topic Re: Process for creating sheet materials in AutoCAD Forum

Process for creating sheet materials

pjgadsdon — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:15:21 GMT

I will try to keep this short. I am trying to learn Autocad to attempt to create some 3D carpentry plans. I have managed to create a sheet of plyboard that I intend to manipulate at a later stage. I have managed to create a material surface (Only for aesthetics and PDF creation purposes) and it appears to be OK. But I keep wondering whether I have done it the right way, i.e. create a 3D box using the command field and tell it the length, width and depth.

Doesn't Autocad have sheet materials already defined? I have also seen https://www.bimobject.com/en-us. I don't want to learn BIM just though this was a good resource for sheet materials but I am have issues learning how to use them.

Anyway, I have I started correctly, making my own 2440 x 2220 x 18mm sheet with a surface material?

Thanks
PS

I now need to chop it in half but I am struggling without having a ruler on my artboard

I have a 30 year history with PS and AI and 1 year with SketchUp but find Sketchup quite dopey

Re: Process for creating sheet materials

chriscowgill7373 — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:42:43 GMT

I'm not quite following what you are trying to do. If you are wanting to model something, what I typically do is lay it out in 2d, get all the parts figured out, the extrude them to make them 3d. Then in a 3d view you can copy the parts or move the parts to build a unified model. After you get it modeled, you can apply a material to it for rendering purpose.

That is the technique I used here:

Re: Process for creating sheet materials

imadHabash — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:23:06 GMT

Hi and Welcome to AutoCAD Forum,

Would you please attache here a CAD dwg sample or an image to see what you did? Also, put your exact needs so we can give you a good and right guidance.

Re: Process for creating sheet materials

pjgadsdon — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 15:24:27 GMT

Hi and thanks

That makes sense to create something in 2D and extrude it when the dimensions are correct. I made my sheet using the box command 2440x11220x18mm. And like you stated the material is immaterial 🙂 until the end

Re: Process for creating sheet materials

obulesub — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:27:28 GMT

Hi @pjgadsdon ,

I wanted to check in and see if you still needed assistance, or if you found a solution to your question already? Let us know if you need further assistance by providing an update or if you have found a solution, please share it with the community so other members who may have the same question could learn from your experience.

All the best,

Obulesu | Community Manager