A North American bunk of plywood holds 66 sheets of 1/2 in, 44 sheets of 3/4 in, or 32 to 48 sheets (about 1,000 to 1,500 sq ft) in shorter yard units of CDX; an export bundle from Minh Thanh Plywood holds 55 sheets at 18 mm, 83 at 12 mm and 166 at 6 mm. Miscounting costs a short load or a failed packing list. Below: US bunk counts, the export count for every thickness, pack weight by core and the 40HC plan.
Typical North American bunk counts: how many sheets of 1/2 in and 3/4 in plywood
A North American mill bunk is packed to about 33 in high: 66 sheets of 1/2 in plywood and 44 sheets of 3/4 in plywood. Yards and roofing suppliers that stack and strap shorter units sell 48 sheets of 1/2 in CDX and 32 of 3/4 in CDX. Counts vary by mill.
| Panel | Sheets per bunk | Coverage, 4 × 8 ft | Bunk weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 in CDX | 80 | 2,560 sq ft | about 1,800 lb |
| 3/8 in CDX | 60 | 1,920 sq ft | about 1,950 lb |
| 1/2 in CDX | 48 | 1,536 sq ft | about 2,300 lb |
| 5/8 in CDX | 40 | 1,280 sq ft | about 2,400 lb |
| 3/4 in CDX | 32 | 1,024 sq ft | about 2,400 lb |
| 7/16 in OSB | 60 | 1,920 sq ft | about 2,400 lb |
| 1/2 in, mill bunk at 33 in | 66 | 2,112 sq ft | varies by mill |
| 3/4 in, mill bunk at 33 in | 44 | 1,408 sq ft | varies by mill |
Sources: McCausey Lumber, plywood FAQ for the 33 in mill bunk, and Smart Roofing Calculator, plywood guide for the CDX and OSB counts, read 21 October 2026. A full yard unit of CDX weighs roughly 2,300 to 2,400 lb and covers about 1,000 to 1,500 sq ft of roof or floor.
Sheets needed for a project. Divide the area by 32 sq ft (one 4 × 8 ft sheet) and multiply by a waste factor: add 10 % for simple jobs, 12 to 15 % for roofs with hips and valleys, and up to 20 % for detailed layouts. A 1,200 sq ft floor needs 1,200 ÷ 32 × 1.10 = 42 sheets, so one bunk of 48 half-inch sheets covers it.
The export pack below is the import comparison: a 1,000 mm stack, so 55 sheets of 18 mm, against 44 sheets of 3/4 in in a 33 in (838 mm) US bunk. One 40HC takes 18 packs, 990 sheets of 18 mm on a Styrax core.
How many sheets of plywood are in a bundle?
A bundle of plywood holds as many sheets as fit a stack about 1,000 mm high: 55 sheets at 18 mm, 83 at 12 mm and 166 at 6 mm. Minh Thanh divides 1,000 mm by the panel thickness, rounds down, and caps the count only where the container payload would be passed.
The table gives the count for every common thickness on a 1220 × 2440 mm sheet. The inch column shows the size a North American buyer usually means by that metric panel.
| Thickness | Inch work it is sold for | Sheets per pack, Styrax core | Sheets per pack, Acacia core | Sheets per pack, Eucalyptus core |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 mm | 1/8 in | 333 | 333 | 321 |
| 4 mm | 5/32 in | 250 | 250 | 241 |
| 5 mm | 3/16 in | 200 | 200 | 192 |
| 6 mm | 1/4 in | 166 | 166 | 160 |
| 9 mm | 3/8 in | 111 | 111 | 107 |
| 12 mm | 1/2 in | 83 | 83 | 80 |
| 15 mm | 5/8 in | 66 | 66 | 64 |
| 18 mm | 3/4 in | 55 | 55 | 53 |
| 21 mm | 7/8 in | 47 | 47 | 45 |
| 25 mm | 1 in | 40 | 40 | 38 |
Styrax and Acacia packs share the same count because both stop at the stack height. Eucalyptus is the heaviest of the three cores, so each of its 15 packs loses a few sheets to keep the full 40HC within a 28,000 kg planning payload.
