Plywood Cutting Calculator
Optimise plywood and panel sheet layouts with kerf, grain lock, edge banding and offcut reuse - the same engine as our sheet cutting calculator, preset for 2440 × 1220 mm panels.
Plywood usually comes in 2440 × 1220 mm (8' × 4') sheets, and every millimetre of a cut plan matters because the offcut is only reusable if you can still cut it square. This calculator nests your parts onto panel sheets with a guillotine/shelf algorithm: it respects saw kerf, can lock parts against rotation to keep the face veneer grain running one way, totals the edge banding you need, prices the sheets, and hands you printable cut sheets plus leftover panels for the next job.
FAQ
What are standard plywood sheet sizes?
2440 × 1220 mm (8' × 4') dominates worldwide; 2500 × 1250 mm and 1525 × 1525 mm (5' × 5', birch) are also common. Set the stock size in the calculator to match your supplier.
How much kerf should I allow when cutting plywood?
Measure your blade: circular saw blades typically remove 2.5-3.2 mm, thin-kerf blades around 2 mm. The calculator subtracts kerf from every cut, so a wrong value shifts every part.
Why lock part rotation?
Plywood has a face veneer grain. Cabinet doors, shelves and visible surfaces look wrong when the grain runs sideways, so lock rotation for those parts and let the optimiser rotate only hidden parts.
How do I reuse plywood offcuts?
Save usable leftovers in the offcut inventory (minimum size is up to you - many shops keep anything over 300 × 300 mm); the optimiser places parts on offcuts before opening a new sheet.