Plywood Cutout Calculator

Optimize plywood cuts with smart nesting, kerf, and grain control settings. Add parts quickly, choose sheet sizes, margins, and rotation options for efficiency. Generate layouts, track waste, export CSV, and create printable PDFs for sharing. Build smarter projects with accurate, fast, repeatable cutting plans.

Inputs

mm
mm
mm
mm
Kerf is the saw blade thickness; margin is the no-cut border around the sheet.

Parts list

Part Qty Width Height No-rotate

Layouts

Summary

Sheets used
Waste
Placed: 0 Unplaced: 0

Formulas used

  • Sheet Area = SheetWidth × SheetHeight
  • Piece Area = Width × Height
  • Total Pieces Area = Σ Piece Area × Quantity
  • Waste % = (1 − TotalPiecesArea ÷ (Sheets × SheetArea)) × 100
  • Kerf is applied as spacing between adjacent cuts and shelf rows.

Placement uses a shelf heuristic: parts fill rows across, starting new shelves when needed; new sheets are created when height is exceeded.

How to use

  1. Choose units, sheet size, kerf, and edge margin.
  2. Add parts with quantities and dimensions; tick no-rotate to lock grain.
  3. Click Calculate layout to generate sheet maps.
  4. Review waste and part placement; tweak inputs if needed.
  5. Export CSV for cut lists or PDF for printing.

Plywood sheet size reference

Click Apply to fill Sheet width and Sheet height. Values honor your current unit selection.

Nominal (in) Metric (mm) Typical thicknesses (mm) Notes Preset
4×81220×24406, 9, 12, 15, 18Most common cabinet & construction size
5×51525×15256, 9, 12, 18Baltic birch and specialty panels
4×101220×305012, 15, 18Extended length for tall panels
5×101525×305012, 15, 18Large formats; fewer seams
3×7915×21356, 9, 12Smaller sheets; easier handling

Kerf and margin quick guide

Click Apply to set Kerf width and Edge margin.

Tool / bit Typical kerf (mm) Recommended margin (mm) Use case Preset
Thin-kerf circular saw1.6–2.28–12Cabinet parts, sheet breakdown
Standard table saw blade2.8–3.210–15General carpentry, cabinetry
Heavy-duty rip blade3.2–3.612–18Thicker hardwood plywood
Router/CNC end mill3.0–6.08–12Pattern cutting, nested CNC

Example data

These values also load when you click Load example.

PartQtyWHLock
Side panel2600800No
Shelf4600300No
Back panel11220600Yes

FAQs

It will be flagged as unplaced. Reduce the part size or choose a larger sheet.

Kerf is added as spacing between neighboring pieces and between shelves to approximate saw blade thickness.
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Yes. Tick No-rotate for any part to keep orientation fixed.
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No. It uses a fast shelf heuristic that is usually efficient but not always mathematically optimal.
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Yes. Each sheet is rendered on its own page, followed by a summary cut list table.
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Important Note: All the Calculators listed in this site are for educational purpose only and we do not guarentee the accuracy of results. Please do consult with other sources as well.

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