Design a jali screen for a door, partition, window or ceiling panel. Pick a pattern, set the panel size, the repeat and the bridge width, and the generator draws it, checks it for CNC router or laser cutting, and gives you the DXF or SVG cut file to send to your cutter.
Jali Pattern Generator
Design a jali screen, check it for cutting, and download the cut file (SVG or DXF) for a CNC router or laser
Quantity and cost (optional)
Checks
Files are full size in millimetres: the panel edge on layer OUTLINE and every opening on layer CUT. Check them in your cutter's software before cutting.
Design aid only. Check the file, the bridge width and the panel's strength with your cutter before cutting. A jali used as a railing, a door or anything people lean on needs a frame and fixing designed for that load.
How to use the jali pattern generator
- Pick one of the eight patterns: square grid, diamond, hexagon, circles, octagon, petal, slots or triangles.
- Enter the panel width and height in mm, or tap a common size such as a 2 × 6 ft door insert or a 3 × 7 ft partition. Set the solid border around the edge.
- Set the repeat size (the distance from one opening to the next) and the bridge width (the solid strip between openings).
- Enter the board thickness and choose CNC router or laser. For a router, enter the bit diameter.
- Read the checks, then download the DXF or SVG file. Add your cutting and board rates if you want a cost.
How the pattern is drawn
Each pattern is a regular tiling: squares, hexagons, triangles, octagons with small squares, circles, slots, or the petal shapes where overlapping circles meet. Every opening is its tile shrunk by half the bridge width on each side, so all the bridges come out the width you set. The pattern is centred on the panel and only whole openings are kept inside the border, so no opening is cut in half at the edge.
| Result | How it is worked out |
|---|---|
| Open area | Total area of the openings ÷ panel area × 100 |
| Cutting length | Perimeter of every opening + the outer edge of the panel (shown in metres and running feet) |
| Cost (optional) | Cutting length in running feet × your cutting rate, plus panel area in sq ft × your board rate |
| Router check | The narrowest opening must be wider than the bit; inside corners take a radius of half the bit diameter |
Worked example
A 600 × 1800 mm door insert (2 × 6 ft) with a 40 mm border, the circles pattern, 100 mm repeat and 12 mm bridges: each opening is 88 mm across. Five columns and seventeen rows fit inside the border, so there are 85 openings. They cover 85 × π × 44² ≈ 0.52 m² of the 1.08 m² panel, about 48% open area. The cutting length is 85 × π × 88 + 2 × (600 + 1800) ≈ 28.3 m (93 running ft).
Frequently asked questions
What is a jali?
A jali is a perforated screen with a repeating pattern of openings. It lets light and air through while keeping some privacy. Traditional jalis were carved in stone or wood; today they are often cut from WPC board, MDF, plywood, metal sheet or ACP on a CNC router or laser cutter.
Which file do I send to the CNC or laser shop?
Most cutting shops accept DXF or SVG. Both files from this tool are drawn full size in millimetres, with the outer edge of the panel and every opening as a closed cut line. Ask the shop which one their software prefers.
How wide should the bridges between openings be?
It depends on the material, its thickness and how the panel is used. Narrow bridges in thin board break easily, so the tool warns when a bridge is narrower than the board is thick. Ask your cutter what they can cut cleanly in your material.
Can a CNC router cut sharp corners?
No. A router bit is round, so inside corners come out with a radius equal to half the bit diameter, and an opening narrower than the bit cannot be cut at all. A laser can cut much sharper corners. Choose the cutting method in the tool to see these checks.
What does open area mean?
Open area is the share of the panel that is cut away. A higher open area lets more light and air through and makes the panel lighter, but leaves less material to hold it together. Wider bridges or a larger border lower the open area.
How is the cutting length worked out?
It is the perimeter of every opening plus the outer edge of the panel. Many shops quote by running foot of cut or by sheet, so the tool shows the length in metres and running feet and multiplies it by your rate if you enter one.
Design ideas and related tools
WPC board designs
Cutting designs, jali panels and where WPC board works.
Wooden jali door designs
Main door and partition jali ideas with photos.
Wall panelling designs
Panel styles and materials for feature walls.
All tools
Construction calculators, planners and BBS tools.
Disclaimer: Design aid only. Check the cut file, the bridges and the panel’s strength with your cutter before cutting. Full disclaimer · contact@speakarch.com
Last updated: 12 November 2026