{"id":130,"date":"2026-06-25T09:07:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T08:07:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/bed-adhesion-settings-in-prusaslicer-skirt-brim-raft-and-elephant-foot-explained\/"},"modified":"2026-07-04T09:05:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T08:05:32","slug":"bed-adhesion-settings-in-prusaslicer-skirt-brim-raft-and-elephant-foot-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/bed-adhesion-settings-in-prusaslicer-skirt-brim-raft-and-elephant-foot-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Bed Adhesion Settings in PrusaSlicer: Skirt, Brim, Raft and Elephant Foot, Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If your prints keep peeling, warping or popping off mid-job, the fix is usually buried in three or four settings you&#8217;ve scrolled past a hundred times. This guide covers the <strong>bed adhesion settings<\/strong> that actually matter \u2014 skirt, brim, raft, brim separation gap and elephant foot compensation \u2014 with the real numbers, where to find them, and how they interact. We give the values for the <strong>ATN Slicer<\/strong> (our free OrcaSlicer-based slicer with the AI print-doctor built in) as the main route, with notes for PrusaSlicer and OrcaSlicer too. No hype, just the dials that keep a part stuck to the plate.<\/p>\n<p>Before we dig in: adhesion is a system. Settings sit on top of a clean, level bed at the right temperature. If your first layer is fundamentally wrong, no brim will save you. If you&#8217;re not sure which it is, start with our piece on <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/how-to-get-better-first-layer-adhesion-the-settings-and-checks-that-actually-work\/\">first layer adhesion checks that actually work<\/a>, then come back here to tune the slicer side. If you want the settings checked before you even press print, the <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\">ATN Slicer<\/a> flags bad combinations the moment you slice \u2014 it&#8217;s a free Windows download.<\/p>\n<h2>The three adhesion assistants: skirt, brim and raft<\/h2>\n<p>Every modern slicer gives you three build-plate adhesion aids, and they sit on a clear scale of &#8220;how much help do I need?&#8221;:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Skirt<\/strong> \u2014 best when you just want to confirm the bed is level and extrusion is flowing. It barely helps adhesion; it primes the nozzle.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Brim<\/strong> \u2014 best when you want a meaningful adhesion boost without wasting much filament or fighting a raft off the bottom afterwards.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Raft<\/strong> \u2014 for when you want maximum adhesion help, typically on awkward materials or tiny contact patches, at the cost of filament, time and a rougher bottom surface.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Most functional prints never need a raft. Reach for a brim first.<\/p>\n<h2>Skirt settings: priming and a free level check<\/h2>\n<p>The skirt is a printed outline around all the models on the plate, laid down before any model. Its main job is to stabilise filament flow through the nozzle, but it&#8217;s also genuinely useful for verifying first-layer adhesion. Because it prints first, you can watch it and nudge <strong>Live Z<\/strong> (or your printer&#8217;s baby-stepping) on the fly if the line is too squished or barely sticking.<\/p>\n<p>In the <strong>ATN Slicer<\/strong> (and OrcaSlicer, which shares the same setting names and locations), you&#8217;ll find these under <em>Others \u2192 Skirt<\/em>. In PrusaSlicer they live under <em>Print Settings \u2192 Skirt and brim<\/em>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Loops<\/strong> \u2014 the number of outlines. Set this to <strong>0<\/strong> to disable the skirt completely.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Distance from object<\/strong> \u2014 how far the skirt sits from the part.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Skirt height (layers)<\/strong> \u2014 how many layers tall the skirt is.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One tip carried over from Prusa&#8217;s own profiles: a one-layer skirt can be fiddly to peel off the bed, which is why stock profiles often use a <strong>three-layer-tall<\/strong> skirt. Also note that if a <em>minimum extrusion length<\/em> is set, the slicer may print more loops than you configured to hit that priming volume.<\/p>\n<h2>Brim settings: where the real adhesion gains are<\/h2>\n<p>A brim is a single-layer-tall apron of multiple walls printed around your part, with the final wall connected to the first layer of the model. That extra connected surface area is what holds the part down \u2014 it&#8217;s the most cost-effective adhesion insurance you can buy.