Guide · 6 min read · By the CraftCut team · Updated April 22, 2026

The plywood cut list optimizer guide: cut waste by 30%

Plywood is expensive. A single sheet of cabinet-grade hardwood ply runs $80–$150. Yet most makers waste 20–40% of every sheet because they lay out cuts by eye. A good cut list optimizer fixes that — here's how it works and how to use one.

Why manual layouts waste material

When you sketch panel placements on graph paper, you're solving a 2D bin-packing problem in your head. Even experienced makers leave 15–25% of every sheet on the floor as offcuts that are too small to use. On a multi-sheet project, that's real money.

The math is hard because:

• Order matters. Placing a large panel first leaves awkward gaps.
• Rotations matter. Many panels can be rotated 90°, doubling the placement options.
• Kerf adds up. Each cut consumes 3–4mm of material; ignore it and dimensions drift.
• Grain direction limits choices. Visible panels need their grain aligned.

How a cut list optimizer works

An optimizer treats your project as a 2D bin-packing problem and runs multiple algorithms to find the layout with the least waste. Here are the strategies most optimizers (including CraftCut) use:

1. First-Fit Decreasing (FFD)

Sort panels by size (largest first), then place each one in the first sheet where it fits. Simple and fast — often within 5% of optimal.

2. Best-Fit Decreasing (BFD)

Like FFD, but for each panel choose the sheet with the smallest remaining gap that still fits. Slightly slower, slightly better packing.

3. Guillotine cutting

Restricts cuts to full-width or full-length passes (which is how most table saws and panel saws actually work). Practical for real workshops, even if pure math says other layouts are tighter.

4. Bottom-Left Fill

Places each panel in the bottom-leftmost position where it fits. Produces visually clean layouts and works well for mostly-rectangular projects like cabinets.

A good optimizer runs all of these and picks the winner.

What to look for in an optimizer

Kerf compensation

Every saw cut removes material. If your blade is 3mm wide and you ignore that, your panels will be 3mm too small. Look for an optimizer that lets you set kerf width per project.

Multiple sheet sizes

Sometimes you have one full sheet and an offcut left from another project. A good optimizer lets you mix sheet sizes and uses your offcut first.

Grain direction

For visible panels (table tops, drawer fronts), grain should run a specific direction. The optimizer must respect that constraint and only rotate panels that don't have a grain requirement.

Edge banding

If you're banding visible edges, the optimizer should add the band thickness to the panel dimensions before cutting (otherwise your finished panel will be undersized).

Visual output

A spreadsheet of cut dimensions is useless at the saw. You need a printable diagram showing each sheet with the panels laid out, labeled, and dimensioned.

Manual vs optimized: a real comparison

Take a typical bookshelf project: 14 panels, mix of 600×800mm and 250×800mm pieces, made from 2440×1220mm plywood.

Net savings: $90 on a single project — and that's just one sheet of waste avoided. On a multi-project shop, the savings compound quickly.

How to use CraftCut's optimizer

1. Open app.craftcut.io — no signup, no install. Loads in seconds.
2. Set your sheet size. The setup wizard prompts you for dimensions, kerf width, and material type.
3. Add your panels. Either enter dimensions directly, or design furniture visually on the canvas and CraftCut extracts the panels.
4. View the optimized cut plan. CraftCut shows the layout, sheet count, and waste percentage. Try different optimization strategies and compare.
5. Print or export. Save as PDF for the workshop, CSV for tracking, or DXF for CNC.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Forgetting kerf. Always set your saw blade width before optimizing.
• Not accounting for grain. Mark grain-sensitive panels so the optimizer doesn't rotate them.
• Skipping edge banding. If you'll add 0.5mm banding, your panels need to be 1mm smaller in each banded dimension.
• Trusting a single algorithm. The "best" strategy depends on the project — always run multiple and compare.
• Cutting before printing the diagram. The optimizer's logic only works if you actually follow the cut order it produces.