Free cutlist optimizer
A free cutlist optimizer. Enter a few parts and see the cut plan in seconds. Save, print, and export after you create a free account.
Parts and sheet
Standard 2440 × 1220 mm sheet. Change the sizes and optimize.
Start from a template
Paste from a spreadsheet to add parts.
Cut plan
Run optimize to see the layout.
How to use the cutlist optimizer
Four steps from a parts list to a cut plan you can take to the saw.
- 1
Choose the sheet
Pick a standard board size or type the width and length of your own. Add a price per sheet to see what the job costs in material.
- 2
Add the parts
Enter the width, length, and quantity of each part, or paste rows straight from Excel or Google Sheets. A template fills in a typical cabinet or shelf in one click.
- 3
Set the blade and the trim
Kerf is the width the blade removes on every cut. Trim is the strip cut off each sheet edge to get a clean, square start. Both go into the layout, so the plan matches what comes off the saw.
- 4
Read the plan
Each sheet shows where every part sits, how much of the board is used, and what is left over. The plan updates as you edit, so you can try a different sheet or setting and compare.
Settings that change the plan
Most surprises at the saw come from one of these. Each links to a guide with worked examples.
Kerf and trim
A 3 mm blade on a sheet with twenty cuts removes about 60 mm of material. Leave kerf at zero and parts that fit on paper come out short. Measure your blade and enter it once.
Read the guide: Saw kerf and sheet trimGrain direction
Turn rotation off when the grain must run the same way on every part, such as veneered doors or a row of drawer fronts. The optimizer then keeps each part as entered, which can cost an extra sheet, and you see that before you cut.
Read the guide: Grain direction on a cut listSaw layouts and CNC nesting
This page plans saw-cuttable layouts: every cut runs straight across the piece, as on a table saw, track saw, or panel saw. With a free account you can also nest freely for a CNC router, which often saves material on mixed part sizes.
Read the guide: CNC nesting vs panel saw layoutsBars, pipes, and profiles
Switch to linear cutting to cut lengths from stock bars, such as timber, aluminium profiles, or steel tube. Kerf applies between pieces and trim comes off both ends.
Read the guide: Bar and profile cuttingMore cut list guides
- How many sheets of plywood do I need?Three 600 mm base cabinets are 2.62 sheets of area, so the quick estimate says 3. The layout needs 4 sheets. Why the estimate is low, and how to check before you buy.
- How to reduce waste on sheet goodsFive levers measured on the same job: trim, rotation, sheet size, cutting jobs together and keeping offcuts. Three base cabinets start at 4 sheets and 34.5% waste.
- Kitchen cabinet cut listOne 600 mm base cabinet in 18 mm board: 7 parts on 1 sheet of 2440 × 1220 mm at 12.6% waste. How the sizes are derived, and what changes when you build three.
- Cut list from Excel or CSVImport a cut list from Excel, CSV or TSV instead of retyping it. The columns CutGrid reads, the optional ones, and the mistakes that make an import fail.
- Saving and reusing offcutsA sheet leftover is offered for the stock library when both sides are at least 200 mm. Ten 1600 mm cuts need 4 bars of 6000 mm, or an 1800 mm remnant plus 3 bars.
- Inch fractions on a cut listA 96 × 48 in sheet, 1/8 in kerf, four doors at 23 3/4 × 30 1/2 in and four shelves at 22 1/2 × 11 1/4 in: 1 sheet at 15.1% waste. What you can type and how CutGrid rounds.
Questions about the cutlist optimizer
- Is this cutlist optimizer free?
- Yes. You can build and optimize a cut plan on this page without an account or a card. A free account saves projects and exports a PDF with a small watermark. Paid plans raise the part limits and add Excel export, QR labels, and DXF.
- What are the limits on this page?
- Up to 8 different part sizes and 20 parts per plan. A free account allows 25 parts per project, and paid plans go up to 2000.
- Can I enter sizes in inches?
- Yes. Switch the units to inches and type decimals or fractions such as 23 5/8. Kerf and trim use the same unit.
- Why does the plan need more sheets than the total area suggests?
- Parts rarely fill a sheet exactly. The blade takes kerf on every cut, trim comes off the edges, and a saw can only make straight through-cuts, so some offcuts end up too small for another part. Dividing the area tells you the minimum; the layout tells you what you will actually buy.
- Is my parts list saved?
- Not on this page. The list stays in your browser tab until you close it. Create a free account to save projects, reuse parts, and keep track of leftover offcuts.