Turn a heightmap into a 3D-printable terrain
Drop a grayscale heightmap, DEM or depth map and turn it into a solid 3D terrain. Set the size, height and detail, preview it live with an elevation colour ramp, and download a watertight STL. Free, private, nothing uploaded.
Size
Height mapping
Detail
Printing tips
- Grayscale heightmaps give the cleanest result — colour photos are converted to brightness.
- Keep a solid base (≥1–2 mm) so the print stays rigid and sticks to the bed.
- Print flat, base on the bed; add supports only if you crank the height scale into steep overhangs.
- Higher detail = more triangles. Drop it for a lighter file if your slicer chugs.
Capabilities
What it does
- Turns a grayscale heightmap, depth map or DEM into a solid 3D terrain — bright is high, dark is low, with a one-click Invert.
- Full control over the physical print: footprint width in mm, vertical height scale, and a solid base thickness for rigidity.
- Relief-contrast (gamma) to flatten lowlands or exaggerate peaks, plus a water-level that carves a flat sea around the land.
- Live studio-lit 3D preview with an elevation colour ramp (water → grass → rock → snow) or a neutral clay view.
- Exports a single watertight, manifold STL that slices cleanly — plus GLB if you want to share the 3D model.
- 100% in your browser — your image is never uploaded, with no watermark or account.
Process
How it works
- Drop a heightmapDrag a grayscale heightmap, DEM or depth map (PNG, JPG, WebP) onto the tool. It’s read locally — nothing is uploaded.
- Shape the terrainSet the width and height scale for your printer, add a base, tune relief contrast, water level and detail — the preview updates live.
- Print or shareDownload the STL, slice it flat on the bed and print. Or grab the GLB to drop the terrain into a game engine or render.
Notes
Good to know
- Grayscale heightmaps give the cleanest result; colour photos are converted to brightness (luminance) first.
- Keep a solid base of ~1–2 mm so the print is rigid and adheres to the bed. Print flat, base down.
- Very large images are downsampled to the detail resolution to keep the mesh printable and the tab responsive.
- STL carries the shape only, not colour — the elevation ramp is a preview aid, not baked into the STL.
FAQ
Questions, answered
What is a heightmap?
A heightmap is a grayscale image where each pixel’s brightness is an elevation — white is the highest point, black the lowest. Game terrains, DEMs (digital elevation models) and depth maps are all heightmaps.
Is my image uploaded anywhere?
No. The image is decoded and turned into geometry entirely in your browser. Your heightmap never leaves your device.
Is the STL watertight and printable?
Yes. The tool builds a closed, manifold solid — a displaced top surface, a flat base and vertical walls — so it slices as one solid piece with no gaps or holes.
Can I use it for bas-relief from a photo?
Yes. Use the Bas-relief preset: a low height scale over a photo makes a shallow raised relief. Add smoothing to tame noise and JPEG artifacts.
What’s the water level for?
It flattens everything below a chosen elevation into a flat “sea”, so islands and coastlines sit on a clean water plane instead of a noisy sea floor.
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