Cut list optimizer for plywood, MDF & sheet goods

What is a cut list optimizer?

A cut list optimizer turns a list of parts into a cutting plan. It places every part on the smallest number of stock sheets, leaves room for the saw blade between parts, keeps grain-sensitive parts aligned with the grain, and tells you which cuts to make in which order. Woodworkers use one before buying plywood for cabinets, bookcases, closets and shop furniture, because a good layout often saves a whole sheet.

CutListKit only produces guillotine layouts — every cut runs straight across the piece, the way a table saw, track saw or panel saw cuts — so the plan on screen is a plan you can actually cut. The example above is the 72-inch bookshelf cut list: 10 parts on 2 sheets of 3/4 plywood and 1 sheet of 1/4 plywood.

How to use the cut list optimizer

1. List your parts. Type each part with its length, width and quantity, or import a CSV from a spreadsheet or SketchUp. Fractions like 23 3/4 work. Tick Grain on parts whose length must follow the grain.
2. Add your stock sheets. Enter the sheet size you can buy — or pick a standard size such as 4×8 or 2440 × 1220 — with an optional quantity limit and price.
3. Set kerf and trim. Enter your blade kerf (1/8 in is typical for a table saw) and any edge trim to remove factory edges.
4. Cut and print. Read the sheet count and waste, follow the numbered cut sequence, and print or save the diagrams as a PDF for the shop.

Features

• Saw kerf and edge trim in inches (with fractions) or millimeters.
• Grain direction per part, and grain on or off per stock sheet for MDF, melamine and particleboard.
• Several stock sizes and materials with quantity limits and prices — the optimizer picks the cheapest mix.
• Numbered cut sequence, reusable offcuts and identical sheets grouped for batch cutting.
• CSV import and export, a shareable link, automatic saving in your browser and print-ready PDF diagrams.
• Lumber too: a 1D cut list optimizer for 2x4s, boards, trim and pipe, plus a board foot calculator.

Project cut lists

• Bookshelf cut listFree bookshelf cut list for a 72 in tall, 36 in wide plywood bookcase: every part size, how many 4x8 sheets you need and printable cutting diagrams.
• Base cabinet cut listCut list for a 24 in wide, 34.5 in tall frameless base cabinet in 3/4 plywood: sides, bottom, stretchers, shelf, door and back, with sheet layout.
• Wall cabinet cut listCut list for a 30 in wide, 30 in tall frameless wall cabinet with two doors in 3/4 plywood: every part, sheet count and printable layout diagram.
• Drawer boxes cut listCut list for four Baltic birch drawer boxes for 21 in slides in a 24 in cabinet: sides, fronts, backs and bottoms, laid out on 5x5 sheets with kerf.
• Closet organizer cut listCut list for an 84 in tall, 24 in wide melamine closet tower with fixed and adjustable shelves, toe kick and hanging cleats, laid out on 4x8 sheets.
• 2x4 workbench cut listCut list for a 72 × 24 in, 36 in tall 2x4 workbench with a lower shelf: every 2x4 length, how many 8 ft and 10 ft boards to buy, and cutting diagrams.
• Raised garden bed cut listCut list for a 4 × 8 ft raised garden bed two boards high in 2x6 lumber: side and end lengths, corner posts, how many boards to buy and a cutting plan.

Sheet sizes

• 4×8 sheet48 × 96 in · 1219 × 2438 mm
• 4×10 sheet48 × 120 in · 1219 × 3048 mm
• 5×5 sheet60 × 60 in · 1525 × 1525 mm
• 4×4 half sheet48 × 48 in · 1219 × 1219 mm
• 2×4 project panel24 × 48 in · 610 × 1219 mm
• 2440 × 1220 mm sheet2440 × 1220 mm · 96 × 48 in (8×4 ft)
• 2500 × 1250 mm sheet2500 × 1250 mm · 98.4 × 49.2 in
• 1525 × 1525 mm sheet1525 × 1525 mm · 60 × 60 in (5×5 ft)
• 2800 × 2070 mm sheet2800 × 2070 mm · 110.2 × 81.5 in

Materials

• Plywood cut listHas grain — lock visible parts
• MDF cut listNo grain — parts rotate freely
• Baltic birch cut listHas grain — lock visible parts
• Melamine cut listNo grain — parts rotate freely
• Particleboard cut listNo grain — parts rotate freely
• OSB cut listHas grain — lock visible parts
• Hardboard cut listNo grain — parts rotate freely

Guides

• How to Make a Cut List, From Drawing to Cutting DiagramA cut list turns a drawing into a stack of parts. Get it right and the saw work is routine; get it wrong and you find out when a shelf comes up half an inch short.
• Saw Kerf: The Material Every Cut TakesEvery saw cut turns a strip of wood into dust. On one cut it hardly matters; across a full sheet it decides whether the last part fits.
• Plywood Grain Direction: What to Lock and What to Let RotateGrain direction decides how a cabinet looks and how well a shelf carries weight, but locking every part to the grain can cost you a sheet. Here is how to decide part by part.
• How to Break Down a Full Sheet of PlywoodA full sheet is too big and heavy to handle safely on most table saws. Cutting it into manageable pieces first, in a planned order, is what makes accurate parts possible.
• Board Feet: How Lumber Volume Is Measured and PricedHardwood is priced by volume, not by the piece. Once you can work out board feet quickly, comparing prices and estimating a project becomes simple arithmetic.
• Plywood Sizes and Thicknesses: What You Actually GetA sheet sold as 3/4 inch is rarely 3/4 inch thick, and not every sheet is 4×8. Knowing the real numbers keeps dados snug and cut lists accurate.

Frequently asked questions

What is a cut list optimizer?

A cut list optimizer takes the parts you need (length, width and quantity) and the stock you can buy (sheets or boards) and works out a cutting layout that uses as few sheets as possible. It draws each sheet with the parts placed on it, reports the waste percentage and gives you a cutting order.

Does the optimizer account for saw kerf?

Yes. Enter your blade kerf (1/8 in or 3.2 mm for a typical full-kerf table saw blade) and every cut removes that much material. A part that ends exactly at the edge of a sheet does not need a cut, so it is not charged a kerf.

How does grain direction work?

Tick Grain on a part to lock its length along the grain of the sheet, which runs along the sheet length. Locked parts are never rotated. Parts without the tick, and every part on a sheet with Grain switched off (MDF, particleboard, melamine), may be turned 90° to fit better.

Can I cut these layouts on a table saw or track saw?

Yes. Every layout is made of guillotine cuts: each cut runs straight through the piece from one edge to the other, which is how table saws, track saws and panel saws work. The numbered cut sequence tells you which piece to cut and where.

Can I use millimeters?

Yes. Switch Units to Millimeters and all sizes, kerf and trim convert automatically. In inch mode you can type fractions such as 23 3/4, 23-3/4 or 3/4, decimals, or feet and inches like 8' 6".

Is my cut list uploaded anywhere?

No. The optimizer runs entirely in your browser. Your list is saved only in this browser, and the Copy link button stores the project inside the link itself, after the # sign, which browsers do not send to any server.

How do I import a cut list from a spreadsheet or SketchUp?

Save or export a CSV file with columns such as Label, Length, Width, Qty and Grain, then click Import CSV or drop the file onto the tool. Comma, semicolon and tab separated files work, and fractions are understood.

Is it really free?

Yes — no account, no watermark and no limit on parts or sheets. The site is supported by advertising.