1525 × 1525 mm birch plywood cutting optimiser
1525 × 1525 mm is the traditional size of Baltic and Finnish birch plywood (the "5×5" in the US). Metric users can plan drawer boxes, jigs and cabinets directly in millimeters with the optimizer below.
Parts
| Label | Length mm | Width mm | Qty | Grain | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stock sheets
| Name | Length mm | Width mm | Qty | Grain | Price | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 sheets, 34.8% waste, 11 of 11 parts placed.
You need: 2 × 1525×1525 sheet (1525 mm × 1525 mm)
Cut sequence (10 cuts)
- Crosscut 764 mm from the 1525 mm × 1525 mm piece
- Rip 700 mm from the 764 mm × 1525 mm piece
- Rip 540 mm from the 764 mm × 822 mm piece
- Rip 150 mm from the 764 mm × 279 mm piece
- Crosscut 500 mm from the 764 mm × 150 mm piece
- Crosscut 720 mm from the 758 mm × 1525 mm piece
- Rip 560 mm from the 720 mm × 1525 mm piece
- Rip 560 mm from the 720 mm × 962 mm piece
- Rip 397 mm from the 720 mm × 399 mm piece
- Crosscut 715 mm from the 720 mm × 397 mm piece
Every cut goes straight through the piece. Distances are measured from the top or left edge of the piece as drawn; the kerf is on the waste side of each line.
Reusable offcuts (2)
- 764 mm × 126 mm
- 261 mm × 150 mm
Cut sequence (8 cuts)
- Crosscut 764 mm from the 1525 mm × 1525 mm piece
- Rip 540 mm from the 764 mm × 1525 mm piece
- Crosscut 715 mm from the 764 mm × 982 mm piece
- Rip 397 mm from the 715 mm × 982 mm piece
- Rip 500 mm from the 715 mm × 582 mm piece
- Crosscut 150 mm from the 715 mm × 500 mm piece
- Crosscut 150 mm from the 562 mm × 500 mm piece
- Crosscut 150 mm from the 409 mm × 500 mm piece
Every cut goes straight through the piece. Distances are measured from the top or left edge of the piece as drawn; the kerf is on the waste side of each line.
Reusable offcuts (2)
- 758 mm × 1525 mm
- 256 mm × 500 mm
1525 × 1525 mm sheet at a glance
| Size | 1525 × 1525 mm |
|---|---|
| Also written | 60 × 60 in (5×5 ft) |
| Area | 2.33 m² (25.0 sq ft) |
| Kerf used below | 3 mm |
Birch plywood thickness is named in millimeters and each thickness has a typical ply count: 4 mm (3 plies), 6 mm (5), 9 mm (7), 12 mm (9), 15 mm (11), 18 mm (13) and 24 mm (17). More, thinner plies make the board stiffer and the edges attractive enough to leave exposed.
Because the board is square, mark the face-grain direction on the sheet before cutting. Visible parts — drawer fronts, carcass sides, doors — should have Grain ticked in the parts list so they are not rotated.
A 1525 mm board yields five 300 mm strips with a 3 mm kerf, or three 500 mm strips, leaving little waste. Use the strip and parts tables below to choose part sizes that suit the board before you finalize a design.
How many strips fit on a 1525×1525 sheet?
Full-length rips across the 1525 mm width, with a 3 mm kerf.
| Strip width | Rips | Left over |
|---|---|---|
| 30 mm | 46 | 10 mm |
| 40 mm | 35 | 23 mm |
| 50 mm | 28 | 44 mm |
| 60 mm | 24 | 16 mm |
| 75 mm | 19 | 46 mm |
| 89 mm | 16 | 56 mm |
| 100 mm | 14 | 86 mm |
| 120 mm | 12 | 52 mm |
| 140 mm | 10 | 98 mm |
| 150 mm | 9 | 151 mm |
| 200 mm | 7 | 107 mm |
| 250 mm | 6 | 10 mm |
| 286 mm | 5 | 83 mm |
| 300 mm | 5 | 13 mm |
| 400 mm | 3 | 319 mm |
| 500 mm | 3 | 19 mm |
| 560 mm | 2 | 402 mm |
| 600 mm | 2 | 322 mm |
How many parts fit on one sheet?
Calculated with the optimizer for a single sheet, 3 mm kerf and straight through-cuts. "Grain locked" keeps the part length along the sheet length; "rotation allowed" applies to MDF, melamine and hidden parts.
| Part | Size | Grain locked | Rotation allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base cabinet side | 720 mm × 560 mm | 4 | 4 |
| Wall cabinet side | 720 mm × 300 mm | 10 | 10 |
| Shelf | 800 mm × 300 mm | 5 | 7 |
| Cabinet door | 715 mm × 397 mm | 6 | 7 |
| Drawer side | 500 mm × 150 mm | 27 | 27 |
| 600 × 600 panel | 600 mm × 600 mm | 4 | 4 |
| 300 × 300 square | 300 mm × 300 mm | 25 | 25 |
Typical uses
- Drawer boxes in 12 or 15 mm birch
- Jigs, router tables and sleds
- Speaker cabinets and flight cases
- CNC and laser cutting
Not sure how many sheets to buy? Get a quick estimate with the plywood calculator, then confirm it above. Read plywood sizes and thicknesses for the real dimensions of each panel.
FAQ
What are the dimensions of a 1525×1525 sheet?
1525 × 1525 mm (60 × 60 in (5×5 ft)), an area of 2.33 m² (25.0 sq ft).
How many 300 mm strips can I rip from a 1525×1525 sheet?
5 full-length strips with a 3 mm kerf. The last strip needs no cut, and the leftover is 13 mm.
How many base cabinet side fit on one 1525×1525 sheet?
4 with the grain locked, or 4 if the parts may rotate (720 mm × 560 mm parts, 3 mm kerf, straight through-cuts).
Which way does the grain run on a 1525×1525 sheet?
On a square sheet the face grain runs along one edge only — check the sheet and mark an arrow before cutting.