<\/p>\n<p>In the <strong>ATN Slicer<\/strong>\/OrcaSlicer, set a <strong>brim width<\/strong> greater than 0 under <em>Others \u2192 Brim<\/em> (choose a brim type to enable it). In PrusaSlicer, set the brim width under <em>Print Settings \u2192 Skirt and brim \u2192 Brim<\/em>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Brim width<\/strong> \u2014 the horizontal width printed around each object on the first layer. The general advice is at least <strong>3 mm<\/strong> to meaningfully help adhesion. Community guidance commonly lands around <strong>5\u201310 mm<\/strong> for everyday prints, and roughly <strong>8 mm<\/strong> when you want a strong hold on a part that&#8217;s prone to lifting.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Brim type<\/strong> \u2014 choose <em>Outer brim only<\/em>, <em>Inner brim only<\/em>, or <em>Outer and inner brim<\/em>. Inner brims fill enclosed holes in the footprint, which helps tall parts with internal cavities.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Brim separation gap<\/strong> \u2014 the offset between the brim and the object, for easier removal (more on this below).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <strong>ATN Slicer<\/strong> and OrcaSlicer also support <strong>per-object brim<\/strong>: right-click an object to override its brim settings independently of the rest of the plate. In PrusaSlicer this lives in Advanced and Expert modes. Handy when one part is a tall, tippy thing and the rest are fine.<\/p>\n<h3>Getting the brim separation gap right<\/h3>\n<p>The brim separation gap exists to account for first-layer squish and to tune how firmly the brim grips the part. Here&#8217;s the catch most guides skip: <strong>the gap value is not the literal physical gap<\/strong>. The separation is measured from the line the nozzle follows, so if you squish your first layer harder or softer, the filament spreads differently and the real-world gap shifts with it.<\/p>\n<p>A sensible repeatable starting point is roughly <strong>half a nozzle diameter<\/strong> (so around 0.2 mm on a 0.4 mm nozzle), then calibrate from there. Worth knowing: in PrusaSlicer, <strong>negative separation<\/strong> \u2014 deliberately overlapping the brim into the part for a stronger bond \u2014 is <strong>not supported<\/strong> in the UI. It&#8217;s been requested but isn&#8217;t a setting you can dial in there today.<\/p>\n<h2>Elephant foot compensation and why it can detach your brim<\/h2>\n<p>When the first layer is pressed against the heated bed it squashes out a little wider than designed. <strong>Elephant foot compensation (EFC)<\/strong> shrinks the first layer to correct that bulge. In the <strong>ATN Slicer<\/strong>\/OrcaSlicer find it under <em>Quality \u2192 Precision \u2192 Elephant foot compensation<\/em>; in PrusaSlicer it&#8217;s under <em>Print Settings \u2192 Advanced \u2192 Elephant foot compensation<\/em> (Advanced or Expert mode only).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Recommended value:<\/strong> around <strong>0.2 mm<\/strong> works well for the default 0.4 mm nozzle, and it&#8217;s <strong>on by default<\/strong> in official profiles.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Thin-line protection:<\/strong> these slicers detect thin first-layer lines and avoid over-shrinking them, so EFC doesn&#8217;t gut fine detail.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The critical interaction: <strong>EFC weakens the brim&#8217;s connection to the model<\/strong>. If your brim prints but won&#8217;t actually grip the part, your elephant foot compensation is probably set too high. This used to be a real headache.<\/p>\n<p>The good news \u2014 in the <strong>ATN Slicer<\/strong> and OrcaSlicer (and in PrusaSlicer since <strong>2.4.0<\/strong>), the brim is generated <em>after<\/em> EFC, and the brim separation parameter is independent of it. As long as your brim separation is set to zero, EFC should never detach the brim from the object. (One PrusaSlicer quirk: when you open a 3MF saved by an older version, the brim separation is set equal to the old EFC value so the result matches the original.)<\/p>\n<h2>A practical recipe<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Start with a <strong>three-layer skirt<\/strong> to prime and confirm your first layer visually.<\/li>\n<li>For anything taller than it is wide, or any material that lifts, add a <strong>5 mm brim<\/strong> (8 mm for stubborn parts).<\/li>\n<li>Leave <strong>EFC at ~0.2 mm<\/strong> and brim separation at <strong>0<\/strong> for the strongest brim bond; only raise separation if the brim is impossible to remove.