Custom 3D Models in the Configurator
Most products in the Configurator are built from TimberCloud's standard door, panel and cabinet layouts. But when you sell something those templates can't describe — a turned table leg, a corbel, a carved range hood, a signature furniture piece — you can upload your own 3D model and let customers resize it live on your storefront.
Availability: Commerce and up (paid plans), as part of the Visual Configurator. Custom 3D models are an advanced, pilot capability — powerful, but newer than the standard layouts. If you're setting one up for the first time, test it end-to-end (upload, resize, order) before you publish.
When to use a custom model
Reach for a custom model when:
- Your product's shape isn't a door, box, panel or standard cabinet.
- You already have a 3D model from your CAD or design software.
- You want customers to see and resize the actual piece in 3D before ordering.
For everything else — doors, drawers, cabinets — the standard template layouts are faster and give you cut lists automatically.
Getting started
- Open your product and go to the Configurator tab.
- Choose Use a Template, then pick the Custom 3D Model layout (under the Cabinets & Boxes group).
- In the upload zone, drop a 3D model or click to browse.
Supported file formats
TimberCloud converts a wide range of formats to its web-ready 3D format (GLB) automatically when you upload — you don't need to convert anything yourself.
| Category | Formats |
|---|---|
| Web 3D | GLB, glTF |
| Mesh | STL, OBJ, PLY, FBX, DAE, 3MF |
| CAD solids | STEP, IGES |
Files up to 200 MB are accepted.
Note: DWG and DXF are not supported directly — those need a separate CAD conversion service. Everything in the table above converts on upload.
Tip — models that split into parts: A single fused solid (a typical STL, or most single-part CAD exports) resizes as a whole and can't be broken into separately-adjustable components. If you want to control parts independently, export a model with multiple solids or objects — OBJ, FBX, glTF, or a multi-solid STEP.
After upload, TimberCloud validates and re-encodes the model in the background, then shows it in the preview. If a file can't be processed, you'll see the reason and can upload a different one.
Mapping dimensions so buyers can resize
A model on its own is just a fixed shape. To make it configurable, you map its dimensions to your product's fields using the parametric config editor. This is what lets a customer type a width and watch the model stretch to match.
For each axis of the model — width, height and depth (left/right, top/bottom, front/back) — you set:
| Setting | What it controls |
|---|---|
| Deform mode | Whether the whole model scales evenly (Uniform) or keeps its ends rigid and stretches only the middle (Segmented) |
| Border left / right (in) | How much of each end stays fixed (in inches) so details like feet or a lip don't distort when the piece is resized |
| Stretch (with Min / Max size) | Whether the axis stretches at all, and any minimum/maximum size limits |
Mapping those axes to your line-item fields (for example, the order's width, height and depth) is what powers the live resize in the storefront preview — the same way a template door restretches as a customer changes its size.
Annotating 3D groups and parts
If your uploaded model has multiple solids or objects, you can use the 3D group picker to select parts of the model right in the 3D view and assign them to component groups. Grouping lets you:
- Name the meaningful pieces of the model (for example, "legs", "top", "apron").
- Give different groups their own resize behavior.
- Keep detail areas rigid while the body of the piece stretches.
A single-solid import can't be grouped this way — it always resizes as one piece. That's the main reason to export multi-solid files when you want granular control.
What customers see
Once the model is uploaded and its dimensions are mapped, customers browsing your storefront get a fully interactive 3D preview of the product. As they change size or options, the model updates live — the same trust-building experience as the standard template layouts, but for your own custom geometry.
Next Steps
- Configurator (Parts & Cut Lists) — Templates, standard layouts and manual parts
- Visual Part Builder — Full reference for the standard layout types
- Shipping Options — Give your custom product accurate shipping dimensions
- Pricing — Price the product customers are configuring