What is a bunk of plywood? Bundle, lift, unit, crate and pallet
A bunk of plywood is a strapped stack of identical sheets moved as one unit by forklift. Bundle, lift, unit and bunk are regional names for the same thing; pack is the word on most Asian export packing lists.
| Word | Where it is used | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Bunk | Canada, US lumber yards | A strapped unit of sheets of one thickness and grade |
| Lift | US, UK builders’ merchants | The unit a forklift lifts in one go |
| Unit | North American mills | The mill’s standard strapped quantity, printed on the tag |
| Bundle | Global trade, importers | A strapped stack, often used on purchase orders |
| Pack | Export packing lists | A bundle on its own base, wrapped and labelled for sea freight |
| Pallet | Warehouses, distributors | A pack on a pallet base that pallet trucks can enter |
| Crate | Thin or decorative panels | A pack closed on all sides with boards or plywood sheets |
The count is a property of the stack, not of the word. A US bunk of 3/4 inch panels and an export pack of 18 mm panels both answer the same question: how high is the stack and how thick is each sheet?
How to work out the number of sheets in any bundle
Five steps give the count for any bundle, whether the stack comes from a Vietnamese mill, a Baltic mill or a North American yard.
- Take the stack height. Measure the panels only, from the bottom sheet to the top sheet, without the pallet base or the cardboard cap. A Minh Thanh export pack is about 1,000 mm of panels.
- Take the actual thickness. Use the measured thickness, not the nominal name. A sheet sold for 3/4 inch work may be 18 mm, 18.3 mm or 19 mm thick.
- Divide and round down. Stack height ÷ thickness, rounded down to a whole sheet: 1,000 ÷ 18 = 55.6, so 55 sheets.
- Check the weight. Multiply sheet volume by density for one sheet’s weight, then by the sheet count and the number of packs in the container. If the total passes the payload, take sheets off every pack equally.
- Write the result on the order. Sheets per pack, packs per container and total sheets go on the proforma invoice and the packing list, so the count on arrival can be checked against paper.
Step 4 is the step most buyers skip. Sheet volume is length × width × thickness in metres: 1.22 × 2.44 × 0.018 = 0.0536 m³. At 500 kg/m³ for Styrax that is 26.8 kg per sheet; at 650 kg/m³ for Eucalyptus it is 34.8 kg.
The same rule answers the question for any inch size. A 7/16 inch panel is 11.1 mm thick, so a 1,000 mm stack holds about 90 sheets; a yard’s lower unit holds proportionally fewer.
How many sheets of 3/4 plywood are in a lift?
A lift of 3/4 inch plywood holds 55 sheets in a Minh Thanh export pack when the panel is the 18 mm metric sheet, and 52 sheets if the panel is a full 19 mm thick. The difference comes from the thickness, not the bundle.
Three thicknesses are sold for 3/4 inch work, and each gives a different count in the same 1,000 mm stack:
- 18 mm: the standard metric panel for cabinet carcasses and furniture, 55 sheets.
- 18.3 mm (23/32 inch): the actual thickness of most North American 3/4 sheathing panels, 54 sheets.
- 19 mm: a true 3/4 inch, used by some joinery buyers, 52 sheets.
Ask the supplier which of the three you are buying before you compare two quotes by the bundle. Two bundles with different counts can hold the same number of cubic metres; price per m³ is the fair comparison. Our plywood thickness guide lists the nominal and actual thicknesses side by side.
How many sheets of plywood are on a pallet for thin and thick panels?
Thin panels from 3 to 6 mm go 166 to 333 sheets to a pallet, and thick panels of 21 to 25 mm go 38 to 47 sheets. The stack height stays the same; only the number of sheets changes.
