Film-faced plywood
Our 9–40 mm formwork panels on Acacia or Eucalyptus cores.
Film-faced plywoodPallet loading calculator · planning figures
How many sheets of plywood in a 40ft container: pallet loading calculator
In short
A 40HC takes 880 sheets of 18 mm film-faced plywood on our Acacia core at 1220 × 2440 mm: 16 packs of 55 sheets, 47.2 m³ and 27,348 kg of panels. On our Eucalyptus core the same sheet stops at 795 sheets (15 packs of 53, 42.6 m³) because the load reaches the 28,000 kg planning payload first. PK Ply works these numbers from its own packing model; they are planning figures until the packing list confirms the count.
- 880 sheets of 18 mm Acacia
- 795 sheets of 18 mm Eucalyptus
- 16 or 15 packs
- Packs about 1,000 mm high
- 28,000 kg planning payload
- Planning figures
- sheets of 18 mm Acacia core, 1220 × 2440
- 880
- sheets of 18 mm Eucalyptus core, weight-capped
- 795
- Acacia core per 40HC, about
- 47 m³
- Eucalyptus core per 40HC, about
- 43 m³
Video
Counting sheets into a 40HC
Calculator
Sheets, packs, m³ and weight per 40HC
Pick the sheet size, the core and the thickness. The calculator applies our packing model and shows whether the pack height or the payload stops the load.
The default result above is the most common enquiry we receive: 18 mm film-faced plywood, 1220 × 2440 mm, Acacia core. Change the payload if your carrier or route allows less weight; the sheet count drops as soon as the panels would pass it. The result travels with your quote request, so the mill sees the same plan you saw.
Reference table
Sheets per 40HC: Acacia core, 1220 × 2440 mm
| Thickness | Sheets per pack | Sheets per 40HC | Panel volume | Sheet weight | Limit reached |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 mm | 111 | 1,776 | 47.6 m³ | 15.5 kg | pack height |
| 12 mm | 83 | 1,328 | 47.4 m³ | 20.7 kg | pack height |
| 15 mm | 66 | 1,056 | 47.2 m³ | 25.9 kg | pack height |
| 18 mm | 55 | 880 | 47.2 m³ | 31.1 kg | pack height |
| 21 mm | 47 | 752 | 47.0 m³ | 36.3 kg | pack height |
Panels only: pallets, straps and wrapping are not in the weight. Planning figures from our packing model, not a packing list.
Reference table
Sheets per 40HC: Eucalyptus core, 1220 × 2440 mm
| Thickness | Sheets per pack | Sheets per 40HC | Panel volume | Sheet weight | Limit reached |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 mm | 107 | 1,605 | 43.0 m³ | 17.4 kg | weight |
| 12 mm | 80 | 1,200 | 42.9 m³ | 23.2 kg | weight |
| 15 mm | 64 | 960 | 42.9 m³ | 29 kg | weight |
| 18 mm | 53 | 795 | 42.6 m³ | 34.8 kg | weight |
| 21 mm | 45 | 675 | 42.2 m³ | 40.6 kg | weight |
Every Eucalyptus row at 1220 × 2440 mm reaches the 28,000 kg planning payload before the packs reach their height.
Reference table
Sheets per 40HC: Acacia core, 1250 × 2500 mm
| Thickness | Sheets per pack | Sheets per 40HC | Panel volume | Sheet weight | Limit reached |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 mm | 107 | 1,712 | 48.2 m³ | 16.3 kg | pack height |
| 12 mm | 80 | 1,280 | 48.0 m³ | 21.8 kg | pack height |
| 15 mm | 64 | 1,024 | 48.0 m³ | 27.2 kg | pack height |
| 18 mm | 53 | 848 | 47.7 m³ | 32.6 kg | pack height |
| 21 mm | 45 | 720 | 47.3 m³ | 38.1 kg | weight |
At 21 mm the larger Acacia sheet reaches the payload first: 45 sheets per pack instead of the 46 the height would allow.
