Work out your plywood
Enter the elevation area of the joinery — height × width of the visible face.
How this calculator works
- Elevation area is the visible face of the joinery — height × width. A 7 ft tall, 14 ft wide wardrobe run is 98 sq ft of elevation.
- Board factor converts that to actual board consumed. It accounts for the two sides, top, bottom, shelves, vertical partitions, drawer boxes and plinth behind the visible face.
- Depth factor adjusts for unit depth: 0.90 at 18 in, 1.00 at 21 in, 1.12 at 24 in. A deeper unit uses more board per square foot of face.
- Wastage is 10% for long simple runs, 15% standard, 22% for many small units where the offcuts do not nest.
- Sheets = ceiling(board area ÷ sheet area), always rounded up.
- The back panel is calculated separately at 6 mm, roughly equal to the elevation area plus 8%.
| Unit type | Board factor | Why | Typical 100 sq ft elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV unit / console | 1.80× | Mostly open, few internal partitions | 180 sq ft of board |
| Study / bookshelf | 2.00× | Many shelves, shallow depth | 200 sq ft |
| Wardrobe | 2.20× | Shelves, partitions, drawer boxes, loft | 220 sq ft |
| Kitchen base and tall | 2.60× | Short units, every one with its own sides | 260 sq ft |
| 6 mm back panel | 1.00× | One sheet thickness behind the face | 100 sq ft |
These factors come from actual cutting lists on completed projects, not from a rule of thumb. A carpenter optimising the cut can beat them by 5–8%; one working without a cutting list will not.
Design and build under one accountable roof
Worked example — a 100 sq ft wardrobe run
| Step | Arithmetic | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Elevation | as entered | 100 sq ft |
| Wardrobe board factor | × 2.20 | 220 sq ft |
| Depth factor at 21 in | × 1.00 | 220 sq ft |
| Wastage at 15% | × 1.15 | 253 sq ft |
| Sheets at 32 sq ft | ceiling(253 ÷ 32) | 8 sheets |
| BWP 710 at ₹148 | 253 × ₹148 | ₹37,444 |
| 6 mm back panel | 100 × ₹42 | ₹4,200 |
| Material total | sum | ₹41,644 |
Grade, and why it is the only decision that matters
Everything else about a wardrobe can be changed later. The shutter can be refinished, the handles swapped, the internal layout altered. The carcass cannot — replacing it means dismantling the unit. So the grade of the 18 mm board is the one specification worth arguing about, and it is the one most commonly downgraded quietly between quotation and delivery.
BWP 710 is boiling-water-proof plywood to IS 710, made with phenol formaldehyde resin. BWR is boiling-water-resistant, a step below. MR is moisture-resistant, which means it survives humidity but not standing water. In a Mumbai kitchen or bathroom the difference shows up the first time a pipe leaks: BWP shrugs it off, BWR swells at the edges, MR delaminates, and particle board turns to porridge.
There is a simple site check. A genuine BWP sheet has the IS 710 mark and the manufacturer's name stamped on the edge, not a sticker on the face. Ask for a 4-inch offcut from each batch, boil it for two hours and see whether the plies separate. Reputable suppliers expect the question; the ones who object are telling you something.
Read this page as a bill of board, not a price for joinery. Every rate on it is a sheet price from the plywood market in October 2026, and the board factors come from cutting lists for units Greenbox has actually built. What a finished wardrobe costs is a different question with a different unit — per sq ft of elevation — and the wardrobe cost calculator answers it. Treat the output as a planning figure: accurate enough to brief a landlord, a bank or a family, and not accurate enough to sign a contract against.
What this tool does not cover
- Laminate, veneer, edge banding and shutters — see the laminate sheet calculator.
- Hardware: hinges, channels, soft-close mechanisms, handles and lift-ups.
- Carpentry labour, which in Mumbai is ₹450–700 per sq ft of elevation depending on complexity.
- Adhesive, screws, dowels and the consumables, roughly 4–6% of material cost.
- Solid wood framing, MDF or HDHMR alternatives, which have different board factors.
- For a priced wardrobe rather than a materials list, use the wardrobe cost calculator.
Selected work by Greenbox Design Studio. Tap any image to enlarge.
Frequently asked questions
How many plywood sheets for a wardrobe?+
About eight 8 × 4 ft sheets of 18 mm ply for a 100 sq ft wardrobe elevation, plus roughly three sheets of 6 mm for the back panel. The board factor of 2.2 is what converts the face you see into the material you buy.
What is the size of one plywood sheet?+
8 × 4 ft, which is 32 square feet. Seven-foot and six-foot sheets are also sold and are useful where the ceiling is low, because they waste less, but 8 × 4 is the standard and the cheapest per square foot.
What is the difference between MR, BWR and BWP plywood?+
MR is moisture-resistant — fine in a dry bedroom. BWR is boiling-water-resistant, a step up. BWP to IS 710 is boiling-water-proof, made with phenolic resin, and it is what belongs in a kitchen, a bathroom or any flat within three kilometres of the sea.
How much does plywood cost per sq ft in 2026?+
₹95 per sq ft for 18 mm MR, ₹118 for BWR and ₹148 for BWP 710 from a reputable brand. Six-millimetre back panel board is about ₹42. Prices vary 15% between brands and the cheapest BWP is rarely genuine BWP.
How much wastage should I allow on plywood?+
Fifteen per cent on a normal job. Ten is achievable on long straight wardrobe runs where the offcuts nest. Twenty-two is realistic where there are many small units, curves or angled pieces. A carpenter working from a proper cutting list will always beat one working from a tape measure.