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3D PRINT YOUR OWN NANOLEAF LIGHT PANELS FOR ABOUT £3.40 EACH

Triangle wall lights that cost £3.40 a panel instead of £17, controlled from your phone or by voice.

by DIY Machines

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

HomeDisplays

Built withESP82663D printing

difficulty
●●●○○
time
a weekend
license
EUPL-1.2
repo
repo ACTIVE18,816 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
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COMPAREE VERDICT

GeoLeaf is a well-documented weekend build that delivers modular LED wall panels for about a fifth of the Nanoleaf price. Each triangle is 3D printed, topped with a 3 mm opal frosted acrylic diffuser (one A4 sheet makes three triangles), and lit by a 12 V WS2811 LED strip. A 5 metre roll is enough for twelve panels. The brains are a Wemos D1 Mini running WLED firmware, with a Mini360 buck converter, a 74AHCT125 logic level shifter, and a 12 V 6 A power supply. You get Wi-Fi control from the WLED app, Alexa voice commands, and Philips Hue sync. The panels hang with 3M Command strips in any pattern you like. The single biggest hurdle is the soldering: either you solder the controller board yourself from a perma-proto board (the guide shows the layout) or you buy the pre-soldered PCB from the creator's Etsy shop for about £15. The second trap is power: the PCB is rated for 4 amps maximum, so if you want more than twelve panels you will need thicker wire and a rethink of the power distribution. The acrylic cutting is straightforward if you have a craft knife and a ruler, but expect to spend an hour per three triangles. For someone comfortable with basic electronics and 3D printing, this is a solid project. For someone who has never soldered before, buy the kit or the ready-made PCB.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —STL files are on Printables (model 107555) under CC0 public domain — no restrictions.
  • —The BOM is complete with Amazon affiliate links, wiring diagrams are clear.
  • —Uses the existing WLED firmware (installed via web browser), not custom code.
  • —No repository — this is a standalone guide with external files.
  • —The creator sells a pre-soldered PCB and a kit on Etsy if you want to skip that step.
  • —Square panel files cost extra on Etsy; triangles are free.

Parts to buy

12 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • Wemos D1 MiniFind
  • Mini360 buck converterFind
  • 74AHCT125 logic level shifterFind
  • 3 mm opal frosted acrylic A4 sheetsFind
  • 10 mm 3-pin LED connectors (one per panel)Find
  • 12 V 6 A power supplyFind
  • M3×8 boltsFind
  • Barrel connector rated for 5 A+Find
  • 20 AWG wireFind
  • Dual T splice connectorsFind
  • Perma-proto board (or buy the pre-soldered PCB from Etsy)Find
  • 3M Command stripsFind

Can I build this?

PrintOne triangle panel per unit, plus a small rectangular controller housing.
Buy12 V WS2811 LED strip (5 m roll for 12 panels), Wemos D1 Mini, Mini360 buck converter, 74AHCT125 logic level shifter, 3 mm opal frosted acrylic A4 sheets, 10 mm 3-pin LED connectors (one per panel), 12 V 6 A power supply, M3×8 bolts, barrel connector rated for 5 A+, 20 AWG wire, dual T splice connectors, perma-proto board (or buy the pre-soldered PCB from Etsy), 3M Command strips.
Tools3D printer, soldering iron, craft knife for cutting acrylic, wire strippers, small screwdriver. A web browser (Chrome recommended) to install WLED firmware.
SkillsIntermediate. You need to solder a small PCB (or buy it ready-made), cut acrylic to size, and follow a wiring diagram. The WLED firmware install is browser-based and straightforward. If you have never soldered before, this is not the best first project unless you buy the kit.
TimeA weekend for six to nine panels if you already have the parts and the PCB ready. Add another evening if you are soldering the controller yourself. Acrylic cutting is slow.
CostAbout £3.40 per panel in materials (LED strip, acrylic, filament, connectors).

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

Build video

Published 22 Sep 2021, 262k views. Full build walkthrough with wiring and assembly.

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Gallery

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Download the STL files (Triangle panel STL is free under CC0. Square panels cost extra on Etsy.)
  2. 2.Read the build guide and check the BOM (Complete parts list with affiliate links, wiring diagrams, and step-by-step photos.)
  3. 3.Decide on the controller PCB (Pre-soldered board with Wemos, Mini360 and logic converter already attached. Or solder your own from the perma-proto layout in the guide.)
  4. 4.Install WLED firmware (Browser-based installer. Use Chrome for the best experience. No custom code required.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • The PCB is rated for 4 amps maximum. If you want more than twelve panels, you will need thicker wire, a bigger power supply, and possibly multiple controllers. The guide does not cover this.
  • Cutting the acrylic diffusers is straightforward but slow. One A4 sheet makes three triangles. Budget an hour for three cuts if you are using a craft knife and ruler. A laser cutter would speed this up but is not required.
  • If you have never soldered before, either buy the pre-soldered PCB or the kit from Etsy. The perma-proto layout in the guide is clear, but it is still a dozen joints and you need to get the logic level shifter orientation right.
  • The 12 V WS2811 LED strips are not the same as the 5 V WS2812B strips used in most other projects. Make sure you buy the 12 V version or the wiring diagram will not work.
  • The Alexa and Hue integrations require a bit of reading. The Alexa setup is simple (enable emulation in WLED, discover in the Alexa app). The Hue sync requires you to find your Hue Bridge IP, generate a username via the CLIP API Debugger, and find a bulb ID to mimic. The guide links to the WLED wiki and Philips docs, but it is not a one-click setup.
  • The project uses 3M Command strips to hang the panels. If your wall is textured or painted with low-quality paint, the strips may not hold long-term. Test one panel first.

Can I add more than twelve panels?

Yes, but you need to watch the current draw. The PCB is suitable for no more than 4 amps. At that point, you need thicker wire (the guide uses 20 AWG) and a bigger power supply. The guide does not cover this scaling step.

Do I need to solder anything?

Only the controller board. You can either solder it yourself using the perma-proto layout in the guide, or buy the pre-soldered PCB from the creator's Etsy shop for about £15. The LED connectors are plug-and-play.

What is the difference between the WS2811 and WS2812B LED strips?

WS2811 runs on 12 V, WS2812B runs on 5 V. This project uses 12 V WS2811 strips. If you buy the wrong ones, the wiring diagram will not work.

Can I use square panels instead of triangles?

Yes, but the square panel STLs cost extra on Etsy. The triangle files are free under CC0.

Does this work with the official Nanoleaf app?

No. It uses the free WLED firmware and the WLED app. It can sync with Philips Hue bulbs and respond to Alexa, but it is not a Nanoleaf device.

Community builds

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Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

A 5 metre roll of 12 V WS2811 is enough for twelve panels, and the whole system draws under 4 amps. How many would you build before you hit the PCB limit?

CompareeTEAM5d ago

Practical notes from our verification: the Printables page shows clear photos of the diffuser and LED placement, the guide has affiliate links for every part (Amazon UK), and the wiring diagrams are easier to follow than most hobbyist electronics projects we have seen. The single biggest decision is whether to solder the controller yourself or pay for it ready-made. If you have never soldered before, buy it — the perma-proto layout is clear but it is still a dozen joints. The Discord server link in the guide is live and has a small active community answering questions about scaling and power.

DIY Machines

DIY Machines is a UK-based maker who publishes well-documented 3D printing and electronics projects. GeoLeaf was released in September 2021 as a low-cost alternative to Nanoleaf panels, with a focus on accessible materials and clear wiring diagrams.

Web

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
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