Cut List Calculator

A cut list calculator that also tells you how many boards to buy

A cut list is the list of every piece you need to cut for a project: name, length, width and how many. A cut list calculator takes that list and answers the questions that come next. How many sheets do I buy? How much of each sheet will be used? Where does each piece go? This one answers all three on one page, and it does it without an account.

The inputs are the sheet size, the saw kerf and your list of parts. The outputs are a sheet count, a yield percentage, the area left over, a diagram of every sheet and a numbered order of cuts. If you only need the quantity to put on a shopping list, read the summary. If you are about to cut, use the diagram and the order as well.

How to write a cut list that a calculator can use

1. Start from the finished project. Draw the piece or use your plans, then list every rectangular part once: sides, tops, bottoms, shelves, backs, doors, drawer parts.
2. Use final sizes. The calculator needs the size of the part after cutting. If a part gets edge banding or a trim strip later, include that in the size before you type it in.
3. Group identical parts. Two sides of the same size are one row with quantity 2. This keeps the table short and avoids typing mistakes.
4. Name the parts. Names such as "Side" or "Shelf" show up on the diagram and in the printed list, which makes it easier to match each cut piece to its place in the build.
5. Mark grain-sensitive parts. Turn off the rotate switch for parts whose pattern has to run in one direction.

Sizes can be in inches or millimeters. In inches, mixed numbers and fractions are accepted exactly as you would write them on paper: 30 3/8, 1/2 and 30.375 all work.

How the calculator works out the number of sheets

Every part has an area, and every sheet has an area, so the first rough estimate is simple: add the part areas and divide by the sheet area. That estimate is always too low, because it assumes you can pack rectangles with no gaps and no saw blade. Real layouts have offcuts and kerf.

The calculator therefore tries to place the parts on sheets one at a time. It sorts the parts in a few different ways, places them in a few different ways, and splits the remaining space in a few different ways. Each combination gives a complete layout. The tool then compares them using three tests in order: fewest sheets first, then the highest percentage of material used, then the fewest cuts. The first layout that wins on that order is the one shown.

What yield means

Yield, or material efficiency, is the area of the parts divided by the area of the sheets used. If the parts add up to three quarters of the sheet area, the yield is seventy-five percent and the rest is waste: offcuts and the material removed by the blade. A higher yield means less to throw away or store. It does not automatically mean an easier job, which is why the cut order is shown too.

From the cut list to cuts at the saw

A diagram can look fine and still be a nuisance to cut. For that reason the calculator writes the cuts as a numbered list for each sheet. Long rip cuts come first, then the cross cuts, and cuts that use the same fence distance are placed next to each other. A line looks like 3. Cross cut at 18" (fence 18"). The goal is to reduce the number of times you reset the fence, which also reduces the chance of a measuring slip.

Use the list the way you would use a recipe. Tick each step as you do it, and check each piece against the diagram label. If something goes wrong with a piece, such as a chipped edge or a miscut, you can see which parts remain on that sheet and where the leftover area is.

What a cut list calculator cannot check

• The answer is not guaranteed to be optimal. The tool uses edge-to-edge cuts and a handful of strategies. A different cutting pattern may need one fewer sheet.
• It does not see the material. For solid wood, only you can look at knots, cracks, color and figure and decide which part goes where. The calculator works with rectangles, not boards.
• It does not know your project. A part list with a mistake in it gives a perfect layout of the wrong parts. Check names, sizes and quantities.
• It cannot see waste you want to keep. A strip that looks like scrap in the diagram may be exactly the size you need for a later project.
• It does not replace measuring your stock. Sheets and boards vary. Measure before you cut.

Cut list calculator versus a spreadsheet or a paper plan

A spreadsheet can add up areas and give you the rough estimate described above. It cannot tell you whether the pieces actually fit, because fitting depends on the shape of each rectangle and where the cuts fall. A paper plan can fit them, but you have to redraw it each time a measurement changes. This calculator gives you the fit, the diagram, the sheet count and the cut order from the same list, and updates them when you edit a row.

Larger desktop programs add features such as stock inventory, pricing and mixed material. They also take time to set up. This page is intentionally smaller: it is for turning a list of parts into a plan quickly, from any device.

Saving and reusing your list

Your last inputs are kept in your browser, so a refresh or a closed tab does not lose the list. You can also save up to three named projects, stored locally on your device. Nothing is sent to a server, which also means the saved projects do not follow you to another phone or computer. If you copy the list as text you can paste it into a note and keep it wherever you like.

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