What is a cradled panel?

A cradled panel has wooden battens (cradles) glued to the back of a flat panel to prevent warping and add depth. The cradles are typically 38-50 mm deep and spaced every 200-300 mm. Cradled panels can be displayed without a frame.

What thickness should I use?

For uncradled panels up to 30 cm: 6 mm is fine. For 30-60 cm: 9-12 mm. For cradled panels, 6 mm is standard because the cradles provide structural support. MDF panels need to be slightly thicker than plywood.

How many coats of gesso on a panel?

Apply at least 3 coats of gesso, sanding lightly between each coat with 220-grit sandpaper. More coats give a smoother surface. For oil painting, some artists apply up to 5 coats to fully seal the wood.

Birch plywood vs MDF for painting?

Birch plywood is stronger, lighter and more resistant to moisture, but has a slight grain texture. MDF gives a perfectly smooth surface but is heavier and more vulnerable to moisture damage. Both work well for painting when properly primed.

Wood Panel Construction Calculator — Materials & Dimensions

Calculate materials needed for building wooden painting panels.

Panel Width

Finished panel width in cm

Panel Height

Finished panel height in cm

Panel TypeCradled adds battens; torsion box has two skins

Wood TypeSets the surface density for the weight estimate

Panel ThicknessSelect standard or enter custom thickness

How We Calculate This

Panel weight = face area × thickness × wood density. The face area in cm² is multiplied by the panel thickness in cm and the wood density (birch ply 0.68, MDF 0.75, poplar 0.42 g/cm³) to give grams, then converted to kg.

Cradle bars (40 mm wide battens): two side bars run the full panel height, two top & bottom bars fit between them (panel width minus 80 mm), plus an intermediate cross bar at each spacing interval. The cut list is shown in cm and mm.

Gesso: ~125 ml/m² per coat (Golden acrylic gesso), multiplied by the number of coats. A torsion box is skinned on both faces, so its panel weight is counted twice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: March 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities before purchasing materials.

Wood Panel Construction Calculator — Materials & Dimensions

How We Calculate This

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators

Varnish Coverage Calculator

Paint Palette Calculator