---
title: "PETG — density, melting point and properties"
description: "PETG has a density of 1,270 kg/m³ (1,250–1,290). Melting point, strength, conductivity, what it is used for, and whether it floats, rusts or is magnetic."
url: https://atoneplace.net/material/petg/
site: "At One Place"
---

# PETG

**Density of PETG: 1,270 kg/m³ (1,250–1,290)**

1.27 g/cm³ · 79.3 lb/ft³

PET with glycol added to stop it crystallizing, which leaves it amorphous, optically clear and free of any melting point — it just gets softer. It fills the gap between PLA and ABS for printing: tougher and more heat-resistant than PLA, less prone to warping and fuming than ABS. It is more flexible than acrylic and does not shatter, which is why machine guarding is PETG or polycarbonate rather than acrylic.

## Properties

- **Density:** 1,270 kg/m³ (1,250–1,290) — 1.27 g/cm³
- **Tensile strength:** 45–55 MPa
- **Young's modulus:** 2.1 GPa
- **Thermal conductivity:** 0.2 W/(m·K)
- **Thermal expansion:** 60 µm/(m·K)
- **Floats in water:** No
- **Magnetic:** No

## What it is used for

- Machine guards and safety shields
- 3D printing filament
- Drinks bottles and food containers
- Point-of-sale display panels

## How it compares

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.*

- air: 1.2 kg/m³
- expanded polystyrene foam: 20 kg/m³
- rigid polyurethane foam: 40 kg/m³
- Water — the float line: 1,000 kg/m³
- PETG: 1,270 kg/m³
- tungsten: 19,250 kg/m³
- gold: 19,300 kg/m³
- platinum: 21,450 kg/m³

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.*

| Material | Density | Relative to water |
| --- | --- | --- |
| rigid polyurethane foam | 40 kg/m³ | 0.04× |
| expanded polystyrene foam | 20 kg/m³ | 0.02× |
| air | 1.2 kg/m³ | 0.00× |
| PETG ← | 1,270 kg/m³ | 1.27× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |

## Does it rust?

PETG contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.

## Is it magnetic?

PETG is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

## Common questions

### What is the density of PETG?

1,270 kg/m³ (1,250–1,290), or 1.27 g/cm³.

### Does PETG float?

No. At 1,270 kg/m³ it is denser than water.

### Is PETG magnetic?

PETG is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

## Related pages

- [Does PETG float?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-float/petg/)
- [PLA](https://atoneplace.net/material/pla/)
- [ABS](https://atoneplace.net/material/abs/)
- [Acrylic (PMMA)](https://atoneplace.net/material/acrylic/)
- [Polycarbonate](https://atoneplace.net/material/polycarbonate/)
- [Polypropylene](https://atoneplace.net/material/polypropylene/)
- [PTFE](https://atoneplace.net/material/ptfe/)
- [Rigid PVC](https://atoneplace.net/material/pvc-rigid/)
- [HDPE](https://atoneplace.net/material/hdpe/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)