Cut List Optimizer

A free cut list calculator for plywood, MDF and other panels. Enter your parts, get a cutting diagram you can follow at the saw. No sign-up, works on your phone, and your list stays on your device.

Units

Stock sheets (in)

Parts (in)

Length runs along the sheet's long side. Tick Grain to keep a part's length along the grain (it will not be turned 90°). Fractions like 23 5/8 work. On a computer, paste rows straight from a spreadsheet (name, length, width, qty) and move with Tab, Enter and the arrow keys.

Press Calculate to see the cutting layout.

Sheet

100%

Cutting boards, pipe or tube to length? Try the linear cut optimizer.

How to use the cut list optimizer

  1. Pick your units. Inches with fractions (rounded to 1/16" by default) or millimetres. You can switch at any time and every size is converted.
  2. Enter your stock sheets. A 4×8 sheet of plywood is 96 × 48 inches. Leave the quantity empty if you will simply buy as many as you need, or enter what you have on the rack. Add a price per sheet to see the total cost.
  3. List your parts. Type the finished length, width and quantity of each part. Give parts short names such as "Side" or "Shelf" so you can find them on the diagram.
  4. Set the blade kerf and edge trim. Kerf is the material your blade turns into sawdust. Trim cleans up factory edges, which are often dinged or slightly out of square.
  5. Press Calculate. A first layout appears almost at once and improves while the optimizer keeps searching. Then print it, save it as a PDF, or share the link.

Reading the cutting diagram

Each sheet is drawn to scale with its length running left to right, the same way the face grain runs on most plywood. Coloured blocks are your parts, labelled with their name and size; a ⟲ mark means the part was turned 90°. Hatched areas are offcuts and waste, and larger offcuts show their size so you can keep them for small jobs. Tap a sheet to open it full screen and zoom in.

Under each sheet, Cut steps lists every cut in order. A crosscut goes across the sheet's length and a rip runs along it. Each step tells you how far from the edge to cut and which piece you are cutting, so you can set your fence or track once per strip. Tick Cut numbers to see the same numbers on the drawing.

Tips for less waste

  • Only lock grain where it shows. Every locked part limits how pieces can be turned. Cabinet backs, drawer bottoms and inner partitions rarely need it.
  • Measure your real kerf. Entering 1/8" when your blade cuts 3/32" wastes a little on every cut; entering too little can leave the last part short.
  • Break big sheets down first. The first cuts in each list cross the whole sheet. Doing them first gives you pieces that are easier and safer to handle on a small saw.
  • Check real sheet sizes. Some "4×8" panels, MDF especially, are 97 × 49 inches, and metric boards are 2440 × 1220 mm (96 1/16 × 48 1/16"), and 3/4" plywood is often 23/32" thick. Measure what you bought.
  • Try another sheet size. Add a second stock size, such as 5×5 Baltic birch, with prices. The optimizer chooses the cheapest mix for you.

Same calculator, set up for your job

The tool is the same everywhere on the site. These pages just start with a different example and explain the details that matter for that kind of work:

Cutting studs, pipe or aluminium extrusion to length instead of sheets? That is a different problem, and the linear cut optimizer handles it: stock lengths in, fewest bars out.

If you are pricing a job, plywood prices for 2026 lists 4×8 prices for sheathing, sanded pine, birch, marine plywood, MDF and melamine, checked against retailer pages.

Why the layouts are cuttable

Many nesting tools pack rectangles as tightly as possible and leave you to work out how to get them apart. CutlistPal only produces layouts you can make with straight edge-to-edge cuts, with the blade width left between every pair of parts. Before a layout is shown, the page checks it again on its own: every part is present at the right size, nothing overlaps or runs off the sheet, grain-locked parts are not turned, and the sheet can be divided cut by cut. Layouts that fail the check are never shown.

The optimizer is PackingSolver, an open-source research solver for cutting and packing, compiled to run in your browser. It needs no server, so it stays fast when many people use the site at once.

Questions people ask

Is CutlistPal free, and do I need an account?

Yes, it is free and there is no sign-up. Open the page, type your parts and press Calculate. Your list is saved in your own browser so it is still there next time, and Share link gives you a link that reopens the same list.

Does my cut list get uploaded anywhere?

No. The optimizer runs inside your browser on your own device, so your sizes and part names are not sent to our server.

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

Yes. Every layout uses straight cuts that run from one edge of a piece to the opposite edge (guillotine cuts), which is how a table saw, track saw or panel saw works. The cut steps list them in order: first the cuts across the whole sheet, then the cuts on each strip.

What blade kerf should I enter?

Use the width of the slot your blade leaves. Most full-kerf table saw blades cut 1/8 inch (about 3 mm), thin-kerf blades about 3/32 inch (2.4 mm), and many track saw blades 1/16 to 3/32 inch. If you are not sure, measure a test cut with calipers or use 1/8 inch, which errs on the safe side.

What does the Grain box do?

Ticking Grain keeps the part's length running along the sheet's length, which is the direction of the face grain on most plywood. Use it for doors, drawer fronts and visible sides. Leave it unticked for hidden parts so the optimizer may turn them 90 degrees to save material.

Can I mix sheet sizes and include prices?

Yes. Add each size you can buy or already have, with a quantity (leave it empty for unlimited) and an optional price per sheet. When every size has a price, the optimizer looks for the cheapest set of sheets; otherwise it looks for the least wasted area.

Is the result the best possible layout?

Often, but not always. When CutlistPal can prove that no layout uses fewer sheets, the status line says so. Otherwise it shows the best layout found within the search time; choose 5 or 10 seconds for big jobs. Always check the measurements before you cut.

Does it work for MDF, melamine and other boards, not just plywood?

Yes. Any flat panel cut into rectangles works: MDF, melamine, particleboard, hardboard, acrylic. Leave Grain unticked on materials without a grain so parts can be turned to save stock.

Can I import a parts list from a spreadsheet or SketchUp?

Yes. Export your list as CSV with columns for length, width and quantity, plus optional name and grain columns, then use Import CSV. Fractions such as 23 5/8 are understood. Export CSV saves your current list in the same format.

Last reviewed 2026-11-04.