guide
36-inch or 48-inch screen roll? Compare the batch.
The narrower roll can waste less area while the wider one can fit a better arrangement.
Fit comes before square footage
For every screen, add the allowance and check whether its complete blank fits the roll. With rotation enabled, the tool also tries the blank turned 90 degrees. It never joins two offcuts to create one screen.
Width changes the arrangement
A 20 × 38 inch blank fits lengthwise on a 36-inch roll but cannot be turned across its width. A 48-inch roll allows either orientation. Depending on the other screens in the batch, that flexibility can change how many rows or rolls are required.
Compare the same inputs
Keep the screen batch and allowance fixed when comparing widths. The comparison table shows each candidate’s roll count, unassigned material and total cost if you enter a price. A blank price is never treated as zero.
What the suggested layout means
The planner compares several shelf-packing arrangements, sorting larger pieces first and trying different orientations. It chooses the best arrangement it found for each roll. This is a reproducible estimate, not a proof of the mathematically minimum number of rolls. The visual map lets you check the result before cutting.
If material direction matters for your product, turn rotation off and run the comparison again. A geometric fit does not establish that a different mesh material is suitable for your frame.