The pluviation method is commonly used to prepare uniform sand samples of fixed density for triaxial testing. This study investigates how diffuser arrangement in the pluviator affects sample quality. Multiple samples were prepared using assemblies with perforated plates and wire meshes of different openings. The results show that using a perforated plate broadened the range of the relative density in different samples by about 30 % and improved the sample uniformity by 50 % by reducing its standard deviation. A new porosity factor is introduced to link the deposition intensity with the properties of the diffusers, the mean particle size, and the shape of sand particles. To gain insight at the particle level, a virtual pluviator setup was then modeled using an open-source discrete element tool. Some deviations in modeling the material properties and material behavior were necessary to allow the discrete spherical particles to properly mimic the deposition intensity of the falling grains. The velocity of the falling discrete particles was used to examine the thickness of the energetic layer after impact. This required stepwise recording of the increase in sample height with the diminishing hammering effect of the sand particles. The discrete element analysis shows that using a perforated diffuser plate reduces the standard deviation of the energetic layer thickness by 1.5 times.