--- title: "Sheet Cutting Calculator" description: "Optimize 2D cuts for plywood, MDF, glass and sheet metal — minimize waste, free." image: "https://nestingcalc.com/og-default.png" url: "https://nestingcalc.com/sheet-cutting-calculator/" locale: "en" --- # Sheet Cutting Calculator Optimize 2D cuts for plywood, MDF, glass and sheet metal — minimize waste, free. Enter your stock sheet size and the parts you need. The calculator nests parts onto sheets in guillotine-friendly rows, accounts for saw kerf and part rotation, and gives you per-sheet diagrams and a cut list. Interactive calculator (open in browser): [https://nestingcalc.com/sheet-cutting-calculator/](https://nestingcalc.com/sheet-cutting-calculator/) ## How the optimizer plans your cuts You enter the parts (width × height × quantity), the stock sheets available, and the rules — kerf, edge trim, part rotation. The engine then solves the two-dimensional cutting problem by testing layouts and keeping the one that wastes least, with rotation free or locked when grain direction or finish matters. The result is a cut plan per sheet, with sequence and labels, ready to take to the saw. Unlike a hand sketch, the plan is **reproducible**: the same list always returns the same layout — which lets you compare sheet suppliers and part mixes with numbers instead of guesses. The difference between guillotine cutting and free nesting is covered in [Guillotine vs Free Nesting: How Sheet Cutting Really Works](https://nestingcalc.com/guides/guillotine-vs-nesting/). ## Kerf, edge trim and the usable sheet No saw cuts without eating material: a circular blade's **kerf** runs 3–5 mm, and every sheet needs an edge trim cut of 10–20 mm per side to square up from the mill. A standard 2440 × 1220 mm sheet effectively yields about **2420 × 1200 mm** — roughly 2 % lost before the first real cut. Anyone who plans against the raw sheet size discovers the difference at the saw: a part that "fit" no longer fits after the trim. The calculator discounts kerf and trim in its settings; [What Is Kerf? Why Every Cut List Needs It](https://nestingcalc.com/guides/what-is-kerf/) explains how those millimetres accumulate across a large list. ## What waste percentage is normal An honest reference by cutting method — actual waste depends on the part mix, but these ranges repeat across cabinet shops: | Method | Typical waste | | --- | --- | | Manual layout (sketch) | 15–25 % | | Optimized guillotine | 8–15 % | | Nesting with rotation | 5–12 % | Few large parts push waste up; many small parts fill corners and pull it down. Compare your plan's figure with the table before buying the last sheet — the difference between 25 % and 10 % on a 20-sheet order is three full sheets. ## Worked example: a wardrobe in 18 mm MDF A 2400 × 2200 × 600 mm wardrobe in 18 mm MDF generates about 14.5 m² of parts (sides, back, shelves, doors). A 2440 × 1220 sheet holds 2.98 m² gross; after trim and kerf this calculator's plan yields ~82 % — **2.44 m² usable per sheet**. 14.5 ÷ 2.44 = 5.9 → **6 sheets**. A hand sketch on the same list typically demands 7–8: the difference is a full sheet per cabinet, which in batch production is the month's profit. Plan optimized? Cut now: print the per-sheet cut plan and bundle the parts with labels before leaving the saw. ## Offcuts worth keeping Every cut sheet leaves usable rectangles — the decision is which size still earns its storage. Practical cabinet-shop rule: offcuts above **300 × 300 mm** pay for the shelf space they take; below that, handling and bowing risk cost more than the new material they save. The calculator's offcut inventory records those rectangles and offers them as stock on the next project: drawer bottoms, dividers and small parts come out of offcuts instead of new sheets. Label each offcut with its size and face (laminates have a defined face) and keep the inventory current — the accumulated saving typically pays for one sheet in every ten consumed. ## From plan to saw Recommended flow: (1) list parts at final size plus machining allowance; (2) run the optimizer with your saw's real kerf; (3) check the sheet count against the budget; (4) print the per-sheet plan and cut in the suggested sequence — it groups identical cuts and reduces saw setups; (5) label the bundles. For bars and profiles the sibling tool does the same job in one dimension: the [Linear cutting calculator](https://nestingcalc.com/linear-cutting-calculator/). The glass variant follows the same rules with its own kerf and chip allowances: see the [Glass cutting calculator](https://nestingcalc.com/glass-cutting-calculator/). Guides [7 Ways to Reduce Cutting Waste in Your Workshop](https://nestingcalc.com/guides/reduce-cutting-waste/) and [Guillotine vs Free Nesting: How Sheet Cutting Really Works](https://nestingcalc.com/guides/guillotine-vs-nesting/) go deeper on waste reduction and choosing a method. ## FAQ How does the sheet cutting calculator work? It solves the two-dimensional nesting problem with a guillotine-style shelf heuristic: parts are sorted largest first and packed into full-width rows, so every cut goes across the sheet — exactly how panel saws and glass cutters work in practice. Which materials is it for? Any sheet goods: plywood, MDF, OSB, glass, acrylic, metal sheet, foam board. Enter the stock size you buy and the finished parts you need. What does 'Allow rotation' mean? Rotated parts are turned 90° for a better fit. Turn it off for materials with a grain or pattern direction (wood veneer, printed panels) where every part must keep its orientation. Can I stop parts from rotating to keep the grain direction? Yes. Untick "Grain / rotation lock" on a row and the part keeps a fixed orientation — essential for veneered panels, melamine and structural plywood. Locked parts are shown hatched in the layout diagram. Does it handle edge banding? Yes. Tick "Edge banding" on the parts that need it and the calculator sums the total banding length for the whole plan, so you can order the right amount of banding. Can I import a cut list from Excel or CSV? Yes. Paste columns straight from a spreadsheet (width, height, quantity, label) or import a CSV file. The parser understands decimal commas and "600x400" shorthand. ## Related calculators - [Linear Cutting Calculator](https://nestingcalc.com/linear-cutting-calculator/) Optimize cuts for bars, pipes and profiles — minimize waste, free. - [Glass Cutting Calculator](https://nestingcalc.com/glass-cutting-calculator/) Optimize glass cutting plans — fit more panes per sheet, less scrap, free. - [Sheet Metal Gauge Calculator](https://nestingcalc.com/sheet-metal-gauge/) Convert gauge to mm/inch and get sheet weight — steel, stainless, aluminum, galvanized. Free. - [Flooring Calculator — Laminate & Vinyl Plank](https://nestingcalc.com/flooring-calculator/) Planks, boxes and cost for laminate or vinyl floors — with offcut reuse between rows. Free. ## Related guides - [Guillotine vs Free Nesting: How Sheet Cutting Really Works](https://nestingcalc.com/guides/guillotine-vs-nesting/) Why every cut should cross the whole sheet — and when free nesting actually wins. - [What Is Kerf? Why Every Cut List Needs It](https://nestingcalc.com/guides/what-is-kerf/) The width of your blade quietly changes every measurement. Here is how to handle it correctly. - [7 Ways to Reduce Cutting Waste in Your Workshop](https://nestingcalc.com/guides/reduce-cutting-waste/) Offcuts add up fast. 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