a small sanding kit with various grit papers—from 220 to 2000—for smoothing models after printing. I recommend starting with 220 grit for initial layer removal, then progressing through 400, 800, and finishing with 2000 grit creates an almost glass-like finish on PLA prints. For display pieces, I’ll follow this with a polishing compound on a soft cloth for that extra shine.

Chemical Smoothing: A chemical smoothing process is another option for removing layer lines. This involves applying a chemical solution to the print’s surface, which melts the outer layer, resulting in a smoother finish. Acetone and MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) are two chemical smoothing solutions that are widely available.

Post-Processing with Filler: Using a filler material to smooth out any remaining layer lines on the surface of your 3D print can help. This entails filling any gaps or imperfections in the surface with a filler such as epoxy putty, then sanding and polishing the surface to create a smooth finish.

Adjust print orientation

Print orientation refers to the way in which your 3D model is positioned on the print bed. This can have a significant impact on the appearance of layer lines in your final print. When you 3D print an object, the way it’s positioned on the printer bed can affect how visible the lines between each layer are in the final product. If you don’t position the object in the optimal way, you might see more visible lines.

Reducing the layer height and nozzle diameter can help to reduce the appearance of these lines, but positioning the object in the best way can give your print that extra boost to look even better.

It’s important to know that the resolution of your print differs in the XY plane (horizontal) and Z axis (vertical). The XY plane resolution is determined by the diameter of the nozzle, while the Z-axis resolution is determined by the layer height.

So, if you want to make sure that your 3D print has the least visible layer lines, you want to position the model in a way that the finer details are printed along the Z-axis. This way, the layers are built up in a way that creates a smoother surface, resulting in fewer visible layer lines. If you are a reddit user, I’ll suggest you join r/3Dprinting where you’ll see a lot of suggestions for this specific issue. A lot of redditors have pointed out, that sometimes simply rotating a model 45 degrees can dramatically improve surface quality, especially for curved features. This orientation change helps distribute layer lines more evenly across curved surfaces.

Resolve Over Extrusion

Over-extrusion simply means that your 3D printer pushes out more filament than ideal. It causes your filament to be extruded faster and this is bad for part quality and, in particular, causes layer lines.

Over-extrusion occurs when the filament temperature is too high and the filament melts more than usual. Another cause is that your extrusion multiplier or flow rate has been changed to a higher value than usual. This over-extrusion will begin to deposit more filament on the print surface.

Simple ways to avoid over-extrusion include lowering the extruder temperature, turning on cooling fans, and adjusting the speed of your print, which can also affect over-extrusion.

Once it happened that I forgot to reset the flow rate after switching from a translucent to an opaque filament. The translucent filament required a 105% flow rate, but the opaque one needed only around 95%. The result was a model that looked melted with prominent layer lines where excess material had bulged out. Since then, I’ve created a simple checklist in my slicer profiles to ensure I adjust flow rates appropriately for each material type.

Check for Mechanical Issues

Mechanical issues relate to the 3D printer hardware and the hardware itself might be faulty. It can include factors like the print bed, any slack within the moving parts and so on. Many imperfections and defects in 3D prints arise from this factor, especially with vibrations from the movements of your printer.

Here’s a quick checklist to identify and resolve common mechanical issues:

• Check belt tension: Loose belts on X and Y axes can cause shifting or wobbling during prints
• Inspect Z-axis stability: Wobble in the Z-axis can create visible bands at regular intervals
• Verify smooth movement: Move the print head manually to feel for any resistance or binding
• Check frame rigidity: Ensure all frame bolts are tight and the printer sits on a stable surface
• Examine leadscrew alignment: A bent or misaligned leadscrew can cause Z-banding
• Inspect stepper motor mounts: Loose mounts can cause vibration patterns in prints

As Prusa’s community guide suggests, placing your printer on a solid surface away from vibrations can significantly improve print quality. It depends where you operate your 3D printer but you can try putting a vibration damping sheets (generally those you might see in a gym) beneath the printer to dramatically reduce vibration-related issues.

Use slicer plugins for smoother curves

Many newer slicing tools now offer plugins or built-in features that can significantly reduce the visibility of layer lines, especially on curved surfaces. One popular example is the ArcWelder plugin, which converts a series of short, straight movements into smooth arcs. You can try to use ArcWelder via OctoPrint as well.

These plugins work by optimizing the G-code that controls your printer’s movements. Instead of treating curved surfaces as a series of tiny straight lines (which creates the “staircase effect” on curves), they generate true arcs. This results in smoother, more fluid movement of the print head and significantly reduced layer lines on curved surfaces.

OrcaSlicer, which has gained popularity throughout 2024, includes built-in arc fitting and other smoothing techniques that many users report produces visibly better surface quality compared to older slicers.

Implement adaptive layer height

Modern slicers like Cura, PrusaSlicer, and OrcaSlicer now offer adaptive layer height functionality. This clever feature automatically varies the layer height throughout your print based on the model geometry.

For example, it might use very thin layers (0.08mm) for curved surfaces and areas with fine detail, while using thicker layers (0.2mm) for vertical walls and other areas where layer lines are less visible. This optimizes both print time and quality.

I’ve been using adaptive layer height on my PrusaSlicer profiles since last year, and it’s been a game-changer for complex models with both detailed and simple areas. A dragon figurine that previously took 12 hours to print at a uniform 0.1mm layer height now takes only 7 hours with adaptive layers, yet the quality in detailed areas remains exceptional.

Upgrade to dual Z-axis or linear rail systems

For those willing to invest in hardware upgrades, adding a dual Z-axis system or switching to linear rails can significantly improve print quality and reduce layer lines.

A dual Z-axis setup provides better stability and prevents the common “Z-wobble” that occurs when a single leadscrew has to support the entire X-axis gantry. This wobble often appears as horizontal bands in your prints at regular intervals.

Linear rail systems, while more expensive, offer even greater precision in movement. These systems replace the wheel-based carriage systems found in most consumer 3D printers with industrial-grade linear rails and bearings, resulting in smoother, more precise movement with less play or wobble.

Tricks to Hide Layer Lines

You can also use a variety of tricks to conceal layer lines in 3D prints. If you’re interested in learning more about these techniques, check out our dedicated article on useful tricks to hide layer lines in 3D prints.

Conclusion

You must have understood by now that completely eliminating layer lines is next to impossible for now, and at least in desktop FDM printing. But you can certainly follow good printing practices to reduce layer lines in 3D prints. prominent and visible layer lines. In case you are also facing other issues, you can check out our detailed articles on Common Problems in 3D Printing & How to Resolve Them – Part I and Common Problems in 3D Printing – Part II and get better at 3D printing.

Try out the above mentioned ways and let us know which ones worked for you and now you follow them rigorously.  

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