Plywood Cut List Optimiser

A cut list is a detailed breakdown of every piece of wood you need for a project — dimensions, material type, quantity, and grain direction. Instead of measuring and calculating by hand, a cut list optimizer like CutList works out how to arrange your pieces on standard sheets or boards to minimize waste and cost.

Start by listing every panel you need with its length, width, and thickness. Then choose your sheet size (standard plywood sheets in the UK are 2440 × 1220 mm). CutList automatically arranges your pieces on the fewest sheets possible, respecting grain direction and blade kerf, and shows you a visual cutting diagram you can take to the workshop.

The key is optimized nesting — fitting pieces together like a jigsaw to use as much of each sheet as possible. CutList compares arrangements to find an efficient cutting layout. It also tracks offcuts from previous projects so you can reuse them instead of buying new sheets.

Kerf is the width of material removed by the saw blade during a cut — typically 3–4 mm for a standard circular saw. If you don't account for kerf, your pieces can end up too short. CutList includes kerf in every calculation so your cutting diagrams are accurate to the millimetre.

The most common size is 2440 × 1220 mm (8 × 4 feet). You'll also find 1220 × 610 mm half-sheets at B&Q and Wickes. CutList comes pre-configured with standard UK sheet sizes, but you can add custom sizes for any material in your library.

Yes. CutList handles both sheet materials (plywood, MDF, chipboard) and linear materials (timber battens, mouldings, skirting). The optimizer works differently for each — sheets use 2D nesting while linear materials use 1D bin packing — but both minimize waste.

Yes — you can create up to 3 projects for free with no credit card required. The free tier includes 5 materials and 10 cut-piece rows per project. If you need unlimited access for regular workshop use, CutList Pro is $7/month or $70/year.

Absolutely. When CutList generates a cutting layout, it tracks the leftover offcuts with their exact dimensions. You can save these to your material library and CutList will try to use them before cutting into fresh sheets on your next project — saving you money and reducing waste.

It depends on your setup. A rip cut (along the grain, the long way) gives you narrower strips that are easier to handle for subsequent cross cuts. However, cross cutting first (across the grain) can be easier to manage on a table saw if you're working with full 2440 mm sheets — shorter pieces are safer and simpler to feed through. CutList's cutting diagrams show the optimal order, but as a rule of thumb: make the cut that gives you the most manageable pieces to work with next.

The face veneer grain on a standard plywood sheet runs along the long edge (2440 mm). Plywood is roughly 1.5–2× stiffer along the face grain than across it. If you're cutting a shelf, orient it so the face grain runs along the span — it will sag significantly less under load. For solid wood the effect is even greater: wood is 4–5× stiffer along the grain in bending. CutList lets you mark pieces as grain-sensitive so the optimizer always aligns them correctly.

Edge banding adds thickness to the finished edge — typically 0.4–2 mm depending on the material. If your finished panel needs to be 600 mm wide and you're applying 0.5 mm edge banding to both edges, your cut piece should be 599 mm (600 mm minus 0.5 mm on each side). Always account for edge banding before you cut, not after. CutList lets you specify banding so your dimensions are accurate from the start.