Pyramid Template (3D Pyramid Net)
Set the base edge and height to get a printable pyramid net with tabs, plus its slant height, area and volume.
This pyramid template calculator turns the size of a pyramid into a printable template, also called a net. Enter the base edge and one height measure, and it works out the slant height, volume and surface area, then draws a flat net with glue tabs that you can cut and fold. It is free, runs in your browser, needs no sign-up, and uploads nothing you type.
Use it for a paper pyramid, a pyramid cutout, or an open-base tent or lampshade. Download the net as an SVG or DXF file for design software or a cutter, or print it at actual size. It makes square pyramids and triangular pyramids (tetrahedrons).
How to use the Pyramid template
- Choose a Pyramid type: square pyramid (4 triangles plus a square base) or triangular pyramid (tetrahedron, 4 equilateral triangles).
- Enter the Base edge (a) and pick its unit: in, mm or cm. The default is 2 in.
- For a square pyramid, open Size the height by and choose Vertical height (h), Slant height (s, along a face) or Side-face angle (to the base). A tetrahedron needs only the edge, so these fields are hidden.
- Fill in the matching field: Vertical height (h), Slant height (s) or Side-face angle (degrees). The slant height must be longer than half the base edge, and the angle must be between 0 and 90 degrees.
- Tick Open base if you do not need a base square, for a tent, lampshade or cover.
- To change the glue flaps, open More options and set the Glue tab width (10 mm by default).
- Read Slant height (s), Vertical height (h), Slanted edge length, Face angle at the apex, Face-to-base angle, Surface area, Volume, Flat net size (incl. tabs) and Fits one sheet?, and check any warning.
- Choose Download SVG (true size), Download DXF (CAD / cutter) or Print / save as PDF, and print at 100 %, not “fit to page”.
The example buttons fill in four pyramids: 2 in paper pyramid, 60 mm square pyramid, 3 in tetrahedron and 5 cm open-base tent. Copy link saves every input in the address, and Reset restores the defaults.
Is this a food pyramid, energy pyramid or PowerPoint pyramid template?
No. A food pyramid, energy pyramid, plot pyramid or ppt pyramid template is a layered diagram for a slide or worksheet. This page makes a physical 3D pyramid template: a flat paper, card or board net that folds into a solid.
How do you make a 3D pyramid out of paper?
Print the net at 100 % on paper or card and cut along the solid lines. For a cardboard pyramid template, cut the same shape from card or send the DXF file to a cutter. Crease the dashed fold lines, fold the faces up to the apex, and glue each grey tab to the inside of the face beside it. Make a sample first, because paper thickness and your printer change the fit.
For a square pyramid with base edge a and vertical height h, each face is a triangle whose height is the slant height s:
s = √(h² + (a ÷ 2)²)
The surface area is a² + 2 × a × s, and the volume is a² × h ÷ 3. With the default 2 in base and 2.5 in height, s = 2.693 in, the area is 14.77 in² and the volume is 3.333 in³. With an open base, the base square is left out of the area. A regular tetrahedron with 3 in edges has a face height of 2.598 in, a vertical height of 2.449 in and a volume of 3.182 in³.
How do you find the slant height of a pyramid?
The slant height is the distance from the middle of a base edge up to the apex, measured along a face. If you know the vertical height, use the formula above. If you know the angle φ between a side face and the base, use:
s = (a ÷ 2) ÷ cos φ
For a 5 cm base and a 60° face angle, s = 2.5 ÷ 0.5 = 5 cm, and the vertical height is 2.5 × tan 60° = 4.33 cm. A slant height of half the base edge or less cannot form a pyramid, which is why the tool requires it to be longer.
Sources
- Square pyramid and regular tetrahedron formulas (slant height, edge, surface area, volume) from solid geometry
- Paper sizes: A4 210 × 297 mm and A3 297 × 420 mm (ISO 216), US Letter 8.5 × 11 in and Tabloid 11 × 17 in (ANSI/ASME Y14.1)
- 1 in = 25.4 mm exactly (NIST SP 811)
Worked examples
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| Square pyramid, base 2 in, height 2.5 in | slant height 2.693 in (68.39 mm), volume 3.333 in³ (54.62 cm³) |
| Square pyramid, base 60 mm, height 60 mm | slant height 67.08 mm (2.641 in), volume 72 cm³ (4.394 in³) |
| Square pyramid, base 5 cm, face angle 60°, open base | slant height 5 cm (1.969 in), volume 36.08 cm³ (2.202 in³) |
| Tetrahedron, edge 3 in | slant height 2.598 in (65.99 mm), volume 3.182 in³ (52.14 cm³) |
Calculated by the tool above with these values.
Frequently asked questions
Is the calculator free, and is anything I type uploaded?
Yes, the calculator is free and needs no sign-up. It runs entirely in your browser, and nothing you type is uploaded.
Can I use the results in commercial work such as quotes and bids?
Yes. Templates and results may be used in commercial work, including boxes and bags that are sold and files sent to printers and die makers, and no attribution is needed. Make a sample before a production run, because board thickness, grain direction and your printer or cutter change the fit.
Why does the net not fit on my paper?
The tool warns you when the net does not fit US Letter or A4 inside a 1/4 in margin. Print it on a larger sheet, or download the SVG or DXF file and print or cut it at true size. You can also reduce the base edge or height to make the net smaller.
What do the warnings about a flat pyramid or thin spike mean?
One warning appears when the faces rise at under 15 degrees to the base, which makes a very flat pyramid. Another appears when the apex angle of a face is under 20 degrees, which makes a thin spike that is hard to fold and glue. Raise the height for a flat pyramid, or lower it for a thin spike. The tool also warns when the glue tab is wider than half the base edge.
Can I make a pyramid with a different number of sides?
No. The tool draws a square pyramid or a triangular pyramid (tetrahedron) only.
Related tools
- Cube template – use this when you need a six-faced box net with square sides instead of a pyramid.
- Box template generator – use this to make a general box net when your shape is not a pyramid.
- Pizza box dieline – use this for a folding box dieline with a specific food-packaging layout.
- Tuck box template – use this for a tuck-end carton that closes with a flap.
- Gift box template – use this to make a gift box net for presents and retail packaging.
- Hexagon box template: use it for a six-sided box with a lid.
- Cylinder template: use it for a round tube net.
- All calculators – browse every calculator on the site.