Free Cut List Calculator

Enter your parts and a sheet size — get a live optimised cutting layout. UK-metric default, no sign-up, works for plywood, MDF, melamine and any sheet goods.

Use the preview anonymously in your browser. Sign up only if you want to save or import this cut list into the full app — no card required.

Live preview
2 sheets · 35.7% yield
Auto-fit
Sheet 12440 × 1220 mm
Back600 × 720Side panel560 × 720 ↻Side panel560 × 720 ↻Shelf568 × 520Shelf520 × 568 ↻
Sheet 22440 × 1220 mm
Shelf520 × 568 ↻
Sheets
2
Waste
64.3%
Cut
9.6 m
×
×
×

Public preview: up to 5 cut-piece lines and 10 total parts. Sign up free to save bigger jobs and keep adding pieces.

Typical: 3 mm for a standard circular saw blade.

Sign up free to save this preview, add more parts, edge banding, grain direction, and multiple sheet sizes. We'll carry your cut list into the full CutList app after sign-up. .

How this calculator works

Step 1

Enter your parts

List every panel you need — width × height × quantity. Name them (Side, Shelf, Door) so the diagram stays readable.

Step 2

Pick your sheet size

Start with a preset or enter a custom sheet size. Standard UK plywood is 2440 × 1220 mm; US 4×8 sheets are 2438 × 1219 mm.

Step 3

Set your blade kerf

Kerf is the width of material removed by the blade. The initial value is 3 mm. Measure your saw’s actual kerf and adjust it to match.

Step 4

Read the layout

The SVG diagram shows each sheet with parts placed to minimise waste. Sheet count, waste percentage, and total cut length update live.

Step 5

Take it to the workshop

Print directly, or sign up for free to import this preview into the full CutList app — add grain direction, edge banding, and save it to your project library.

The cut list formula

A cut list calculator is a 2D bin-packing problem. You have rectangular parts to fit into rectangular sheets, with two extra constraints: each cut must cross the full sheet (“guillotine” constraint, matching how a panel or table saw cuts), and each cut removes a kerf of material equal to the blade width.

Our algorithm uses a Best-Short-Side-Fit rect-choice heuristic: for each part we search every free rectangle on the current sheet and pick the one where the leftover shorter dimension is smallest. Once a part is placed, we split the remaining free rectangle along the direction that preserves the largest usable area (MAXAS rule), subtracting the kerf. Parts are processed in area-descending order, which packs large parts first and fills smaller gaps with smaller parts.

Results depend on your part sizes, sheet dimensions and kerf. This is a heuristic: it finds a practical layout but does not guarantee the mathematical minimum number of sheets. Check the actual material and each cutting sequence before starting work.

When to use this calculator vs the full CutList app

This page is a fast, zero-friction sketch tool. The full CutList app adds everything you need for a real project.

FeatureCalculatorFull app
Live optimised layout✓✓
Inch-based entry and display—✓
Custom sheet sizes✓✓
Grain direction—✓
Edge banding—✓
Multiple sheet sizes per project—✓
Material library—✓
Save projects—✓
Offcut inventory—✓
Printable cut plan + summary—✓

Frequently asked questions

What is a cut list calculator?↓
A cut list calculator takes a list of parts you need and a sheet size, then works out how to fit the parts on the fewest sheets with the least waste. Our calculator uses a guillotine bin-packing algorithm — the same kind of cutting sequence you'd make on a table saw or panel saw, where each cut goes all the way across the sheet.
How is blade kerf handled?↓
Kerf is the width of material the saw blade removes in each cut. Our calculator subtracts kerf from the space available between adjacent parts so the maths matches real cuts. Default is 3 mm for a standard circular saw; change it if you're using a thinner track-saw blade or a thicker panel-saw blade.
Does it support millimetres and inches?↓
The calculator currently works in millimetres. We include US-friendly presets like 4×8 and 5×5 sheets so you do not have to convert stock sizes by hand, but inch-based entry and display live in the full CutList app.
Does it handle grain direction?↓
The basic calculator allows parts to rotate freely for the best fit. If your project needs grain locked on a visible face (cabinet sides, shelves, drawer fronts), open the full CutList app and use the per-part grain toggle.
Why is my waste percentage high?↓
Waste depends on the mix of part sizes and how well they nest. Common causes: one very large part forcing a whole sheet, or many odd sizes that don't tile cleanly. Try removing one or two outsize parts to see the effect. The full CutList app can also factor in offcuts from previous projects so you don't buy sheets you don't need.
Can I print the cut plan?↓
Yes — use your browser's Print function. The sheet layout SVG is vector, so it prints cleanly at any size. The full CutList app adds a print-friendly cut plan with per-sheet part lists and a full cut list summary.
Is this the same as the full CutList app?↓
This page is a stripped-down free tool — one sheet size, no grain, no edge banding, no project save. The full CutList app adds saved projects, a material library, edge banding, grain direction, multiple sheet sizes, cost estimation, and offcut tracking.
How accurate is the algorithm?↓
The calculator uses a guillotine packing heuristic. It finds practical layouts from your dimensions and kerf, but does not guarantee the mathematical minimum sheet count. Material use varies with the parts and stock sizes; inspect the result and cutting sequence before cutting.

Learn more

How to make a cut list
The complete beginner's guide
Plywood sheet sizes
UK, EU, and US reference
Reduce plywood waste
Seven optimisation strategies
Kitchen cabinet cut list
Worked example with 8 cabinets