Cut list calculator for boards, with saw kerf
List the part lengths you need and the length of the boards you can buy. It packs the parts onto as few boards as it can, counts the saw kerf, and draws each board.
Before I buy wood for a project I want to know how many boards to carry home. This does the lengths only: one dimension, like boards and slats, not plywood sheets.
Everything is calculated in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent.
How it works
Fitting parts onto boards is the one-dimensional cutting stock problem.1 Finding the perfect answer can take a long time, so this uses two quick rules from bin packing and keeps the better result: first-fit decreasing and best-fit decreasing. Both sort the parts from longest to shortest, then place each one on a board where it fits.2
Each cut eats the width of the blade, the kerf. The calculator adds one kerf between parts and one before the offcut. Measure your blade or check its packaging; it is not the same for every saw.
It can be off by a board on some lists, because the rules are fast, not perfect. It also does not know about knots, cracks or grain direction. Buy a little extra.
Common questions
Does it work for plywood sheets?
No. Sheets are a two-dimensional problem. This only handles lengths on boards of one width.
What kerf should I use?
The width of your blade's teeth, measured or from the blade's packaging. Typing zero gives an answer you cannot cut.