Prints not sticking to a textured PEI plate

This guide is for anyone whose first layer drags, curls or peels off a textured (powder-coated) PEI sheet. It covers how Prusa, Bambu Lab, Creality, BIQU and Polymaker say to clean their plates, how much to squish the first layer into the texture, the bed temperatures each maker gives, when they say to use glue, and when the plate itself is the problem. Each maker's advice applies to that maker's plates. If your problem is different, one of these guides fits better:

Step 1: Clean it the way the plate maker says

Oils are the usual first suspect. Bambu says skin oils "reduce the plate's adhesion to filament," and Prusa says "Any cleaning agent (e.g. IPA) that is dermal/cosmetic, i.e. for skin or nails, may contain additives like moisturizers and oils which are not suitable." Handle the plate by its edges after cleaning. Makers don't agree on alcohol or soap for textured plates, so follow the one that made yours.

Bambu explains why it prefers detergent for a textured plate: "Alcohol might just spread the oils on the print surface instead of removing it," while detergent with a sponge or scrubber reaches "inside the textured surface." Bambu and Creality both say to use a detergent with no oils or moisturizers, because those can stay on the plate.

Bambu gives a quick test for whether the plate is clean. On a dirty plate, water "flows down in streams and gathers into droplets." On a clean plate, it "forms a thin water film."

Step 2: Press the first layer into the texture

A textured sheet needs a slightly different first layer from a smooth one. Prusa's 2019 blog post on its powder-coated sheets says it's "necessary to lower the nozzle more (compared to the smooth PEI sheet)," but "it is important not to overdo it." Its description of a good first layer: "The extruded filament should completely fill all gaps of the print surface while remaining smooth and flat on the top" during the first layer. Too high and "your object will not stick to the surface." Too low and the filament may "stick to the nozzle and peel off from the surface," or damage the sheet.

How you set that height depends on the printer.

Prusa printers without a loadcell (MK2.5/S, MK3/S/+, MK3.5/S, MINI/+)

Prusa says each sheet type "needs a different Live-Z value, as they have slightly different thicknesses." So a textured sheet needs its own value. Either redo the first layer calibration when you swap sheets, or store a value per sheet in Steel sheet profiles:

• MK2.5/S and MK3/S/+: LCD Menu > Settings > HW setup > Steel Sheets. Up to eight profiles, each with its own first layer calibration.
• MINI/+ and MK3.5/S: LCD Menu > Settings > Hardware > Steel Sheets, with a quick toggle under Control > Sheet profile.

Prusa notes that the printer "cannot sense which steel sheet is installed," so select the right profile yourself. To fine-tune during a print, use Live adjust Z, which Prusa describes as for fine-tuning only. Turning the knob counter-clockwise brings the nozzle closer to the sheet, and Prusa says the change is saved for future prints.

Prusa printers with a loadcell (CORE One, MK4/S, MK3.9/S, XL)

Prusa says these "calibrate the first layer automatically." To fine-tune, long-press the knob while the first layer prints, but that change "will not be saved for the next print." For a lasting change, Prusa points to PrusaSlicer's Printers > General > Z offset, "where a negative value means a more squished first layer."

Bambu Lab printers

Bambu's cleaning guide doesn't describe a manual Z offset for the Textured PEI Plate. Its first-layer advice is in the slicer: if adhesion problems come up, it recommends starting the print with a 0.5 mm line width and a 0.25 mm layer height.

Step 3: What bed temperature does each filament need?

Bed temperature is the next setting to check. Bambu says "higher heatbed temperatures result in stronger adhesion," so you can raise it slightly if grip is weak. But for PLA and PETG, "excessively high temperatures may lead to clogging and elephant foot problems."

Bambu's ranges for its Textured PEI Plate:

Other makers' numbers:

• Prusa: use the temperatures PrusaSlicer sets for your material. For new materials that don't stick, Prusa says you "can try to increase the heatbed temperature by 5-10 °C."
• BIQU CryoGrip Pro Frostbite: BIQU says PLA sticks at 30 °C and PETG at 50 °C on this textured low-temperature plate, and that ABS should be printed "at standard recommended temperatures." For its smoother Glacier plate, BIQU gives 45 °C for PLA and 60 °C for PETG.
• Polymaker: its general ranges, not specific to textured PEI, are 55 to 60 °C for PLA and 70 to 80 °C for PETG. It says to check each product page for specifics.

