When PETG will not stick to the bed, the first layer drags, beads up, or peels off the sheet instead of bonding. PETG needs a warmer bed than PLA to grip, so a cold or unlevel sheet is the usual cause. Bambu’s PETG guide and the Prusa PETG page both call out bed temperature and the nozzle gap first.
A bad first layer fails the whole print, so it pays to fix it before the part grows tall. Work the list in order and reprint a single PETG layer after each change.
PETG sticks well when the bed is hot and clean, near 80 to 90 C, and it can bond so hard to smooth PEI that a glue stick helps as a release agent.
Causes, in order
| Likely cause | Fix | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Bed too cold | Set the bed to 80 to 90 C, the range PETG needs to bond. | hi |
| Bed not level | Level for a light paper drag at all four corners and the center. | hi |
| Z-offset too high | Lower the Z-offset a touch so the first layer presses into the sheet. | md |
| Dirty sheet | Wipe the sheet with isopropyl alcohol so oil and dust do not break the bond. | md |
| Wet PETG | Dry the spool at 60 to 65 C, then reprint. Wet PETG lays down rough. | lo |
Quick fixes to try first
Print a flat one-layer PETG square and lift a corner to test the grip, then work top to bottom and reprint after each step.
Raise the bed
Set the bed to 80 to 90 C so the PETG has the heat it needs to bond.
Level the bed
Heat the bed, then set a light paper drag at all four corners and the center.
Lower the Z-offset
Drop the Z-offset a small step so the first layer presses into the sheet.
Clean the sheet
Wipe the sheet with isopropyl alcohol, and add a glue stick on smooth PEI.
Deeper tuning to try next
When heat and level do not hold the layer, the sheet and the filament are next.
Try a textured sheet
Textured PEI grips PETG better than smooth glass for a stubborn first layer.
Slow the first layer
Drop the first layer speed so the PETG has time to bond before it cools.
Dry the PETG
If the layer looks rough or pops, dry the spool at 60 to 65 C and reprint.
How PETG differs
PETG needs a much warmer bed than PLA, near 80 to 90 C versus 60 C for PLA, or it will not bond. It can also grip smooth PEI so hard it chips the sheet when the print comes off, so a thin glue-stick layer works as a release agent as well as an adhesion aid. ABS needs an even hotter bed and an enclosure, but PETG usually holds with just heat and a clean sheet.
Mistakes that lift the layer
A few choices trade one problem for another.
Avoiddo not
- Printing PETG on a 60 C PLA bed temperature.
- Lowering the Z-offset so far the first layer ripples.
- Peeling a PETG print off smooth PEI with no release aid, which can chip the sheet.
- Changing bed temp, level, and Z-offset at once.
Key takeaways
- PETG will not stick when the bed is too cold, unlevel, or too far away.
- Set the bed to 80 to 90 C, level it, and lower the Z-offset a touch.
- Use a glue stick on smooth PEI as a release aid.
- PETG needs a warmer bed than PLA but no enclosure.
For the general version, the first-layer adhesion guide covers any material, and the PETG hub covers the material in depth.
Related guides
Related
More in this area
Cross-reference
Sources & methodology
3 citations · reviewed 2026-07-10- 01Bambu Lab PETG Usage Guide (wiki): PETG bed temperatureaccessed 2026-06-29Tier 1
- 02Prusa Knowledge Base: PETG (bed and first layer)accessed 2026-07-09Tier 1
- 03All3DP: PETG stringing and bed adhesionaccessed 2026-07-09Tier 2