Cutting MDF: planning a cut list

Most MDF is sold at 2440 × 1220 mm (8x4). Longer 3050 × 1220 mm sheets and larger formats such as 2800 × 2070 mm exist for some products. Common thicknesses run from thin panels such as 6 mm up to 25 mm and more, with 18 mm the usual choice for carcasses and shelves. Check what your supplier stocks in the grade you need before planning.

Each thickness is a separate board in the cut list: 18 mm shelves and 6 mm backs never come from the same sheet.

Plain MDF has no visible direction, so leave Grain direction off. The optimiser can then turn any part through 90° to fill space, which often makes the layout tighter. The exception is veneered MDF: the veneer has real grain, so lock it — see grain direction.

• Standard MDF for dry interior furniture.
• Moisture-resistant (MR) MDF, often green-cored, for kitchens and bathrooms. It is a different product, so give it its own board in the cut list.
• Veneered and lacquered MDF, where the face decides the direction and the edges usually need matching veneer or banding.

MDF cuts cleanly, and a standard 4.5 mm kerf is a sound starting point; measure your own blade — see saw kerf. Cutting and routing MDF makes very fine dust, so use extraction and appropriate protection.

Cut MDF edges are smooth enough to paint but absorb paint more than faces; they are usually sealed first. If you band them instead, mark the banded sides on each part and the result will total the tape — see edge banding.

Nominal and actual thickness can differ slightly. If a groove, a through-hole or a machine file depends on it, measure a sheet and enter it as Actual thickness, mm on the board. It is used for machining depths and machine files; it does not change the layout.