Cut list and sheet material guides
Short, practical answers to the questions that decide whether a sheet layout works at the saw. Each guide explains the rule, the common mistake and the setting to use in the optimiser.
Sheet sizes
Standard UK sheet sizes in millimetres and feet: 8x4 (2440 × 1220), 10x5, 10x4, 9x5 and Egger MFC at 2800 × 2070, with how to choose a size for a cut list.
How many sheets
Why dividing part area by sheet area under-counts boards, a worked bookcase example, and how kerf, trim, grain and sheet size change the number.
Edge banding
Work out edge banding from a cut list: which sides to band, 0.8, 1 or 2 mm tape, metres per material, rolls to order and the allowance to add.
mm to feet
1220 mm is 4 ft 0.03 in and 2440 mm is 8 ft 0.06 in. Convert every standard sheet dimension between millimetres, feet and inches.
Create a cut list
Write a cut list for MDF, plywood or MFC: finished sizes, part names, quantities, materials, grain and edging, then check it against the layout.
Saw kerf
What saw kerf is, how to measure it, how it differs from trim and CNC part spacing, and how a few millimetres change a sheet layout.
Grain direction
How grain direction works in a cut list: which materials need it, why length follows the grain, and why locking it can add a sheet.
CSV template
Download a free cut list CSV template. Columns for part ID, material, length, width, quantity, grain and edging, with examples and import checks.