Plywood Cut List Optimization: How to Lay Out Parts for Maximum Efficiency

Creating a plywood cut list by hand is one of the most tedious parts of furniture making. Whether you're building a cabinet, bookshelf, or a full kitchen, the process is the same: you need to figure out how to arrange all your parts on standard plywood sheets to minimize waste and cost.

This tutorial walks through the complete process of plywood cut list optimization — from listing your parts to getting a ready-to-use PDF cut sheet for the workshop — using a real bookcase example.

The Example Project: A Simple Bookcase

We'll optimize a cut list for a basic bookcase with adjustable shelves. All parts are 18 mm birch plywood. Here's the full part list:

Part	Length (mm)	Width (mm)	Qty	Grain
Side panel	1800	300	2	Vertical
Top panel	800	300	1	Horizontal
Bottom panel	800	300	1	Horizontal
Fixed shelf	764	290	1	None
Adjustable shelf	764	285	3	None
Back panel (6mm ply)	1800	800	1	—

Stock: Standard 2440 × 1220 × 18 mm birch plywood sheets. We'll use 3 mm kerf and 5 mm stock trim.

Step 1: Enter Your Parts

Open CutPlan in your browser. In the Parts panel, click "Add Part" and enter each row from the table above. Key fields:

• Label — the part name (e.g., "Side panel")
• Length × Width — the finished dimensions after cutting
• Qty — how many identical pieces you need
• Grain — vertical, horizontal, or none (for parts that can rotate)

Step 2: Set Up Stock Sheets

In the Stock panel, add your plywood sheets:

• Length: 2440 mm
• Width: 1220 mm
• Quantity: 3 (we'll start with 3 and see if we need more)
• Grain: horizontal (most plywood has grain running along the length)

If you have offcuts from previous jobs that might work for the back panel (6 mm ply), add those as a separate stock item with a different material.

Step 3: Configure Settings

In the Options panel:

• Kerf: 3 mm (circular saw or table saw)
• Stock trim: 5 mm (clean edge cut on all sides)
• Units: mm
• Grain matching: enabled (parts respect their grain setting)

Step 4: Calculate and Review

Click "Calculate" or press Ctrl+Enter. The optimizer runs 15 strategies in 1–3 seconds and displays the best result.

For our bookcase, the optimizer typically achieves:

• All 9 parts placed on 2 sheets of 18 mm birch plywood
• Waste: approximately 8–12%
• The side panels placed vertically to match grain direction
• Shelves placed with free rotation for maximum efficiency

Review the color-coded layout. Each part is labeled with its name and cut dimensions. Hover over a part to see its exact position and dimensions highlighted.

Step 5: Check the Cut Steps

Enable Cut Steps in the results toolbar. The optimizer generates a numbered, step-by-step sequence of guillotine cuts to isolate each part. This is especially useful for panel saws and sliding table saws where you cut edge-to-edge.

The cut sequence is displayed both as an overlay on the sheet diagram and as a numbered list below. Hovering over a step animates the cut line so you can see exactly where to make each cut.

Step 6: Handle Edge Banding

If your bookcase parts have edge banding, you can configure it in CutPlan. For each part, specify which edges get banding (top, bottom, left, right). The optimizer:

• Adds the edge banding thickness to the cut dimensions automatically
• Shows banding as colored lines on the part in the layout
• Includes banding lengths in the PDF report

For our bookcase, the visible edges of shelves typically get one strip of 18 mm edge banding on the front face.

Step 7: Export the PDF Cut Sheet

Once you're happy with the layout, click "Export PDF" to generate a professional cut sheet. The PDF includes:

• Full-scale (or scaled) sheet diagrams with dimensions
• Cut step sequence for each sheet
• Part list with cut dimensions, quantities, and materials
• Waste percentage and material usage summary

Print the PDF and bring it to the workshop. The cut steps panel tells you exactly what order to make your cuts for each sheet.

Understanding the Results: Waste %

The waste percentage shown is the proportion of sheet area that isn't used for any part. Here's a rough guide to what's achievable:

Waste %	Assessment	Typical cause
0–8%	Excellent	Parts nest very well, rotation allowed
8–15%	Good	Typical for furniture with grain constraints
15–25%	Acceptable	Awkward part sizes, strict grain matching
25%+	Review	Consider different sheet sizes or part dimensions

If your waste is above 25%, try adding a second stock sheet size (e.g., a half-sheet 1220 × 610 mm) to catch the leftovers more efficiently.

Key Takeaways

• Enter finished dimensions, not cut dimensions — the optimizer handles kerf and trim
• Use grain direction settings only where truly needed to maximize optimizer flexibility
• Review the cut steps — they tell you the optimal cutting sequence for panel saw workflow
• Edge banding thickness is automatically added to cut dimensions
• Export a PDF cut sheet for the workshop
• If waste exceeds 25%, try adding a half-sheet stock option