Texture library
Textures you can print
Every one is a formula: the height at each point of a surface, in mm. Our own code, drawn live on this page.
Knits & fabric
Stitches, weaves and cloth: soft to look at, hard plastic to touch.
Spool: “Yarn comes on a spool too. I feel very at home here.”
- Cube 1CrochetBoxes, plant pots and cozy covers that look handmade.
- Cube 2Rib knitCups, sleeves and anything round and tall.
- Cube 3Cable knitBig, chunky pieces: lamp shades, vases, pencil cups.
- Cube 4Basket weaveBaskets (of course), trays and storage bins.
- Cube 5BobblePlayful boxes and toys; a nice thing to run a thumb over.
- Cube 6QuiltedCases, cushions-that-are-not-cushions, phone stands.
- Cube 34CorduroyA subtle all-over texture that hides layer lines well.
- Cube 35TartanGift boxes and anything with a cozy, checked look.
- Cube 26HerringboneElegant boxes, coasters, panels.
- Cube 42FishnetLamps and vases where the gaps catch the light.
- Cube 43Cross-stitchSewing boxes, hoops and anything crafty.
- Cube 17RopeHandles, nautical pieces, plant pots.
- Cube 16LeatherCases, journal covers, a matte look that hides fingerprints.
Nature
Wood, stone, scales, petals and sand, all grown from noise and cells.
Flo: “Nothing in nature repeats exactly. Neither do these. Relax into it.”
- Cube 7ScalesDragons, fish, armor and mermaid-tail pots.
- Cube 10Stone cellsOrganic vases, planters, terrain.
- Cube 12Wood grainWood-filled filament, boxes, frames, handles.
- Cube 30BarkPlanters, pen holders, fairy houses.
- Cube 15Stone wallCastles, garden pieces, tabletop terrain.
- Cube 33PebblesCoasters, soap dishes, garden pots.
- Cube 47CrystalLamp shades and anything in silk or translucent filament.
- Cube 32CoralVases and planters with an underwater feel.
- Cube 31LeopardFun cases and pots; two colors make it pop.
- Cube 38BambooPen pots, chopstick rests, planters.
- Cube 39DunesSand-colored vases, desk pieces, lamp bases.
- Cube 25RipplesVases and anything that should feel calm.
- Cube 40FlowersGifts, planters, kids’ things.
- Cube 46PetalsVases, lamp shades and candle holders.
Geometric
Tiles, lines and mazes: clean repeats that read from across a room.
Fil: “Patterns hold things together. Trust me, I am infill.”
- Cube 8HoneycombAnything techy or bee-themed; reads clearly from far away.
- Cube 23TruchetPanels, boxes and anything that should look busy but calm.
- Cube 24MazePuzzle boxes, games, desk toys.
- Cube 14BrickHouses, chimneys, terrain, pen pots.
- Cube 44ShinglesLittle houses, bird feeders, roofs for anything.
- Cube 48WaffleBreakfast jokes, trays, a strong grid look.
- Cube 36Polka dotsFun, simple and easy to print anywhere.
- Cube 37ZigzagVases, bins and anything that wants to look lively.
- No cube yetWavy linesA light, all-over texture for cups and pots.
- Cube 22Topo mapGifts for hikers, desk pieces, a map you can touch.
Grip
Textures with a job: fingers, thumbs and tools hold on better.
Bri: “I never let go of the plate. These never let go of your hand.”
- Cube 9KnurlingKnobs, handles, lids you twist, tool grips.
- Cube 27Tread plateRugged cases, tool boxes, things that get stepped on (in miniature).
- Cube 29Tire treadToy wheels, grippy bands, rugged desk pieces.
- Cube 45Grip ribsSliding lids, pull tabs, anything you push with a thumb.
- Cube 28Golf dimplesGrips, balls, anything that wants a sporty touch.
- Cube 13HammeredCups, bowls, lamp bases; shines in silk filament.
Maker & printing
Inside jokes for people who print: coils, layers, infill and a spaghetti failure on purpose.
Lyra: “Layer lines as a texture? Finally, someone gets it.”
- Cube 11Filament coilSpool holders, filament-themed gifts.
- Cube 20Layer linesMaking the print’s own look the point.
- Cube 19GyroidShowing off what is usually hidden inside a print.
- Cube 21SpaghettiInside jokes and gifts for anyone who has printed spaghetti.
- Cube 41CircuitElectronics enclosures and anything techy.
- Cube 18Carbon weavePhone cases, sporty parts, carbon-filled filament.
Which texture method?
Four ways to put a texture on a print. We use formulas, but each one is the right tool somewhere.
| Method | How it works | Great at | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formula (our library) | Code gives the height at every point; the model’s surface moves out by that much. | Sharp at any size, no seams, endless variety; one number changes the size or depth. | Someone has to write the formula. Only patterns you can describe in math. |
| Picture (BumpMesh by CNC Kitchen) | A grayscale image wrapped on your model: white pushes out. Free, in the browser, nothing uploaded. | Anything you can photograph or draw. 101 ready textures, eight ways to wrap a picture (flat, box, cylinder, sphere, triplanar, along the surface), STL and 3MF out. | A picture has a fixed resolution: enlarge it too much and it softens. Some shapes stretch a picture; its projections and seam blending help. |
| Blender (displace modifier or sculpting) | Displace the mesh with a texture, or sculpt by hand. | Full artistic control: one-off sculpts, characters, anything. | A learning curve, and dense meshes to clean up before printing. |
| Slicer fuzzy skin | The nozzle jiggles randomly on the outer wall while printing. | One click, no change to the model, hides layer lines. | Only random roughness: no patterns, and it covers every outer wall it is set on. |
Got a photo or a logo? Try BumpMesh: it is a great community tool, and the source is open (AGPL-3.0). Want a pattern that wraps a round part without a seam, at any size? A formula. Just want it rough? Fuzzy skin. Open BumpMesh by CNC Kitchen.
Print rules for every texture
- Put textures on walls. The nozzle draws the pattern across, sharp to 3 nozzle widths (1.2 mm). On a flat top, the depth comes in layer steps, so use thin layers (0.12 mm or less).
- Fade the texture out over the bottom 3 mm, so the first layers are flat and stick to the plate. Our cubes also fade over 1.5 mm at the top and the corners.
- Depth 0.4 to 1.5 mm. Under 0.4 mm it barely shows (two layers’ worth); deeper than 1.5 mm, the steep sides start to overhang.
- Patterns with an up and a down (scales, shingles, petals, dunes, grip ribs, tire tread) are drawn the way up they print best: keep them that way.
- A seam-free texture on a round part needs a whole number of repeats round the outside: change the size until it fits.
Our test cubes (one per texture, 25 mm, the number on top) are made and waiting for the printer: photos go on each texture’s page as they come off the plate.