Woodworking & Carpentry · Optimizer
Cut List Optimizer
This free cut list optimizer lays out your parts on plywood, MDF or any sheet goods, accounting for blade kerf and grain direction. Enter your parts to get the sheet count, waste, cost and a cutting diagram for every sheet.
Sheet and parts
4 x 8 plywood and MDF, 49 x 97 oversize panels, 5 x 5 Baltic birch, 2 x 4 project panels.
Cutting layout
Sheet 1 of 1
8 parts · 72.6% usedSide x2 (11-1/4 x 72), Shelf x4 (11-1/4 x 34-1/2), Rail x2 (2-1/2 x 34-1/2)
How to use the cut list optimizer
- Pick your sheet size and enter your blade kerf. Leave edge trim at 0 unless you plan to cut off the factory edges.
- List every part with its finished width, length and quantity. Width runs across the grain and length along it.
- Decide on grain. Leave "respect grain" on for visible parts. Turn it off for shop jigs, drawer bottoms and anything painted, so the plywood cut calculator can rotate parts to squeeze more out of each sheet.
- Follow the diagram at the saw. Make the long cuts first, then crosscut each strip.
Every layout this cutlist optimizer produces is a guillotine layout: each cut runs straight across the piece it splits. That matters because a table saw, track saw or circular saw cannot stop mid-sheet and turn a corner.
Why blade kerf matters
Your saw blade turns about 1/8 inch of plywood into dust on every cut. Ignore it and the math lies: four 12 inch strips do not come out of a 48 inch sheet, because three kerfs eat 3/8 inch and the last strip comes up short.
The optimizer leaves one kerf between neighboring parts but none at the sheet edge, which is how you actually cut. If a part needs to be exact, cut it last from a strip that is a little oversize and trim to the line.
Measure your real kerf
How to break down plywood safely
A full sheet of 3/4 inch plywood weighs 60 to 70 pounds. Wrestling it across a table saw alone is how people get hurt, so break sheets into manageable pieces first.
- Circular saw and a straightedge. Lay the sheet on a sheet of rigid foam on the floor, clamp a guide, and set the blade 1/4 inch deeper than the plywood. Our guide to rip cuts with a circular saw covers the setup, and our best circular saw picks are all accurate enough for cabinet work.
- Track saw. The cleanest and safest way to break down sheets alone. The splinter guard stops tear-out on veneered ply. See table saw vs track saw for when it replaces a table saw.
- Table saw. Best for repeat rips once the sheet is down to a size you can control. Use outfeed support and keep the good face up with a zero-clearance insert. Here are our best table saw picks for sheet work.
Common plywood and MDF sheet sizes
Nominal thickness is rarely actual thickness. 3/4 inch hardwood plywood usually measures 23/32 inch (about 18 mm), which matters for dados and shelf pins. Measure your sheet before you cut joinery.
| Material | Sheet size | Thicknesses (in unless noted) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Softwood plywood (CDX, sanded pine) | 48 x 96 in | 1/4, 3/8, 15/32, 1/2, 19/32, 23/32, 3/4 | Actual thickness runs 1/32 in under nominal |
| Hardwood plywood (birch, maple, oak) | 48 x 96 in | 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 | 3/4 in is usually 23/32 in (18 mm) |
| Baltic birch plywood | 60 x 60 in (also 48 x 96) | 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 mm | Void-free, great for jigs and drawers |
| MDF | 49 x 97 in, 48 x 96 in | 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1 | Oversize sheets let you trim factory edges |
| Melamine / prefinished panels | 49 x 97 in | 5/8, 3/4 | Needs a sharp, high tooth count blade to avoid chipping |
| OSB | 48 x 96 in | 7/16, 15/32, 23/32 | Sheathing and shop walls, not furniture |
| Hardboard / pegboard | 48 x 96 in, 24 x 48 in | 1/8, 1/4 | Drawer bottoms, cabinet backs |
Tips to reduce plywood waste
- Standardize part widths. Cabinet sides, shelves and bottoms at one depth come out of the same rip strips with almost no waste.
- Keep a back panel on its own sheet. A 1/4 inch back is a different material, so run it through the optimizer separately.
- Save the big offcut. The readout shows your biggest leftover piece. Plan drawer bottoms or a small project around it before you buy another sheet.
- Buy one extra sheet for big jobs. A bad veneer patch or one mis-measured rip can wreck a layout that uses 95% of every sheet.
- Cutting solid lumber too? Price it with the board foot calculator.
Run every project through the cut list optimizer before you go shopping. Knowing you need three sheets instead of four pays for the five minutes it takes to type in your parts.
Frequently asked questions
What does a cut list optimizer do?
It takes your list of parts and arranges them on your sheet size with the fewest sheets and least waste, leaving room for the saw blade between parts. You get a sheet count, a cost, and a diagram to follow at the saw.
How much kerf should I allow between parts?
Use 1/8 inch for a standard full-kerf table saw or circular saw blade. Thin-kerf blades run about 3/32 inch, and most track saw blades cut a little under that. When in doubt, use 1/8 inch: a slightly generous kerf costs you almost nothing.
How many shelves can I cut from a 4x8 sheet of plywood?
For 11-1/4 inch deep shelves, you get four strips across a 48 inch sheet with 1/8 inch kerf. Each 96 inch strip yields two shelves up to 47-15/16 inches long or three up to 31-7/8 inches long, so 8 or 12 shelves per sheet.
Should I trim the factory edges before cutting parts?
Yes for furniture and cabinets. Factory edges are often dinged, and some are not perfectly square. Set the edge trim to 1/4 to 1/2 inch and the optimizer lays parts out inside the clean area. Oversize 49 x 97 inch panels exist for exactly this reason.
Why does grain direction matter on plywood?
The face veneer grain should run the long way on most parts, both for looks and because plywood is stiffer along the face grain. A shelf with the grain running front to back sags more and looks wrong next to parts cut the right way.
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