Cut List Calculator
Total board feet and linear length for a list of parts, with quantity for each part.
At a glance
- What you enter
- Part 1: how many, Part 1: length, Part 1: width, Part 1: thickness, Part 2: how many, Part 2: length, Part 2: width, Part 2: thickness, Part 3: how many, Part 3: length, Part 3: width, Part 3: thickness, Part 4: how many, Part 4: length, Part 4: width, Part 4: thickness, Waste and surfacing factor, Stock length you are buying
- What you get
- Total linear length, Total linear length in feet, Board feet in the finished parts, Board feet to buy, Rough piece count at your stock length
- Formula shown
- Yes, every step, right below your results.
- Cost and privacy
- Free, no account needed, and nothing you type is stored.
See worked examples ↓ Read the FAQ ↓ Share this calculator ↓
Results are estimates for general information only, always verify with a professional or official source before acting on them.
How to use the Cut List Calculator
- 1 Enter Part 1: how many
- 2 Enter Part 1: length (in)
- 3 Enter Part 1: width (in)
- 4 Enter Part 1: thickness (in)
- 5 Enter Part 2: how many
- 6 Enter Part 2: length (in)
- 7 Enter Part 2: width (in)
- 8 Enter Part 2: thickness (in)
- 9 Enter Part 3: how many
- 10 Enter Part 3: length (in)
- 11 Enter Part 3: width (in)
- 12 Enter Part 3: thickness (in)
- 13 Enter Part 4: how many
- 14 Enter Part 4: length (in)
- 15 Enter Part 4: width (in)
- 16 Enter Part 4: thickness (in)
- 17 Enter Waste and surfacing factor (x), 1.25 allows 25 percent for jointing, planing, squaring and defects. Use 1.1 for stock already dressed and squared.
- 18 Enter Stock length you are buying (in), Used for the rough piece count. 96 inches is an 8 foot board.
- 19 Press Calculate. You get Total linear length, Total linear length in feet, Board feet in the finished parts, Board feet to buy, Rough piece count at your stock length, and every intermediate step stays visible under "How is this calculated?"
- 20 Change one number at a time to see what moves the result, that is usually the most useful thing a calculator can tell you.
Worked examples
Real numbers run through this calculator. Open any example to load it into the form above and change it.
A small table in hardwood
Four legs at 30 by 1.5 by 1.5, two aprons at 48 by 3.5 by 0.75, two aprons at 24 by 5.5 by 0.75, and two stretchers at 72 by 1.5 by 1.5.
You enter
- Part 1: how many
- 4
- Part 1: length
- 30 in
- Part 1: width
- 1.50 in
- Part 1: thickness
- 1.50 in
- Part 2: how many
- 2
- Part 2: length
- 48 in
- Part 2: width
- 3.50 in
- Part 2: thickness
- 0.75 in
- Part 3: how many
- 2
- Part 3: length
- 24 in
- Part 3: width
- 5.50 in
- Part 3: thickness
- 0.75 in
- Part 4: how many
- 0
- Part 4: length
- 72 in
- Part 4: width
- 1.50 in
- Part 4: thickness
- 1.50 in
- Waste and surfacing factor
- 1.25 x
- Stock length you are buying
- 96 in
You get
- Total linear length
- 264.00 in
- Total linear length in feet
- 22.00 ft
- Board feet in the finished parts
- 5.00 bf
- Board feet to buy
- 6.25 bf
- Rough piece count at your stock length
- 3
The total linear length tells you more about the stock you need than the board feet does.
Kitchen cabinet face frames
Ten rails at 20 by 2.25 by 0.75 and six stiles at 30 by 2.25 by 0.75.
You enter
- Part 1: how many
- 10
- Part 1: length
- 20 in
- Part 1: width
- 2.25 in
- Part 1: thickness
- 0.75 in
- Part 2: how many
- 6
- Part 2: length
- 30 in
- Part 2: width
- 2.25 in
- Part 2: thickness
- 0.75 in
- Part 3: how many
- 0
- Part 3: length
- 24 in
- Part 3: width
- 5.50 in
- Part 3: thickness
- 0.75 in
- Part 4: how many
- 0
- Part 4: length
- 72 in
- Part 4: width
- 1.50 in
- Part 4: thickness
- 1.50 in
- Waste and surfacing factor
- 1.25 x
- Stock length you are buying
- 96 in
You get
- Total linear length
- 380.00 in
- Total linear length in feet
- 31.67 ft
- Board feet in the finished parts
- 4.45 bf
- Board feet to buy
- 5.57 bf
- Rough piece count at your stock length
- 4
Face frame parts are narrow, so linear length is the figure that matters.
Guides that go with it
What Is a Board Foot, and Why Your Lumber Costs More Than You Think
The unit hardwood is priced in, why it uses nominal dimensions, and how to turn a cut list into a realistic timber order.
How to Measure Wood Correctly for DIY Handcraft Projects
You bought a board, measured twice, cut once, and it still came up short. Or worse, the "1 x 6" you ordered arrived looking nothing like an inch thick or six inches wide. If that sounds familiar, the...
Common Sewing Measurements Explained in Simple Terms
The waistband was two inches too small. I had the fabric cut, the interfacing fused, the pins already in, and when I wrapped it around my own waist to check, it stopped short with a gap you could fit...
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out a cut list?
What waste factor should I use for a cut list?
Should the cut list use finished or rough dimensions?
How accurate is the rough piece count?
Terms used here
Short, plain-language definitions of the words this calculator uses.