Reference table
Sheets per 40HC: Eucalyptus core, 1250 × 2500 mm
| Thickness | Sheets per pack | Sheets per 40HC | Panel volume | Sheet weight | Limit reached |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 mm | 100 | 1,500 | 42.2 m³ | 18.3 kg | pack height |
| 12 mm | 75 | 1,125 | 42.2 m³ | 24.4 kg | pack height |
| 15 mm | 60 | 900 | 42.2 m³ | 30.5 kg | pack height |
| 18 mm | 50 | 750 | 42.2 m³ | 36.6 kg | pack height |
| 21 mm | 42 | 630 | 41.3 m³ | 42.7 kg | pack height |
The lower 900 mm pack keeps the larger Eucalyptus sheet just inside the payload, so pack height sets these rows.
Sheet weights
Sheet weight by thickness and core
Weight = sheet area × thickness × density. A 1220 × 2440 mm sheet has 2.9768 m² of face; at 18 mm that is 0.0536 m³, which weighs 31.1 kg at the 580 kg/m³ Acacia reference and 34.8 kg at the 650 kg/m³ Eucalyptus reference.
Worked example: 2.9768 m² × 0.018 m = 0.0536 m³ per sheet; 0.0536 m³ × 580 kg/m³ = 31.1 kg. Sixteen packs of 55 such sheets weigh 27,348 kg, inside the 28,000 kg planning payload. The same pack on Eucalyptus would weigh 15 × 55 × 34.83 kg = about 28,734 kg, so the model trims each Eucalyptus pack to 53 sheets.
Eucalyptus has been measured at 650–750 kg/m³, so real sheets are weighed before final loading; a heavier batch means fewer sheets, never an overweight box.
| Thickness | Acacia core, 580 kg/m³ | Eucalyptus core, 650 kg/m³ |
|---|---|---|
| 9 mm | 15.5 kg | 17.4 kg |
| 12 mm | 20.7 kg | 23.2 kg |
| 15 mm | 25.9 kg | 29.0 kg |
| 18 mm | 31.1 kg | 34.8 kg |
| 21 mm | 36.3 kg | 40.6 kg |
Container choice
20GP, 40GP or 40HC for plywood
Plywood is heavy for its volume, so the question is which box carries the most panels within the weight your route allows.
We plan film-faced plywood in 40HC containers: our minimum order is one 40HC, and the high-cube door lets packs about 1,000 mm high go in without fighting the frame. A 20GP holds roughly half the floor and a lower payload, which makes the freight per sheet higher. The 28,000 kg we plan with sits under the 28,560 kg payload DSV lists for a 40HC, and the carrier’s booking decides the final figure.
| Container | Inside length × width × height | Door opening | Max payload | Cubic capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20GP | 5.9 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 2.34 × 2.28 m | 25,000 kg | 33.2 m³ |
| 40GP | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 2.34 × 2.28 m | 27,600 kg | 67.7 m³ |
| 40HC | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.70 m | 2.34 × 2.58 m | 28,560 kg | 76.4 m³ |
How packs sit
How many sheets of plywood in a 40ft container, pack by pack
Our planning model puts 16 packs of Acacia-core panels or 15 packs of Eucalyptus-core panels in a 40HC. Each pack is about 1,000 mm high for 1220 × 2440 mm sheets; for 1250 × 2500 mm we plan 970 mm on Acacia and 900 mm on Eucalyptus.
Sheets per pack are the pack height divided by the thickness, rounded down, then trimmed if the whole load would pass the payload.
A container usually carries one or two products; three to six products can be mixed by agreement. A mixed load is planned pack by pack: an 18 mm pack and a 12 mm pack take the same floor space, but the 12 mm pack holds 83 sheets instead of 55 on Acacia. Add up the packs you need per thickness and keep the total at 16 (Acacia) or 15 (Eucalyptus); if the weight goes over the planning payload, drop sheets from the heaviest packs.
Overfilled packs can crush pallet feet in transit, so we do not raise the pack height to squeeze in more sheets. The packing list states the real sheets per pack and the gross weight once the order is loaded.
Export packing
Export packing and the weight it adds
Each pack is built on a pallet base, with protection on the faces and corners, strapping and the order labels. The pallet, straps and wrapping weigh on top of the panel figures on this page, so leave room for them inside the payload your carrier confirms. Plywood itself is processed wood and outside ISPM 15; solid-wood pallets, battens and dunnage shipped with it fall under ISPM 15.
