Gridfinity on a Bambu Lab Printer: Filament, Print Settings and Magnets

Gridfinity is a free, open-source modular storage system built on a 42 × 42 mm grid. You print baseplates that sit in a drawer or on a bench, then print bins that snap into them in any size. For most setups PLA Basic is the right filament, PLA Matte if you want a color-coded system that looks intentional, and PETG-HF for garages or anywhere warm. This guide covers filament, settings that work on a Bambu Lab printer, magnets, where to find files and how to plan a first drawer.

In this guide

• How Gridfinity works
• Which filament to use
• Print settings
• Magnets
• Where to find files
• Planning your first drawer
• FAQ

How Gridfinity works

Zack Freedman released Gridfinity as open source in 2022. The system has three parts:

• Baseplates define the grid. Each cell has a pocket that accepts a bin foot, and most people add magnets to the pockets.
• Bins come in grid sizes (1×1, 1×2, 2×3 and so on) and heights in 7 mm units. A 1×1×3 bin is one cell wide, one deep and 21 mm tall.
• Accessories include lids, dividers, label slots, tool inserts and wall panels.

Any design that follows the 42 mm spec fits any baseplate, whoever designed it.

Which filament to use

Gridfinity has large flat surfaces and thin walls, and the bins have to seat in a tight fit. Warped baseplates or weak layer bonds ruin it, so filament choice matters more than it looks.

PLA Basic is rigid, easy to print and cheap enough to print a full setup. It fails in one scenario: heat. PLA softens at relatively low temperatures, so a garage shelf that gets very hot in summer will slowly warp PLA bins.

PLA Matte has the same price and settings. The flat finish hides layer lines and makes color coding look cleaner.

PETG-HF tolerates much more heat. It is slightly more flexible than PLA, which changes how bins seat, so you may need to adjust horizontal expansion by about 0.1 mm. Dry it before long prints: Bambu's AMS 2 Pro setting for PETG is 65 °C for 12 hours. Full details are in the Bambu Lab filament guide.

Print settings

• Layer height: 0.2 mm. Use 0.16 mm only for sharp label text. Avoid 0.3 mm, because it hurts the snap-fit geometry.
• Infill: at least 15% for baseplates, 10 to 15% for bins. Lower infill makes the top layer bridge poorly.
• Walls: 3 minimum. Use 4 for bins that hold heavy tools.
• Top and bottom layers: 3 are enough. Defaults of 4 or 5 waste filament on flat parts.
• Nozzle: the 0.4 mm nozzle is ideal. A 0.6 mm nozzle is fine for baseplates and simple bins. Bambu Studio uses the Arachne wall generator by default, which handles thin walls well. Avoid 0.8 mm for bins with labels.
• Brim: skip it. It is tedious to remove from a baseplate, so get first-layer adhesion right instead.
• Test first. Print a 1×1 bin and a small baseplate section before a full drawer. If bins are loose, reduce horizontal expansion by 0.1 mm. If tight, increase it by 0.1 mm.

Keep the first layer calibrated, and look at the build plate before blaming the filament: a worn or dirty plate is the usual cause of warped baseplates.

Magnets

Magnets are optional, but in a drawer they keep bins from sliding when it opens. The standard is 6 × 2 mm neodymium discs, four per cell on the baseplate.

1. Print the baseplate with the pockets facing up.
2. Dry-fit one magnet. It should sit flush or just below the surface.
3. Check polarity before gluing. Drop one magnet in an unglued pocket as a reference. New magnets should attract it when placed north-side-down. Mixed polarity means some bins repel.
4. Add a drop of CA glue to each pocket and press the magnet in with a flat tool, not your finger.
5. Let it cure for about 10 minutes before loading bins.

Add magnets last, once the fit is confirmed, so you can reprint a section if tolerances need changing.

Where to find files

• MakerWorld: Bambu Lab's platform has thousands of Gridfinity designs, often with Bambu profiles ready, and a Gridfinity configurator that tiles a baseplate layout across your build plate after you enter your drawer dimensions.
• Printables: the largest collection. Search "gridfinity" and sort by most downloaded.
• Gridfinity.xyz: the community hub with specs and links.
• Gridfinity Generator by Perplexing Labs: enter dimensions and download an STL when you cannot find the size you need.

For a specific tool, search its name plus "gridfinity". Someone has usually designed the insert.

Planning your first drawer

1. Pick one drawer. Not the whole workshop.
2. Measure the interior in mm and divide each side by 42. A 210 × 294 mm drawer fits a 5 × 7 grid.
3. Print a 2×2 baseplate section and a few 1×1 bins. Check seating and release.
4. Sort the contents first. That tells you which bin sizes you need.
5. Print the full baseplate last, split into sections if it is larger than your build plate.
6. Add magnets once everything fits.

For color coding, assign colors by category, not by location, since bins move. A simple scheme: black or gray for fasteners, red for cutting tools, blue for electronics, green for adhesives, yellow for measuring tools.

FAQ

Which Bambu Lab printers can print Gridfinity?

Any of them. Baseplates are flat and bins are simple, so an A1 Mini is enough for bins, while larger printers fit bigger baseplate sections in one piece.

Can I mix Gridfinity files from different designers?

Yes. Anything following the 42 mm spec fits any baseplate.

What size magnets does Gridfinity use?

6 × 2 mm neodymium discs, four per cell. Buy them in packs of 50 to 100.

Can I use Gridfinity bins for food?

Not recommended. Printed parts have layer gaps that trap residue, and heat will deform them. Use them for dry, non-food storage.