FreeFree Cut List Optimizer
Enter your parts and the size of your sheets: the optimizer lays them out on as few sheets as possible, with the saw kerf, grain direction and the order of cuts. Free, no sign-up, and it runs in your browser.
Sheet
Parts 9 pieces
| # | Name | Length | Width | Qty | Grain | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | ||||||
| A2 | ||||||
| A3 | ||||||
| A4 |
- Sheets
- 2
- Waste
- 35.6%
- Cuts
- 16 · 14.4 m
- Set your sheet size and saw kerf.
- Type or paste your parts: name, length, width, quantity.
- Read the layout, the waste and the cut sequence, then print it for the shop.
What the cut list optimizer does
A cut list optimizer places rectangular parts on sheets of MDF, plywood or melamine so you buy fewer sheets and waste less. It respects the saw kerf (the width of material the blade removes), keeps parts with grain running along the sheet, and only uses guillotine cuts, so every layout can be cut on a table saw, track saw or panel saw.
Choose “Least waste” for the tightest layout or “Strips first” if you rip full-length strips on a table saw before cross-cutting.
Cut sheet calculator, cutting layout or cut list generator?
People call it many names: a cut planner, a cut sheet calculator, a sheet or panel optimizer, a cutting list calculator or a cut list generator. They all do the same job: turn a woodworking cut list into a cutting layout, a cutting diagram of each sheet with every part placed and numbered. This one is free cut list optimization software that runs in the browser, so there is nothing to install.
It works for any board cut from wood sheets, plywood, MDF or melamine, and you can take the printed sheet layout to your own saw or to the panel cutter at the lumber yard.
From furniture to cut list
Most of the time you do not start from a list of parts but from a piece of furniture. Our resizable furniture plans calculate every part for you: pick a cabinet, a wardrobe or a bookshelf, type its size and get the cut list and the sheet layout in one go.
Start from a furniture plan instead
All plans →Do not want to work out every part? Pick a design, type its size and get the cut list.
Frequently asked questions
Is the cut list optimizer free?
Yes. Calculating and printing a layout is free and needs no account.
What is kerf and what value should I use?
Kerf is the width of the saw cut. Most circular and table saw blades remove 2.5 to 3.5 mm (about 1/8 in); panel saws around 4 mm.
Does it work in inches?
Yes. Switch to inches and type fractions such as 23 5/8.
Can I keep the grain direction?
Yes. Mark a part as “grain” and it will never be turned across the sheet.
Learn more
How Many Sheets of Plywood Do I Need?Work out how many sheets of plywood or MDF a project needs: square feet in a 4x8 sheet, the area method, why real layouts need more, and sheets per bundle.What Is a Cut List and How to Make OneA cut list is the list of every part to cut, with sizes, quantities, material, grain and edges. Learn how to make a cut list for furniture and turn it into a layout.What Is Kerf?Kerf is the width of material a saw blade removes. Learn typical kerf sizes for circular, table and panel saws, and how kerf changes your cut list and parts.