How much extra material do supports use?

Supports typically add 5-30% extra material depending on the model geometry, support density, and overhang area. A model with many overhangs and dense supports can use up to 50% more material.

What support density should I use?

Light density (5%) works for small overhangs and gentle angles. Normal density (10%) is a good default. Dense supports (20%) are needed for large flat overhangs, heavy parts, or materials prone to drooping like PETG.

How do I reduce support waste?

Orient the model to minimise overhangs. Use tree supports instead of grid supports for organic shapes. Reduce support density where possible. Add chamfers to overhanging edges in your design to bring angles below 45 degrees.

Are tree supports better than standard supports?

Tree supports often use 30-50% less material than standard grid supports and are easier to remove. They work especially well for organic shapes with scattered overhang areas. Standard supports are better for large flat overhangs.

3DPrintCalcs

Support Calculator — Extra Material & Time for Supports

Estimate extra material and time needed for support structures.

Model Volume

From your slicer

Support Area

% of model needing support

Layer Height

Print Speed

Support Density

Material

How We Calculate This

Support Estimation Formulas

Support volume = Model volume x Support area % x Density factor
Support weight = Support volume x Material density
Extra time = Support volume / (Speed x Layer height x Line width)
Material increase = Support weight / Model weight x 100%

The support area percentage estimates what fraction of the model sits above unsupported overhangs. The density factor converts this from solid volume to the actual sparse support structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify settings with test prints before committing to final prints.