Thin plywood brings two extra points to the order:
- Flatness in the stack. A 3 mm sheet bends under its own weight if the pallet base is uneven. Thin packs need a flat, full base and boards under the top layer.
- Counting. Counting 333 edges by hand is slow, so the count is checked by weight and by measuring the stack height. A 3 mm Styrax sheet weighs about 4.5 kg.
At Minh Thanh, thin plywood from 3 to 5 mm is always 5-ply, so a 4 mm pack has the same build in every sheet. Thick panels from 21 to 25 mm reach the payload sooner on Eucalyptus cores: 45 sheets at 21 mm and 38 at 25 mm.
Panels thicker than 25 mm, up to 40 mm, follow the same rule. A 30 mm pack holds 33 sheets on the stack height alone.
How much does a pallet of plywood weigh?
A full export pallet of 1220 × 2440 mm plywood weighs about 1,470–1,490 kg on a Styrax core, 1,700–1,730 kg on Acacia and 1,830–1,870 kg on Eucalyptus, for the panels alone. The weight is almost the same for every thickness, because the stack height is the same.
| Thickness | Styrax pack (500 kg/m³) | Acacia pack (580 kg/m³) | Eucalyptus pack (650 kg/m³) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 mm | 111 sheets, 1,487 kg / 3,278 lb | 111 sheets, 1,725 kg / 3,803 lb | 107 sheets, 1,863 kg / 4,108 lb |
| 12 mm | 83 sheets, 1,482 kg / 3,268 lb | 83 sheets, 1,720 kg / 3,791 lb | 80 sheets, 1,858 kg / 4,095 lb |
| 15 mm | 66 sheets, 1,474 kg / 3,249 lb | 66 sheets, 1,709 kg / 3,768 lb | 64 sheets, 1,858 kg / 4,095 lb |
| 18 mm | 55 sheets, 1,474 kg / 3,249 lb | 55 sheets, 1,709 kg / 3,768 lb | 53 sheets, 1,846 kg / 4,070 lb |
| 21 mm | 47 sheets, 1,469 kg / 3,239 lb | 47 sheets, 1,704 kg / 3,757 lb | 45 sheets, 1,828 kg / 4,031 lb |
Pack weight = sheets × sheet volume × density. The densities are planning references; the measured weight of each pack is on the packing list. Add the pallet blocks, cardboard, film and strapping for the gross weight.
These weights matter at both ends: the forklift at the yard and the floor or racking where the pack will sit. A 1.5–1.9 tonne pack is within the range of a standard warehouse forklift, but not of a hand pallet truck on a soft floor.
How much does a bunk of plywood weigh in pounds?
An 18 mm bunk of 55 sheets weighs about 3,250 lb on a Styrax core and about 3,770 lb on an Acacia core; a 53-sheet Eucalyptus bunk weighs about 4,070 lb. Convert any kilogram figure with 1 kg = 2.205 lb.
Per sheet, the 1220 × 2440 × 18 mm panel weighs:
- Styrax core: 26.8 kg, about 59 lb.
- Acacia core: 31.1 kg, about 69 lb.
- Eucalyptus core: 34.8 kg, about 77 lb.
Core species is the biggest single factor in the weight of a bunk. A buyer moving packs by hand truck, or loading a light warehouse floor, can order the Styrax core for the same thickness and face and save about 14 % of the weight against Acacia, or nearly a quarter against Eucalyptus.
Why does the core species change the sheet count per bundle?
Core species changes the count only when the container payload would be passed: a heavier core means fewer sheets per pack before the 40HC reaches its limit. Stack height is the first limit, weight the second.
The three reference densities set the result:
- Styrax, about 500 kg/m³. Light, so the count always stops at the stack height and 18 packs fit the container.
- Acacia, about 580 kg/m³. The count per pack is the same as Styrax, but only 16 packs go in before the weight is reached.
- Eucalyptus, about 650 kg/m³. Fifteen packs, and each pack carries a few sheets fewer than the stack height allows.
