Wall Thickness Calculator — Minimum Wall Strength

The absolute minimum is two perimeter lines, which for a 0.4mm nozzle gives 0.8mm. However, for functional parts most materials need at least 1.2mm (3 perimeters) to be strong enough. Structural parts benefit from 1.6mm or more.

Yes. Rigid materials like PLA and PETG need at least 1.2mm for functional parts. Flexible materials like TPU need thicker walls (1.6mm+) to maintain shape. Nylon can get away with slightly thinner walls due to its toughness.

Wall thickness should be a multiple of your nozzle diameter. A 0.4mm nozzle produces 0.4mm wide perimeter lines, so walls should be 0.8mm, 1.2mm, 1.6mm etc. Non-multiples create gaps or overlaps that weaken the wall.

Increasing wall thickness (perimeters) is generally more effective than increasing infill for overall part strength. Going from 2 to 4 perimeters makes a bigger difference than going from 20% to 50% infill for most geometries.