FREE WORKSHOP TOOL · NO ACCOUNT NEEDED
Know how many boards to buy.
Free timber cut-list calculator. Enter your part lengths and quantities in mm or inches. Get a suggested board-by-board cutting plan, including blade kerf and end allowances.
1. Enter your cut list
Runs in your browser. No sign-up, payment or measurement upload.
2. Your suggested cutting plan
The example will calculate when this page loads.
Need the design too? Explore the six project builders →
Coloured segments = parts · dark gaps = blade/end allowance · hatched grey = offcut
This is a fast first-fit decreasing arrangement, not a guaranteed minimum. It handles straight timber lengths in one dimension. It does not plan plywood panels, design joints or verify a structure.
Part list in both units
| Part | Qty | mm | inches |
|---|
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How to plan timber cuts before buying stock
Watch the 32-second calculator demo · Get the free PDF worksheet and example CSV · Compare worked kerf examples
- Measure the parts. Start with verified finished lengths and quantities. Group only pieces with the same actual section and material.
- Check the stock. Enter the measured usable board length. A 2400 mm board is approximately 94.488 inches; an exact 8 ft board is 2438.4 mm. They are different lengths.
- Allow for the saw. Enter the actual blade kerf and an allowance at both ends for cleanup. This calculator also deducts the final separation cut from an offcut where needed.
- Check, mark and cut. Inspect knots, defects, grain and required clearances; reject unsuitable stock. Measure and mark each part before cutting. A calculated layout does not validate the build design.
A worked 2400 mm example
Four 900 mm pieces, two 600 mm pieces and four 300 mm pieces total 6000 mm of finished timber. With 3 mm blade kerf and a 5 mm allowance at each end, the suggested layout uses three 2400 mm boards. Its remaining offcuts total 1140 mm. Blade/end allowances use another 60 mm. The example is a calculation, not a measured construction result.
What is saw kerf?
Kerf is the material removed by the blade. Two 1200 mm parts will not fit into one 2400 mm board when a positive kerf is needed between them. Use your blade's actual cutting width; a typical example value is not a universal specification.
Questions before cutting
Does it guarantee the fewest boards or zero waste?
No. It sorts long pieces first and places them into the first board that has room. Another arrangement may use fewer boards. Defects, grain direction, joints and practical cutting methods need separate judgment.
Can I calculate 2x4, CLS, battens or metal lengths?
The arithmetic works with a single stock length and one section at a time. Confirm actual dimensions, appropriate tools, material behavior and safe work methods yourself. Nominal 2x4 and actual 38×89 mm are different descriptions; this tool does not check section strength.
Does it optimize plywood or MDF sheets?
No. A sheet needs a two-dimensional layout with width, length and grain constraints. This tool only allocates straight lengths along boards.
What if a part is longer than the stock board?
The calculator asks for longer stock or a revised part. It does not silently shorten the piece or prescribe a splice.
Are my measurements stored?
Calculation stays in the browser. Copy plan link creates a link fragment containing your selected dimensions; anyone you give that link can read them. CSV and printing are optional actions. No account or email is required.