Furniture panels at Minh Thanh use white Styrax or Eucalyptus cores as standard; Acacia and Pine cores are made on order. Choose the core for the job first, stiffness for shelves and tops or low weight for doors and carcasses, then let the plan follow.
Export pallet vs North American lift: what is different?
An export pallet and a North American lift hold the same sheets in a strapped stack; the export pack adds the base, protection and paperwork that 30 to 45 days at sea call for.
| Feature | Export pack from Vietnam | North American yard lift |
|---|---|---|
| Sheet size | 1220 × 2440 mm, 1250 × 2500 mm or custom | 4 × 8 ft, mostly |
| Stack height | About 1,000 mm of panels | Set by the mill or yard |
| Base | Plywood blocks or a pallet base | Wood bearers or none |
| Protection | Cardboard edges and cap, film wrap | Often bare, strapped |
| Strapping | Strapping bands lengthwise and across | Steel or plastic bands |
| Label | Order no., thickness, grade, count per pack | Mill tag with count and grade |
| Paper trail | Packing list per pack, photos before loading | Delivery ticket |
The export pack also carries the documents an importer needs: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin, with the EUDR compliance dossier for Europe. Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 includes plywood under heading 4412 in its product scope. Panels for US orders carry the TSCA Title VI label.
How is an export bundle of plywood packed?
An export bundle is packed in five layers of protection, from the base up, so the sheets arrive flat and dry after weeks at sea.
- Base. Plywood pallet blocks or a full pallet base, so a forklift can enter from the side and the bottom sheet stays off the floor.
- Panels. One thickness, grade and size per pack, faces aligned, the best face in the agreed direction.
- Edges. Cardboard edge protection where the straps bear on the sheet edges.
- Cover. Cardboard on top and wrapping film around the pack against condensation and dirt.
- Strapping and label. Strapping bands lengthwise and across, and a label with the order number, specification and sheet count.
Minh Thanh’s packaging set was tested by SGS in September 2026 under the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2025/40. Lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium were not detected in all four materials, cardboard, plywood pallet blocks, strapping band and wrapping film, against the 100 mg/kg limit.
Plywood itself is processed wood and outside ISPM 15, the international standard for wood packaging. Solid-wood pallet parts or dunnage packed with plywood fall under ISPM 15 and need treatment and the mark.
How many bundles of plywood fit in a 40HC container?
A 40HC container takes 18 bundles of 1220 × 2440 mm plywood on Styrax core, 16 lying and 2 upright, 16 bundles on Acacia and 15 on Eucalyptus. The pack count is the same for every thickness; the sheet count per pack changes.
| Thickness | Styrax, 18 packs | Acacia, 16 packs | Eucalyptus, 15 packs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 mm | 2,988 sheets, about 53.4 m³ | 2,656 sheets, about 47.4 m³ | 2,400 sheets, about 42.9 m³ |
| 9 mm | 1,998 sheets, about 53.5 m³ | 1,776 sheets, about 47.6 m³ | 1,605 sheets, about 43.0 m³ |
| 12 mm | 1,494 sheets, about 53.4 m³ | 1,328 sheets, about 47.4 m³ | 1,200 sheets, about 42.9 m³ |
| 15 mm | 1,188 sheets, about 53.0 m³ | 1,056 sheets, about 47.2 m³ | 960 sheets, about 42.9 m³ |
| 18 mm | 990 sheets, about 53 m³ | 880 sheets, about 47 m³ | 795 sheets, about 43 m³ |
The plan uses a 28,000 kg planning payload for the panels unless the booking states a lower figure. When a shipping line caps the container lower, every pack drops by the same number of sheets.
Do not ask for more packs than the plan holds. An overloaded container puts packs under strain, pack feet can break, and the container then has to be unloaded by hand. The packing calculator recalculates the plan for your size, core and booking cap.
How to check a plywood bundle on arrival
Check every bundle on arrival in six steps before you sign the delivery note; each step takes minutes and each finding has to be recorded while the container is open.
