What this cut list optimizer does
Cutting full sheets of MDF, plywood, chipboard or melamine by eye wastes material — and a full sheet is not cheap. This free cut list optimizer takes your sheet size, saw kerf and part list, then arranges every part using a guillotine packing algorithm so you get the fewest sheets and the least offcut. You see a colored cutting diagram for each sheet, the efficiency percentage, and how many sheets you need before you make a single cut.
How to use it
Set your sheet width and height (the default 2800 × 2100 mm is a common panel size), enter the saw kerf (blade thickness, usually 3–4 mm), then add each part with its width, height and quantity. Press Optimize cutting plan. Leave “Allow rotating parts” on unless your material has a grain or pattern direction that must stay vertical. The diagram updates instantly.
Guillotine cuts and kerf
The layout is built for real panel saws: parts are arranged in straight rows so every cut goes edge to edge (a guillotine cut). The kerf value is added between parts so the saw blade’s own thickness does not eat into your dimensions — forgetting kerf is the most common reason a “perfect” plan comes up a few millimetres short.
From plan to workshop
This browser tool is ideal for a quick estimate — how many sheets a job needs, or whether a design fits one board. For saving projects, reusing part lists and cutting on the shop floor, the free CutList app keeps everything on your phone and works offline.