How to Fix Elephant's Foot on 3D Prints
The bottom few layers of the print bulge outward wider than the layers above, like the print is sitting on a slightly squished base.
Common causes
Bed temperature too high
Keeps the bottom layers soft enough to squish outward under the weight of the rest of the print.
First layer squished too flat
A Z-offset that's too low presses the nozzle too close to the bed, over-flattening the first layer.
No compensation for the effect
Most slicers can automatically shrink the first few layers slightly to counteract the bulge, but it isn't always on by default.
How to fix it
Step down the bed temperature after the first layer
Many slicers support a lower bed temp for layers 2+, keeping only the very first layer extra-adhesive.
Correct your Z-offset
The first layer should be pressed just enough to adhere well, not flattened out wider than the nozzle diameter.
Turn on elephant's foot compensation
Look for this exact setting in your slicer — it insets the bottom few layers slightly to cancel out the bulge.
Still stuck?
ForgePrint diagnoses the exact cause for your printer and filament — describe it, or just upload a photo.