The packing list, invoice and verified gross mass (VGM) have to agree with what was loaded. That is why the calculator result is a planning figure: the sheets per pack are fixed at the press, the packs are weighed, and the documents follow the real count. Draft shipping documents go to you for approval after loading.
How the numbers work
Formulas, inputs and limits
Change the payload input to match your carrier’s booking; nothing else in the model needs your input. The figures are not checked against PK packing lists yet, so every number on this page is a planning figure.
| Item | Value or formula | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Packs per 40HC | 16 Acacia, 15 Eucalyptus | Our 40HC packing model |
| Pack height | 1,000 mm (1220 × 2440); 970 mm Acacia, 900 mm Eucalyptus (1250 × 2500) | Our 40HC packing model |
| Density | 580 kg/m³ Acacia, 650 kg/m³ Eucalyptus | Reference densities; Eucalyptus measured 650–750 kg/m³ |
| Sheets per pack | min(pack height ÷ thickness, payload ÷ (packs × sheet weight)), rounded down | Our 40HC packing model |
| Payload | 28,000 kg of panels, container tare excluded | Planning payload, not confirmed by a carrier |
| Not included | Pallets, straps, wrapping, edge sealing paint | Add from the packing list |
FAQ
Questions about sheets per container
How many sheets of 18 mm film-faced plywood fit in a 40HC with an Acacia core?
880 sheets at 1220 × 2440 mm: 16 packs of 55 sheets, 47.2 m³ and 27,348 kg of panels. At 1250 × 2500 mm it is 848 sheets (16 packs of 53). Both are planning figures from our packing model.
Why does a 40HC take fewer m³ of Eucalyptus-core panels than Acacia-core panels?
Eucalyptus is denser: 650 kg/m³ against 580 kg/m³ for Acacia in our reference. A full box of Eucalyptus-core panels reaches the 28,000 kg planning payload at about 43 m³, while Acacia-core panels fill about 47 m³ before the packs reach their height.
How many sheets of plywood are in one pack?
The pack height divided by the thickness, rounded down: about 1,000 mm ÷ 18 mm gives 55 sheets of 18 mm, 83 of 12 mm and 111 of 9 mm on Acacia at 1220 × 2440 mm. Eucalyptus packs are trimmed to stay within the payload, for example 53 sheets of 18 mm.
Can several thicknesses or products be mixed in one container?
Yes. A container usually carries one or two products, and three to six can be mixed by agreement. Plan it pack by pack: keep to 16 Acacia or 15 Eucalyptus packs and check the total weight against your payload.
What payload does the calculator assume and who confirms it?
28,000 kg of panels, with the container tare excluded and pallets and straps not counted. It is a planning value; your carrier and route decide the real limit, and we weigh real sheets before final loading.
How many sheets of 12 mm plywood fit in a 40HC at 1250 × 2500 mm?
1,280 sheets on Acacia core (16 packs of 80, 48.0 m³) or 1,125 sheets on Eucalyptus core (15 packs of 75, 42.2 m³), as planning figures.
How many sheets of 21 mm plywood fit in a 40HC?
752 sheets of Acacia core at 1220 × 2440 mm (16 packs of 47) or 675 sheets of Eucalyptus core (15 packs of 45, weight-capped). At 1250 × 2500 mm: 720 Acacia or 630 Eucalyptus.
Related pages
Panels, loading and the other calculators
Loading a 40HC
How the packs go into the box at our mills.
Loading a 40HCPallets and packing
Pack build, protection and labels.
Pallets and packingTerms of supply
MOQ one 40HC, deposit, balance and delivery terms.
Terms of supplyPour cost calculator
Your sheet price divided by the pours a build gives, per sheet and per m².
Pour cost calculatorFormwork plywood quantity
Contact area of slabs, walls and columns turned into sheets and a share of a 40HC.
Formwork plywood quantityFormwork 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 container plan
Send the size, thickness, core and number of containers. Our two mills in Chi Linh, Hai Phong load up to 150 containers a month; we reply with the sheets per pack, the packing list plan and the delivery window.