Sculpfun A4 multi-colour basswood ply review: time-saver or budget buster?

Sculpfun’s A4 Multi-Colour basswood plywood sheets aim to solve one of the most tedious problems in laser cutting: the post-processing finish. Designed for use with their own diode lasers and competitors like xTool, this pack promises a premium, pre-coloured surface on the highly desirable Basswood core, which is known for its clean cutting performance. 

This review examines whether the sheer convenience of skipping the sanding, painting, and drying stages – and receiving perfectly flat, high-quality wood – justifies the significantly higher unit price compared to generic, unfinished plywood. Our look at the material quality, performance, and value will help determine if this pack is a worthwhile investment for the serious hobbyist or a luxury only the bulk manufacturer can afford.

First Impressions & Packaging

When we unboxed these, the experience was purely functional. Sculpfun skips the retail vanity box in favor of utility, which we can appreciate. The sheets arrived without any fancy branding, but they were exceptionally well-protected. For a material as sensitive as 3mm plywood, protection is far more important to me than aesthetics. The lack of any warping right out of the box is a significant plus; anyone who has ordered “budget” plywood online knows the frustration of receiving wood that looks like a potato chip, rendering it useless for a consistent laser focus.

Material Quality & Build

The core material is FSC Certified Basswood. We know Basswood (Linden) is widely considered the “gold standard” for diode lasers (like our Sculpfun S9 and iCube) because it is less dense than Birch. This allows us to achieve faster cutting speeds and get cleaner edges with less charring.

• Flatness: This is the most critical feature for us. Since they confirmed “no warping,” these sheets were immediately ready for my honeycomb bed without me needing to use magnets or pins to force them flat – a huge time-saver.
• Surface: The ‘multi-colour’ aspect is clearly a dyed or thin-coat finish. These surfaces provide a smooth, professional-grade look that masks the wood grain slightly but offers a wonderfully vibrant, uniform colour.

Performance in Use

At 3mm thickness, this is the sweet spot for our laser cutting needs.

• Cutting: We were able to cut through this in a single pass with our 10W laser (or 2-3 passes with a 5W) without heavy charring, which is exactly what we look for.
• Engraving: The pre-coloured surface offers a massive advantage. When we engrave through the colour layer, we reveal the natural light wood underneath, creating an instant high-contrast effect. This means we don’t have to bother with masking tape or paint fill afterwards!

The “20 Euro” Question: Is it good value?

We wondered how the €20 (£17.57) price-tag for six sheets of premium ply wood compares to other online supplies, and we ran the numbers.

The raw maths: Cost per sheet: £2.93 (approx.) Cost per m2 approx £46.56. If we were to buy plain A4 3mm basswood or birch plywood from a bulk supplier, we would typically pay around £0.88 – £1.32 per sheet in a pack of 10 or 20.

If all we wanted was wood to practice on, this Sculpfun pack is expensive – roughly double the price of plain wood. Compared to “DIY” Coloured Wood: To replicate these sheets ourself, we would need to buy the plain wood  (€1.50), a can of high-quality spray paint or stain {€10–€15), and then spend our time sanding, spraying, drying, and masking.

When we factor in the cost of paint and, crucially, our time, the €3.33 price point is actually very competitive. We’re essentially paying for the convenience of skipping the entire finishing stage.

Compared to Competitors (e.g., xTool, Glowforge Proofgrade): Premium “laser-ready” materials from big brands often run higher, sometimes pushing €5 – €8 per sheet equivalent once we include shipping. Sculpfun is positioned as a mid-range option – better quality than the random eBay sellers we’ve tried, but cheaper than the premium “ecosystem” materials.

The pros and cons

The Pros

• Time Saver: The sheets are ready to cut immediately; no painting or staining is required.
• Laser Friendly: The Basswood core cuts cleaner and faster than Birch plywood.
• High Contrast: Engraving instantly reveals the light wood beneath the colour for striking results.
• Flatness: This is essential for proper focus and safety, and these sheets arrived perfectly flat.

The Cons

• Price per Unit: It’s a significantly higher cost than buying plain, raw plywood sheets.
• Size Limit: A4 is too small for the larger wall art or complex 3D puzzles we sometimes make.

Our conclusion

If you’re running a small business making keychains, ornaments, or tags, these sheets are a definite buy. The ability to engrave high-contrast designs instantly without post-processing (painting/sanding) absolutely justifies the €3.33/sheet cost.

However, if your just prototyping or building structural projects where colour doesn’t matter, you should save your money and buy a bulk pack of plain basswood instead.

You can grab some of Sculpfun’s coloured wood direct from the official EU website.