Texture Mapping

Turn a flat STL into a decorative one

Flat STL looks boring? This tool adds texture over the surface - facet, leather, fabric, bark, hex pattern, brushed, hammered. No CAD skills - one click and a flat object becomes premium.

Available with the Pro plan (15 EUR per month). The printed book includes 3 months of Pro.

Base meshes - cube, sphere, plane, cylinder, torus
Base meshes - cube, sphere, plane, cylinder, torus
Sphere 1.9M vertices - preview after subdivision
Sphere 1.9M vertices - preview after subdivision
Hex texture applied to the sphere
Hex texture applied to the sphere

Key features

50+ textures

Natural (bark, leather), geometric (hex, triangular), technical (knurled, brushed, hammered), artistic (waves, ripples).

Depth and density

Slider controls - from barely noticeable to aggressively raised texture.

Selective mapping

Apply texture only on certain surfaces (e.g. side walls, not the top).

UV mapping

For complex surfaces - wrap texture the right way.

Preview

3D preview in browser - rotate, zoom, see how it will look.

Export

STL, 3MF - compatible with all slicers.

How it works

  1. 1Upload STL.
  2. 2Pick a texture from the catalog (50+).
  3. 3Mark surfaces for application (selective mapping).
  4. 4Fine-tune depth and density.
  5. 5Export STL/3MF.

Who it's for

Designer

Quick decoration of a boring prototype before a presentation.

Print service

Add-on service - premium version of a standard client object.

Hobby

Vases and containers become art objects with the right texture.

Dental industry

Texture on the backside of surgical guides for better hand grip.

Frequently asked

How do I get access?

A physical-book code gives Pro access for 90 days; the PDF edition - for 30 days.

How many textures?

50+ as of 2026-05. Growing with 5-10 new ones monthly.

Does it preserve the shape?

Yes - texture is external surface modification, the base shape is unchanged.

Can I do custom texture from a photo?

Yes - upload PNG (grayscale) and the tool converts it to a displacement map.

Does it affect print time?

Slightly - usually +5-10% for surface texture, +20% for deep.

Want full access to all 148 instruments?

The Big Book of 3D Printing includes 90 days of Pro access to every instrument with the physical book's code - 30 days with the ebook. Calculators, wizards, comparisons, generators, and more.

Get the book