# Choose materials

Pick the sheet or timber for a part, set the drawing defaults and region, record your real stock size, and add a custom timber profile or sheet material.

KerfCraft has a catalogue of timber profiles and sheet materials for each region. The cut list, the cutting plan and the generators use the material of each part.

## Set the material of a part

1. Select the part.
2. In the **Properties** panel, select a material at **Material**.

For a timber member, select the section at **Profile**, and **edge** or **flat** at **Orientation**. To change many parts at once, select them all, then select the material. You can also right-click the parts and use **Material**.

For a part of a generated carcass, use **Apply to** to change **this part** or all the parts of its kind in the unit. To change the material of the whole carcass, change its **materialId** parameter.

## Set the defaults and the region

Click an empty part of the viewport, so that nothing is selected. The **Properties** panel shows the project settings:

- **Sheet (R tool)** is the material for new panels that you draw with **▭ Rectangle**.
- **Timber (B tool)** is the profile for new members that you draw with **▬ Timber**.
- **Region** selects the catalogue that the pickers, the generators and the assistant use first: **UK**, **US / Canada**, **EU** or **Australia / NZ**.

## Open the catalogue

1. Click **File ▸ Materials…**, or click **⋯** beside a material picker.
2. Click **Timber profiles** or **Sheet materials**.
3. Type in the search box to find a material by name, trade name, grade or treatment.

To see the materials of all regions, select **Show all regions**. The pickers then list them too. A ● beside a name shows a project copy: a custom material, or one with a measured section.

## Record the real size of your timber

Catalogue sizes are typical values, not your merchant's stock. Measure yours.

1. In **Materials…**, click **Timber profiles**.
2. Click the profile.
3. At **Measured W × D**, type the width and depth that you measured.
4. Click **Record measured**.

KerfCraft resizes the members that use the profile. Parts with a measured section show "needs extra checking" in the cut list. To go back to the catalogue size, click **Clear**.

## Prefer a profile for a trade name

When you or the assistant ask for a trade name, for example "4x2", KerfCraft uses the preferred profile. To change it, click the profile and click **Prefer for** with the trade name. A ★ shows the preferred profile.

## Add a custom timber profile

1. In **Materials…**, click **Timber profiles**.
2. Click **New profile…**.
3. Type a **Name**, a **Width** and a **Depth** in mm.
4. If you want, type a **Trade name** and a **Grade**.
5. Select the **Treatment** and the **Finish**.
6. At **Stock lengths (mm)**, type the lengths you can buy, with commas between them.
7. Click **Create**.

## Add a custom sheet material

1. In **Materials…**, click **Sheet materials**.
2. Click **New sheet…**.
3. Type a **Name** and the **Thickness** in mm.
4. Select the **Family**: plywood, mdf, osb, chipboard, hardboard or other.
5. Type the sheet **Length** and **Width**. The default is 2440 × 1220 mm.
6. If the sheet has no grain, clear **Grain**.
7. Click **Create**.

Custom materials belong to the project.

## Related

- [Build a cabinet, bookcase or wardrobe](/docs/how-to/furniture/build-a-carcass/)
- [Check a shelf for sag](/docs/how-to/furniture/check-a-shelf-for-sag/)