Film-faced plywood
Our formwork panels, 9–40 mm.
Film-faced plywoodCalculator · formwork plywood quantity
Formwork calculation formula: plywood sheets for slabs, walls and columns
In short
Formwork plywood = contact area × (1 + cutting allowance) ÷ sheet face, rounded up. A 20 × 10 m slab 200 mm deep has 212 m² of contact area (soffit plus edges); with a 10 % allowance that is 79 sheets of 1220 × 2440 mm, about 9 % of the 880 sheets of 18 mm Acacia-core film-faced plywood PK Ply plans per 40HC. Walls count both faces, columns all four sides.
- Slab: L × W + edges
- Wall: 2 × L × H
- Column: perimeter × H
- Sheet face 2.9768 m²
- 880 sheets of 18 mm per 40HC
- contact area of a 20 × 10 m slab, 200 mm deep
- 212 m²
- sheets of 1220 × 2440 mm with 10 % allowance
- 79
- face of one 1220 × 2440 mm sheet
- 2.9768 m²
- sheets of 18 mm Acacia per 40HC, planning figure
- 880
Video
From drawing to sheet count
Calculator
Contact area, sheets and share of a 40HC
Enter the slab, walls and columns of one pour. Leave any element at zero if it is not in this pour.
The result is one set of forms. If the same forms are reused on the next floor, you do not buy again; if two floors are formed at once, double the set. The share of a 40HC uses our planning figures for Acacia core; pick the thickness and size you will order.
Reference table
Sheets for common elements
Round up once, on the total, not per element: rounding each element separately adds a sheet each time. Which size wastes less depends on your grid. A 1250 × 2500 mm sheet has 5 % more face (3.125 m² against 2.9768 m²), so it needs fewer sheets on open slab areas, while 1220 × 2440 mm often fits imperial bay sizes and standard props better.
| Element | Contact area | Sheets of 1220 × 2440 mm | Sheets of 1250 × 2500 mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slab 20 × 10 m, 200 mm deep | 212 m² | 79 | 75 |
| Slab 10 × 10 m, 200 mm deep | 108 m² | 40 | 39 |
| Wall 10 m long, 3 m high, both faces | 60 m² | 23 | 22 |
| 10 columns 400 × 400 mm, 3 m high | 48 m² | 18 | 17 |
| All four rows above together | 428 m² | 159 | 151 |
How the numbers work
Formwork calculation formula, element by element
The cutting allowance is yours to set: it depends on the drawing, the bay grid and how carefully offcuts are reused. We do not publish a standard figure, so the 10 % default is only an example input. Mixing thicknesses in one container is fine: a container usually carries one or two products, and three to six can be mixed by agreement.
| Quantity | Formula | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Slab soffit and edges | L × W + 2 × (L + W) × depth | Edge forms on all four sides; drop beams and openings are added or taken off by hand |
| Wall | 2 × L × H | Both faces; add the stop ends (2 × wall thickness × H) for a short wall |
| Column | number × 2 × (a + b) × H | All four sides of a rectangular column |
| Sheets | ceil(contact area × (1 + allowance ÷ 100) ÷ sheet face) | Rounded up on the total |
| Sheet face | 1220 × 2440 mm = 2.9768 m²; 1250 × 2500 mm = 3.125 m² | Our two standard sizes; nothing larger |
| Share of a 40HC | sheets ÷ sheets per 40HC | Planning figures for Acacia core from our packing model |
From sheets to containers
How many 18 mm sheets fit in one 40HC
880 sheets of 18 mm Acacia-core film-faced plywood at 1220 × 2440 mm fit in a 40HC (16 packs of 55), or 795 on Eucalyptus core (15 packs of 53, weight-capped). At 1250 × 2500 mm the Acacia figure is 848 sheets. These are planning figures from our packing model.
Our minimum order is one 40HC. If your project needs 159 sheets, the rest of the container can carry a second thickness or your next pours; a mixed load is planned pack by pack. To turn the sheets into a cost per pour, take them to the pour cost calculator.
FAQ
Questions about formwork quantity
How do I calculate the formwork needed for a slab?
Multiply length by width for the soffit and add the edge forms, 2 × (L + W) × depth. A 20 × 10 m slab 200 mm deep gives 200 + 12 = 212 m² of contact area.
How do I convert formwork area into plywood sheets?
Add your cutting allowance, divide by the face of one sheet and round up: 212 m² × 1.10 ÷ 2.9768 m² = 78.3, so 79 sheets of 1220 × 2440 mm.
What waste allowance should I add for cutting?
It depends on your drawing and how offcuts are reused; we publish no standard figure. The calculator lets you set it; the reference table uses 10 % only as an example.
How many 18 mm sheets fit in one 40HC?
880 sheets of Acacia-core film-faced plywood at 1220 × 2440 mm, or 795 on Eucalyptus core, as planning figures from our packing model.
Can I mix thicknesses in one container?
Yes. A container usually carries one or two products, and three to six can be mixed by agreement. Each pack holds one thickness.
Which sheet size wastes less on my slab?
On open slab areas the 1250 × 2500 mm sheet needs fewer sheets because it has 5 % more face; on a grid built around 4 × 8 ft bays the 1220 × 2440 mm sheet cuts less. Run both sizes in the calculator.
Related pages
Panels, loading and the other calculators
Cut-to-size formwork panels
Panels cut to your list at the mill.
Cut-to-size formwork panels21 mm EU format
21 mm film-faced plywood at 1250 × 2500 mm.
21 mm EU formatPallet loading calculator
Sheets, packs, m³ and tonnes per 40HC by core, size and thickness.
Pallet loading calculatorPour cost calculator
Your sheet price divided by the pours a build gives, per sheet and per m².
Pour cost calculatorFormwork panel span
Joist spacing and deflection for 12–21 mm panels, as a planning estimate.
Formwork panel spanConcrete pressure on formwork
Lateral pressure of fresh concrete on walls and columns after ACI 347R-14.
Concrete pressure on formworkPlywood sheet weight
Sheet, pack and order weight from volume and density.
Plywood sheet weightLanded cost
From an FOB Hai Phong price to landed cost per sheet and per pour.
Landed costSpecification
Send your sheet count
Send the sheets per thickness and size. Our two mills in Chi Linh, Hai Phong load up to 150 containers a month; we reply with the container plan and the delivery window.