Is a 3D-printed vase water-tight?
Short answer: not always on its own. A 3D-printed vase is built from many thin layers, and when water stands in it day after day, moisture can work its way through the fine seams between them. That is why every LUMA vase comes with a removable, water-tight insert. The water and the stems stand in the insert, and the vase itself stays dry. Dried flowers need no water at all and go straight into the vase.
Why a 3D-printed vase can leak
A 3D printer builds a vase from one continuous line of material, laid down layer upon layer. The layers fuse well, and that gives the vase its strength and its fine ribs. Water is patient, though. Where two layers meet there are microscopic seams, and over a few days a little moisture can creep through them. You rarely see it happen. You find it later, as a damp patch under the vase or a white ring on the oak sideboard.
Two ways to make a 3D-printed vase water-tight
Makers of 3D-printed vases solve leaking in one of two ways. They seal the inside, or they set a separate container inside the vase.
| Coating on the inside | A separate insert | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | The inside is sealed with a layer of lacquer or resin | A water-tight container stands in the vase and holds the water |
| Over time | A coating can wear or crack, and you cannot see that from the outside | Nothing to wear: the water never touches the printed vase |
| Fresh water | Empty and refill the whole vase | Lift out the insert, rinse it, put it back |
| The vase itself | Changed on the inside by the coating | Stays exactly as it was printed and finished |
LUMA chose the insert. The vase stays as it left the studio: printed, finished by hand with a flame, untouched on the inside.
How the LUMA insert works
Every LUMA vase, in every shape and size, comes with a removable insert made of PETG, a tough, water-tight plastic. It stands inside the vase and holds the water and the stems. Because it lifts out, you fill it at the tap and never pour water into the vase.
- Material: PETG takes more heat than PLA and only starts to soften around 70°C.
- Cleaning: by hand, in lukewarm water with a drop of washing-up liquid.
- Not in the dishwasher: the insert is thin, and an intensive programme reaches 70 to 75°C. That is enough to deform it.
Fresh flowers in a 3D-printed vase, step by step
- Fill the insert at the tap, then set it into the vase. That way no water runs down the outside of the insert.
- Cut the stems at an angle and take off the leaves that would sit below the waterline.
- Every few days, lift out the insert, rinse it and refill it.
- Keep the vase below 50°C. PLA, the plant-based material of the vase, starts to soften around 55°C, and a radiator, a hot car or a sunny windowsill in summer can get warmer than that.
- Wipe the outside with a soft, damp cloth.
PLA, ceramic or glass?
| 3D-printed PLA | Glazed ceramic | Glass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holds water on its own | Not always, so use an insert | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | Light | Heavy | Medium to heavy |
| Heat | Keep below 50°C | Unaffected by room heat | Unaffected by room heat |
| Typical shapes | Fine spirals and ribs | Thrown or cast | Blown or moulded |
A printed vase is light, and it can take shapes that a mould or a glassblower would struggle to make. In return it needs an insert for water and a spot away from the radiator.
And dried flowers?
Dried flowers and pampas need no water, so they go straight into the vase, with or without the insert. Our guide to dried flowers and pampas shows which height suits which bouquet.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pour water straight into a LUMA vase?
No. Pour it into the insert. The printed vase is not made to hold water itself; the insert is.
Does every LUMA vase come with an insert?
Yes. SILO, SPIRE, SILK and SORA all come with the removable, water-tight insert, in every size.
Can the insert go in the dishwasher?
No. Wash it by hand in lukewarm water. The heat of a dishwasher can deform the thin insert.
Does PLA soften in the sun?
PLA starts to soften around 55°C, so keep the vase below 50°C. Room temperature is fine. A radiator, a hot car or a sunny windowsill in summer is not.
The insert comes with every shape: SILO, SPIRE, SILK and SORA, from €39. See them side by side in the collection, or read more about materials and care.