<\/li>\n<li>Only escalate to a raft when a brim genuinely can&#8217;t hold the contact patch.<\/li>\n<li>Slice in the <strong>ATN Slicer<\/strong> and let the built-in pre-flight engine flag anything that&#8217;ll fail before you waste filament.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you&#8217;re still chasing peeling and curling after this, it&#8217;s often a warping problem rather than pure adhesion \u2014 see <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-warping-in-3d-prints-the-exact-settings-that-work\/\">how to fix warping in 3D prints<\/a>. For material-specific quirks, our guides on <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/first-layer-adhesion-problems-with-pla-the-real-causes-and-exact-fixes\/\">PLA first-layer problems<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/first-layer-adhesion-issues-with-petg-why-it-sticks-too-well-and-sometimes-not-at-all\/\">PETG sticking too well (or not at all)<\/a> go deeper. And for the full settings rundown beyond adhesion, see our <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/best-first-layer-settings-in-prusaslicer-the-exact-values-that-make-prints-stick\/\">best first layer settings in PrusaSlicer<\/a>. If you&#8217;re slicing in OrcaSlicer instead, we&#8217;ve got an <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/orcaslicer-first-layer-adhesion-settings-the-exact-values-that-make-prints-stick\/\">OrcaSlicer first layer adhesion settings<\/a> guide too. Related: still not sure whether your issue is adhesion at all? Our overview of <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/why-is-my-3d-print-failing-the-real-causes-and-exact-fixes\/\">why prints fail and the exact fixes<\/a> covers the wider picture.<\/p>\n<h2>FAQ<\/h2>\n<h3>How wide should a brim be?<\/h3>\n<p>At least 3 mm to meaningfully help adhesion. Most everyday prints do well around 5 mm, and 8 mm is a good choice for tall or warp-prone parts. Wider than that rarely adds much and just wastes filament and removal time. This holds whether you&#8217;re in the ATN Slicer, OrcaSlicer or PrusaSlicer.<\/p>\n<h3>Why won&#8217;t my brim stick to the part?<\/h3>\n<p>Two usual culprits: elephant foot compensation set too high (it shrinks the first layer away from the brim), or a brim separation gap above zero. In the ATN Slicer and OrcaSlicer (and PrusaSlicer 2.4.0+), set brim separation to 0 and EFC weakening the bond should no longer be an issue.<\/p>\n<h3>How do I disable the skirt?<\/h3>\n<p>Set <em>Skirt \u2192 Loops<\/em> to 0 \u2014 under <em>Others \u2192 Skirt<\/em> in the ATN Slicer\/OrcaSlicer, or <em>Print Settings \u2192 Skirt and brim<\/em> in PrusaSlicer. Note that a minimum extrusion length, if configured, can still force extra priming loops.<\/p>\n<h3>Skirt vs brim vs raft \u2014 which should I use?<\/h3>\n<p>Skirt to prime and check levelling, brim for solid adhesion without much waste, raft only when you need maximum hold on a difficult material or a tiny footprint. Start with a brim; reach for a raft last.<\/p>\n<p>Stuck on a specific failure rather than settings in the abstract? The free <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\">ATN Slicer<\/a> has the Diagnose and Ask AI panels built right in beside the gcode preview \u2014 or upload a photo to our <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/diagnose\">Diagnose tool<\/a> in the browser and it&#8217;ll identify the defect and hand back exact, slicer-specific fixes \u2014 including downloadable .ini patches for PrusaSlicer and OrcaSlicer. Or run your gcode through the <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/preflight\">pre-flight checklist<\/a> before you commit a long print.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/elephant-foot-fix-in-prusaslicer-the-setting-that-works-and-the-causes-behind-it\/\">Elephant Foot Fix in PrusaSlicer: The Setting That Works (and the Causes Behind It)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Related:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/pla-vs-petg-settings-for-functional-parts-the-real-differences-that-matter\/\">PLA vs PETG Settings for Functional Parts: The Real Differences That Matter<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If your prints keep peeling, warping or popping off mid-job, the fix is usually buried in three or four settings you&#8217;ve scrolled past a hundred times. This guide covers the bed adhesion settings that actually matter \u2014 skirt, \u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":173,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":210,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130\/revisions\/210"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}