If you've edited a filament profile, Bambu suggests double-checking the bed temperature in it. BIQU says "incorrect cooling or chamber temperatures can affect CryoGrip adhesion." For PLA it suggests a lower chamber temperature and less auxiliary fan during high-speed printing, and for PETG a stable chamber temperature and slower speed.

Step 4: When should you use glue?

Textured PEI is meant to work bare for most common filaments. Where makers do call for glue, it's for specific materials:

• Prusa textured sheet: "Prints from ASA, ABS, Nylon, and PC Blend require the application of a glue stick (separation layer)." Prusa says flexible filaments (TPU/TPEE) don't need glue on it. Its 2019 blog post said not to use any adhesive on powder-coated sheets. The current help article lists the materials above, so follow that.
• Bambu Textured PEI Plate: Bambu says "it is generally not necessary to apply glue," and that PC, PA, ABS and ASA "may" need a layer of glue stick. In its general note on gluing its build plates, Bambu also says third-party glues "are strongly discouraged and may damage the plate."
• Creality SPARKX i7: after "irreversible adhesion degradation," Creality says "adhesive can be applied, or the print plate can be replaced."
• Polymaker: its adhesion page says that on PEI "you can damage the PEI if you add adhesives." The same page says you can use Magigoo on PEI if parts aren't sticking.

Some glue advice for textured PEI is about release rather than grip. Bambu says that if PETG is hard to remove from its textured plate, applying glue reduces its adhesion, and Polymaker says PET and CoPE need a release agent on textured PEI. Our bed adhesives guide covers glue as a release layer, and our PETG printing problems guide covers PETG's other sticking and release problems.

Step 5: Help small or thin parts

On a textured sheet, a small footprint may not be enough. Prusa says "Small PLA prints may require a Brim" on its textured sheet, and its 2019 blog post suggests a brim of "at least 3 mm." Bambu says that for small objects, a brim "enhances the pressure between the print and the build plate," and that thin, tall items "are more prone to nozzle scraping at high speeds," so it advises proper supports for them to reduce the risk of warping or detachment.

Step 6: Check for wear last

A worn plate is possible, but makers treat it as the cause to confirm after cleaning, height and temperature.

• Shiny marks. Prusa's first-layer guide says marks from the nozzle or tools are typically "shinier than the rest of the pad," and "It does not affect functionality or adhesion." For a uniform look, it describes rubbing gently with the hard side of a dry kitchen sponge or 400 to 600 grit sandpaper, then wiping with IPA. That guide doesn't say which sheet types this applies to.
• Bambu Textured PEI Plate. Bambu says grinding the surface "with fine sandpaper or steel wool will create a new, clean surface and enhance the build plate's adhesion." Clean off all the sanding debris afterwards.
• Creality SPARKX i7. Creality says PEI plates "may experience irreversible adhesion degradation" after extended use.
• Prusa sheets. Prusa calls sheets consumables whose "coatings will diminish over time."

Our PEI sheet damage guide covers what each maker says about restoring and replacing plates. If you need a new one, the build plates shortlist lists plates by printer, using only the compatibility records we hold.

A sensible order

1. Clean the plate with the method its maker gives: IPA for Prusa, dish soap for Bambu, Creality and BIQU Frostbite.
2. Keep fingers off the print area afterwards.
3. Check the first layer fills the texture. On a non-loadcell Prusa, make sure the right sheet profile is selected.
4. Confirm the bed temperature matches the maker's range for your filament, then raise it a little if needed.
5. Add glue only for the materials your plate maker names.
6. Add a brim for small PLA parts.
7. Only then consider wear, and restore the plate only where the maker documents it.

Change one thing per print.

Checklist

• Plate cleaned the maker's way, with no acetone and nothing made for skin.
• Detergent free of oils and moisturizers.
• Water forms a film, not droplets (Bambu's test).
• First layer fills the texture without the nozzle dragging.
• Correct sheet profile or Live Z value for a textured sheet (Prusa without a loadcell).
• Bed temperature within the plate maker's range for the filament.
• Glue only for the materials your plate maker lists.
• Brim on small PLA parts.

How this guide was checked

This is a research-based guide. We haven't tested these plates for it. Every cleaning method, setting, menu path and temperature comes from the Prusa Research, Bambu Lab, Creality, BIGTREETECH (BIQU) and Polymaker pages listed in the sources, retrieved on 2026-10-13, and applies only to the plates and printers each page names. Read more in our editorial standards.

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