Fun
3D paper shapes templates
Pick a shape, set its size and decorate the faces, turn the folded model around on screen, then print the net with glue tabs as a PDF.
Shape
Net · 6 squares
Size
Fits on one A4 page (net 15 × 20.7 cm with tabs).
Faces
Printable template
Print at 100% on thin card. Solid lines are cut, dashed lines are folded.
Ideas to start from
Everything stays in your browser — pictures are never uploaded.
Play and explore in your browser. No account needed.
Frequently asked questions
Which 3D shapes can I make?
Cube, cuboid (a rectangular box), square pyramid, triangular pyramid (a regular tetrahedron), triangular prism, hexagonal prism, cylinder, cone, octahedron, dodecahedron and icosahedron. The tetrahedron, octahedron, cube, dodecahedron and icosahedron are the five Platonic solids, so the set covers all of them.
How is the net laid out, and where do the glue tabs go?
For flat-faced shapes the tool tries many ways of unfolding the faces, throws out any where faces or tabs would overlap, and keeps the one that fits the page best. Every edge that is cut open gets exactly one glue tab, on one of its two sides, so nothing has to be glued twice. The cylinder and cone use a rolled side with a long seam tab and small teeth that the circular ends are glued onto.
What size can I print?
Any size from 0.5 cm (0.2 in) that still fits on one A4 or US Letter page with the tabs; the net is turned automatically to use the page best. If it is too big, the tool tells you the largest size that fits with the same proportions. The PDF has a 5 cm or 2 inch bar to check that your printer did not scale the page.
Can I make a dice or a gift box?
Yes. The Dice pattern puts 1 to 6 dots on a cube so that opposite faces add up to 7, as on a real die. The Gift ribbon pattern draws a ribbon crossing every face of a cube or cuboid so it lines up around the edges, with a bow on top. You can change the dot or ribbon colour, and the face colour.
What paper should I use?
Thin card of about 160–220 gsm (60–80 lb cover) holds its shape best and still goes through most home printers; ordinary printer paper works for small shapes. Scoring the dashed lines with a ruler and a dry ballpoint pen before folding gives sharp edges. Glue stick, PVA or double-sided tape all work on the tabs.
Is my picture uploaded?
No. The picture is read and resized in your browser, and the preview and PDF are made on your device. Nothing is sent anywhere, and nothing is stored after you close the page.
About this tool
A net is the flat pattern that folds up into a solid shape, and this generator makes printable nets for 11 of them, from the paper cube template used in so many classrooms and paper crafts to the 20 triangles of an icosahedron. Every net is calculated from the real 3D shape at the size you type, so each face is drawn at its true size and the faces meet exactly once folded.
Glue tabs are placed automatically: exactly one tab for every pair of edges that has to be joined, turned to the other side or made steeper where it would run into a neighbouring face. Solid lines are for cutting and dashed lines for folding, and the net is turned on the page to give the biggest shape that fits on A4 or US Letter.
The faces can be printed in rainbow colours, one colour of your choice or plain white for colouring in, with dice dots, a gift ribbon and bow, a word on every face or a different word or number on each — handy for counting cubes, story dice, name blocks or a numbered D12. You can also put a photo or drawing on every face or on just one, cropped to fill it.
The 3D preview folds the design onto the finished shape and spins it slowly; drag it to look at every side before you print. The PDF template includes short assembly steps and a scale bar, and is made in your browser — no sign-up, no watermark, and no pictures uploaded.