How do I convert a DEM to STL?

The quickest route is a browser tool: pick the area on a map, set the relief percentage and print scale, then export STL (or OBJ/GLB for Blender). 3D Terrain decodes the DEM tiles, meshes them in the browser and exports a watertight solid — no GIS installation needed. For existing GeoTIFF files or batch work, QGIS with the DEMto3D plugin or TouchTerrain are the usual desktop alternatives.

What DEM file formats can I use?

Most DEMs are GeoTIFF (.tif), ASCII Grid (.asc), BIL/IMG or remote tile services (terrarium, Mapbox Terrain-RGB, COG). 3D Terrain consumes global terrain tiles (roughly 30 m) directly; for a local GeoTIFF, QGIS DEMto3D or a GDAL-based pipeline is the direct path.

Is the STL watertight and printable?

Yes — the export is one closed solid with a flat base and a small skirt, so Bambu Studio, PrusaSlicer, Cura and OrcaSlicer open it without mesh repair. Choose a print scale from a 180 mm fit-bed to fixed 1:5,000–1:50,000 ratios.

Which DEM resolution should I use?

About 30 m (SRTM/NED) is fine for a town-to-mountain print or a 1:10,000 map. For cliff detail or a small site you want LiDAR (1–5 m); that usually comes from a national provider or a local GeoTIFF, not the global tile sets.

Can I get a heightmap instead of an STL?

Yes. The same elevation grid exports as a 16-bit grayscale heightmap PNG (real metres) plus a surface texture, which is what Unity, Unreal, Godot and Blender displacement expect.

DEM to STL: from elevation grid to 3D model

A digital elevation model is a grid of heights; an STL is a printable surface. This page covers the three practical ways to get from one to the other — and the settings that decide whether the result prints well.

Last updated: 1 November 2026 · 3D Terrain

Three ways to convert a DEM to STL

Method	Best for	Workflow
3D Terrain (browser, free)	Any place on Earth, quick STL/OBJ/GLB/heightmap	Pick region or draw a box → set relief and print scale → Export STL
QGIS + DEMto3D plugin	Local GeoTIFF/ASC DEMs, exact extents, batch	Load DEM → DEMto3D → set extents, spacing, base height → export STL
TouchTerrain	US 10 m data, multi-tile prints, GeoTIFF	Choose dataset and tiles → download STL/GeoTIFF

What makes a good terrain STL

Vertical exaggeration. Real-world relief at 1:50,000 on a 180 mm print is nearly flat; 8–15 % relief percentage reads like a landscape model. The app's Relief slider controls this.
Base. A flat base with a small skirt keeps the mesh watertight. Thicker bases survive handling and let you add a nameplate.
Scale. Fit the print bed (180 mm) for a single mountain, or use 1:5,000–1:50,000 for maps where real distance matters.
Data holes. Coastal DEMs may contain voids; the tool surfaces missing tiles rather than silently exporting a flat patch.

Step by step: DEM tiles to STL in the browser

Open 3D Terrain and choose a country/state/county — or drag a box anywhere on Earth.
In the 3D panel set Relief (start at 8 %) and Base thickness.
Open the Export panel, choose STL, and pick a print scale.
The file arrives in millimetres, long edge at your chosen scale, ready for a slicer.

Open the free DEM-to-STL tool

DEM to heightmap instead

For game engines the same grid exports as a 16-bit grayscale PNG heightmap with a matching surface texture — see the heightmap generator guide.

Questions

How do I convert a DEM to STL?: The quickest route is a browser tool: pick the area on a map, set the relief percentage and print scale, then export STL (or OBJ/GLB for Blender). 3D Terrain decodes the DEM tiles, meshes them in the browser and exports a watertight solid — no GIS installation needed. For existing GeoTIFF files or batch work, QGIS with the DEMto3D plugin or TouchTerrain are the usual desktop alternatives.
What DEM file formats can I use?: Most DEMs are GeoTIFF (.tif), ASCII Grid (.asc), BIL/IMG or remote tile services (terrarium, Mapbox Terrain-RGB, COG). 3D Terrain consumes global terrain tiles (roughly 30 m) directly; for a local GeoTIFF, QGIS DEMto3D or a GDAL-based pipeline is the direct path.
Is the STL watertight and printable?: Yes — the export is one closed solid with a flat base and a small skirt, so Bambu Studio, PrusaSlicer, Cura and OrcaSlicer open it without mesh repair. Choose a print scale from a 180 mm fit-bed to fixed 1:5,000–1:50,000 ratios.
Which DEM resolution should I use?: About 30 m (SRTM/NED) is fine for a town-to-mountain print or a 1:10,000 map. For cliff detail or a small site you want LiDAR (1–5 m); that usually comes from a national provider or a local GeoTIFF, not the global tile sets.
Can I get a heightmap instead of an STL?: Yes. The same elevation grid exports as a 16-bit grayscale heightmap PNG (real metres) plus a surface texture, which is what Unity, Unreal, Godot and Blender displacement expect.