How many panels fit on a sheet of plywood?
Two 24" parts do not fit across a 48" sheet — the blade takes an eighth and you are an eighth short. Shave the part to 23 3/4" and the yield doubles.
A 4' × 8' sheet holds 3 parts at 24" × 30", but 6 at 23 3/4" × 30".
Two 24" parts plus one 1/8" kerf is 48 1/8" — an eighth more than the sheet has. A quarter inch off the part fits two across and doubles what the sheet yields.
How that is worked out
- Each part occupies its own size plus a kerf on every cut between parts. Across the sheet, 1 column of 24" fits in 48".
- Down the sheet, 96" holds 3 rows of 30", so 1 × 3 = 3 parts, leaving 24" of the sheet's width doing nothing.
- Take the part to 23 3/4" and two fit across with the kerf paid for: 2 × 3 = 6. Same sheet, same cuts, twice the parts.
Parts per 4' × 8' sheet, plain grid, 1/8" kerf
| Part size | Best grid | Per sheet | Wasted strip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 3/4" × 24" | 4 × 3 | 12 | 5/8" × 23 3/4" |
| 12" × 24" | 3 × 3 | 9 | 11 3/4" × 23 3/4" |
| 15 3/4" × 24" | 3 × 3 | 9 | 1/2" × 23 3/4" |
| 23 3/4" × 30" | 2 × 3 | 6 | 3/8" × 5 3/4" |
| 24" × 30" | 1 × 3 | 3 | 24" × 5 3/4" |
| 23 3/4" × 34 1/2" | 2 × 2 | 4 | 3/8" × 26 7/8" |
Worth knowing
- The rows to compare are 24" and 23 3/4": three parts against six, from the same sheet, for a quarter inch off a dimension nobody will ever measure. Any part sized to an exact division of the sheet is worth a second look for this reason.
- This is a plain grid with every part the same way up. A mixed cut list of different sizes packs better than any grid can, which is what the cut list optimizer is for.
- Grain direction usually decides the orientation before yield does. A cabinet side with the grain running the wrong way is wrong however many extra parts it saved.
- Break the sheet down to manageable pieces first. Full sheets on a table saw single-handed are how people get hurt, and a track saw on the floor makes a straighter first cut anyway.
Work out your own numbers
- Sheet layout calculator
How many same-size panels fit on a sheet of plywood in a plain grid, turned 90° if that fits more.
- Cut list optimizer
Lay your parts out on a sheet of plywood and get the cuts in order. Accounts for blade kerf and keeps the grain running the right way.
- Cabinet boxes
A carcass cut list from the finished outside dimensions, face-frame or frameless.
Related questions
- Why don't two 24 inch parts fit across a 48 inch sheet?
- Because the cut between them destroys about 1/8" of plywood. Two 24" parts plus one kerf is 48 1/8", and the sheet is 48". You get one full part and one that is 1/8" narrow. Sizing the parts at 23 3/4" instead fits both with room to spare.
- How many cabinet sides fit on a sheet of plywood?
- Six at 23 3/4" × 30", laid out two across and three down. At a full 24" it drops to three, because the second column no longer fits. The cut list optimizer packs mixed part sizes better than any plain grid, and it accounts for the kerf on every cut.
- Should I account for the saw kerf when cutting sheet goods?
- Always, and it matters more on sheets than on boards because there are more cuts in less material. It is the difference between a part fitting and a part being an eighth narrow — and on plywood, an eighth narrow is a part you cannot fix.