- Match the labels. Pack label against the packing list: order number, thickness, grade, size and sheet count.
- Look at the wrapping. Torn film, wet cardboard or crushed corners go in a photo before the pack is opened.
- Count the sheets. Count the edges at one end of the pack in tens, or measure the stack height and divide by the thickness.
- Measure thickness. Caliper two or three sheets at the corners and the centre. Sanded furniture panels are made to ±0.2–0.3 mm, commercial panels to ±0.5 mm.
- Check moisture. A pin meter on a few sheets; panels leave the factory at 8–12 % moisture content.
- Compare the face. Top sheet and one sheet from the middle against the approved sample.
Every Minh Thanh shipment is photographed and filmed before loading, and the buyer gets the photos and video. Those files, with the packing list, are the reference for the arrival check. The exterior plywood acceptance guide sets out acceptance criteria for exterior grades.
What this means for your plywood order
Write the bundle on the order the way the packing list will show it: sheets per pack, packs per container and total sheets, with the thickness and core that produce those numbers. A line such as this leaves no room for a short count:
18 mm furniture plywood, white Styrax core, UF glue at E0 emission, poplar face B/B, 1220 × 2440 mm, 55 sheets per pack on plywood blocks, 18 packs per 40HC, 990 sheets.
Minh Thanh supplies one 40HC as the minimum order, with mixed specifications by agreement, and starts production 15–45 days after the 30% deposit. Send your thickness, size, core and any pack limit from your warehouse, and we return the pack plan with the quote. Our sheet sizes guide covers the formats, and the packing plywood range covers panels for crates and pallets.
Buyer questions, answered
How many sheets of plywood are in a bundle?
An export bundle about 1,000 mm high holds 1,000 divided by the thickness, rounded down: 55 sheets at 18 mm, 66 at 15 mm, 83 at 12 mm, 111 at 9 mm and 166 at 6 mm. Heavy Eucalyptus cores carry slightly fewer so the container stays within its payload.
How many sheets of plywood are in a bunk?
A bunk is the North American name for a strapped unit, so the count follows the unit height the mill or yard uses. Divide that height by the actual sheet thickness; the unit tag prints the count.
How many sheets of 3/4 plywood are in a lift?
In a Minh Thanh export pack, 18 mm sheets, the metric panel sold for 3/4 inch work, come 55 to a pack. A true 19 mm sheet in the same 1,000 mm stack gives 52.
How much does a pallet of plywood weigh?
A 1220 × 2440 mm export pack of plywood weighs about 1,470–1,490 kg on a Styrax core, about 1,700–1,730 kg on Acacia and about 1,830–1,870 kg on Eucalyptus, before the pallet base and wrapping.
How much does a bunk of plywood weigh in pounds?
An 18 mm pack of 55 sheets weighs about 3,250 lb on a Styrax core and about 3,770 lb on Acacia; a 53-sheet Eucalyptus pack weighs about 4,070 lb. Add the pallet base and packing.
How many bundles of plywood fit in a 40HC container?
Minh Thanh plans 18 packs on Styrax core (16 lying and 2 upright), 16 on Acacia and 15 on Eucalyptus, at 1220 × 2440 mm. At 18 mm that is 990, 880 or 795 sheets.
Is a bundle of plywood the same as a crate?
Close, but not the same. A bundle or pack is strapped sheets on a base; a crate is closed on all sides and is used for thin or decorative faces that need more protection.
Does an export plywood pallet need ISPM 15?
Plywood itself is processed wood and outside ISPM 15. Solid-wood pallet parts or dunnage packed with it fall under ISPM 15 and need treatment and the mark.
Can I order a smaller bundle than 55 sheets?
Yes. Pack height and sheet count can be set lower for a forklift, a racking system or manual handling; write the count per pack on the order and the plan follows it.
How do I check the count of a plywood bundle on arrival?
Count the edges at one end of the pack in tens, compare with the pack label and the packing list, and measure two sheets for thickness before you sign the delivery note.