Cut List Optimizer
Enter the stock you have and the parts you need. You get a cutting diagram for each sheet or board, updated as you type and saved in this browser.
Stock (sheets or boards)
Parts to cut
Cutting plan
- Stock needed
- 1 × Plywood (96 × 48)
- Parts placed
- 6 of 6
- Waste
- 32.5%
1. Plywood (96 × 48, 6 parts)
How it works
The optimizer tries many different ways to lay out your parts and keeps the one that uses the least material. Every layout is made of straight, edge-to-edge cuts, so you can cut it on a table saw or with a track saw.
Sheets and boards
A board is just a narrow sheet. For plywood, enter something like 96 × 48 in. For lumber, enter the board's length and width, for example 96 × 5 1/2 in. Leave the stock quantity empty if you can buy as many as you need.
Blade kerf
Every cut turns a strip of wood into sawdust. That strip is the kerf, about 1/8" (3 mm) for most table saw blades. The optimizer leaves that gap between neighbouring parts. It is not needed against the edge of the stock.
Grain direction
Tick Grain on a part when its grain must run along its length, for example a visible cabinet side. That part is always placed with its length along the stock's length. Parts without the tick may be turned 90°, which often saves material. Use the buttons under the parts list to lock or unlock every part at once.
Tips
- Plywood edges are often damaged or not square. Set Edge trim to cut a strip off every edge first; the trimmed edges are hatched in the diagram.
- Add a little extra to each part if you plan to trim it to final size.
- Always check the plan against your actual material before cutting.
Frequently asked questions
What blade kerf should I enter?
The default is 1/8" (3 mm), which suits most full-kerf table saw blades. Thin-kerf blades are closer to 3/32" (2.4 mm). If you are not sure, make a test cut and measure the width of the slot.
How big is a 4×8 sheet of plywood really?
Most 4×8 sheets are 48" × 96" (about 1220 × 2440 mm), but some are made slightly oversize and metric sheets can be 1250 × 2500 mm. Measure your own sheet and enter that size. If the edges are chipped or out of square, set Edge trim too.
How does the Grain setting work?
Enter each stock piece with its length along the grain; on most plywood the face grain runs along the 8-foot side. A part with Grain ticked is always placed with its length along the stock’s length, so its grain runs lengthwise. Parts without the tick may be turned 90° to save material.
Is the layout always the best possible?
Not always. Finding the perfect layout is a very hard problem, so the optimizer tries a set of different strategies and keeps the one that uses the least material. With many parts of mixed sizes, a layout drawn by hand can sometimes do a little better. It also does not try to reduce the number of cuts. If a result looks wasteful, try unlocking grain on parts that do not need it, or a different stock size.
Are my parts saved?
Yes. Your stock, parts and settings are saved in this browser so they are still there next time. They are never sent to a server.