Woodworking & Sheet Goods Tools
Plywood Sheet Optimization and Cut List Calculator turns a parts list into a cut plan: deterministic nesting, per-sheet placements, sheet count, waste rate, and a cabinet cut list with edge banding. The live app keeps the tool first: enter details, generate a result, then copy, download, or share the output.
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Type one part per line using width × length × quantity, for example 720 x 560 x 2 Base side. Set the sheet size, blade kerf and edge trim, then choose whether grain must stay locked to the sheet length. The optimizer sorts every part instance by length and width, fills shelves row by row, and reports the sheets it needs. Identical input always produces identical output, so two people cutting from the same plan get the same layout. Every sheet is drawn as a cutting diagram with each part placed at an exact X and Y offset, and each placement lists whether it was rotated.
Kerf is the material a blade removes on each cut; a typical panel saw blade is 3.2 mm. The optimizer adds kerf between neighbouring parts on a shelf and between shelves, so the plan never asks for two parts to share a cut line. Edge trim removes a damaged or square-up strip from all four sheet edges before nesting starts. Grain lock keeps parts marked grain:length aligned with the sheet length, which matters for visible plywood faces, veneered panels and cabinet doors. Turning grain lock off usually reduces sheet count, but only do it when the finished face does not need a continuous grain direction.
Each sheet card shows the sheet index, its dimensions, utilization and waste, then a scaled diagram. Placements are ordered top to bottom and left to right so the diagram matches the cut sequence on a panel saw. A rotated badge means the part was turned 90 degrees to fit the shelf. If a part is larger than the usable sheet area it is listed as unplaced with the reason instead of being dropped silently, so you can split the part or switch to a larger sheet such as 2745 × 1220 or 3050 × 1220.
The cut list groups identical parts and reports quantity, finished width and length, grain direction, edge banding mode and banding length. Front edge bands one long edge, two long edges bands both, and all edges bands the full perimeter. Banding totals are converted to metres so you can buy the right roll. The cut list exports as CSV for a spreadsheet or as a plain-text plan for the shop, and the cutting diagram exports as SVG for printing at the bench.
Waste rate is the share of purchased sheet area that is not part area: (sheet area − placed part area) ÷ sheet area. A single sheet plan often shows 20 to 35 percent waste on cabinet work, and that is normal because offcuts stay usable for shelves, rails and drawer parts. Compare sheet sizes and kerf values before ordering: a larger sheet can cut sheet count while raising the waste percentage, and a smaller kerf can free enough width for one more part per shelf. Keep the plan, the cut list and the waste figure together when you price a job.
Save a plan to keep the parts list and sheet settings for a cabinet run, then add notes such as blade kerf changes or grain requirements. Saved plans and notes are stored through the product's Axle data adapter: in the browser they persist in local storage, and the same adapter can point at the Axle backend by setting a base URL. The calculator itself runs entirely in the browser with no upload, so part dimensions and cut plans stay on your machine.
It calculates a deterministic nesting layout from your parts list, sheet dimensions, kerf and trim: per-sheet placements, sheet count, utilization, waste rate, and a cabinet cut list with edge banding totals.
Use one line per part: width x length x quantity, then an optional label. Add grain:length when the part must follow the sheet grain and edge:front, edge:long or edge:all for banding. For example: 720 x 560 x 2 Base side | grain:length | edge:front.
Measure the blade. A typical panel saw or table saw kerf is about 3.2 mm, thin-kerf blades are around 2.2 mm, and a CNC router bit is usually 6 mm. If your cuts come out undersized, raise the kerf slightly rather than editing every part.
Waste includes offcuts, trim and any area the shelf layout cannot use. Long narrow parts, grain lock and a large kerf all reduce packing. Try a larger sheet, allow rotation where the face does not need continuous grain, or split oversized parts.
Yes. With grain lock on, parts marked grain:length are never rotated away from the sheet length. Turn grain lock off for painted MDF or parts where the grain direction does not matter.
Yes. Copy the plan as text, download the cut list as CSV, or download the cutting diagram as an SVG for printing. All exports are generated in the browser from the same deterministic result.
No. The optimizer runs in the browser. Saved plans and notes persist locally through the data adapter and only reach the Axle backend if you configure a backend base URL.