Rectangles into sheets

Sheet cutting layout calculator.

Enter your sheet size, rectangular pieces, edge trim and saw kerf. Get a suggested sheet count, numbered diagrams and a downloadable placement list.

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Suggested layout, not a guaranteed optimum. This area-first shelf heuristic groups interchangeable rectangles. It does not check grain, defects, thickness, clamps or machine access. Review the geometry and a practical cutting method before buying or cutting.

01 / SHEET AND ALLOWANCES

Your stock sheet

The starting sizes are editable examples. Use your actual sheet, finished piece dimensions and measured allowances.

Length unit

Saw kerf (mm)

Sheet width (mm)

Sheet height (mm)

Trim reservation per edge (mm)

Changing units converts existing valid measurements. Edge trim applies independently to all four edges and includes any trim-cut loss. A 10 mm reservation removes 20 mm from each sheet dimension.

Allow 90° rotation of every piece
Untick if orientation matters. This does not check or infer grain direction.

02 / FINISHED RECTANGLES

Piece sizes and quantities

Up to 10 sizes and 100 pieces total. Use one material and thickness per plan. Decimal points are accepted; dimensions must be equivalent to 0.01–100,000 mm. Kerf and trim may be 0.

Changes recalculate automatically. Refreshing clears your entries.

How the sheet model works, with examples →Need lengths from boards? Use the board cutting calculator →

Sheet planning questions

How does the planner arrange rectangles?

It sorts pieces by descending area, then longest side and row order. It tries existing shelves first, then a new shelf on an existing sheet, then a new sheet. A shelf is a horizontal band with a fixed height. New shelves prefer the allowed orientation with the smaller height; existing shelves prefer less height waste. This is repeatable, but other arrangements may need fewer sheets.

Where does kerf get reserved?

The model reserves a horizontal strip beneath a shelf, a vertical strip after a piece across its shelf height, and a finishing horizontal strip beneath a shorter piece. Each strip exists only when material remains in that direction. No loss is added beyond an exact outer boundary. The guide explains this guillotine model.

Can this produce a machine-ready cutting sequence?

No. The placement list describes geometry: piece IDs, sheet numbers, X/Y positions and finished sizes. It does not encode the operating order, blade positioning, work holding, material movement or equipment limits. Have the actual cutting method reviewed separately.

Why can the sheet count exceed the area lower bound?

Two 600 × 600 mm rectangles have 720,000 mm² of area, less than one 1,000 × 1,000 mm sheet. Yet they cannot sit side by side or stack without overlapping. They need two sheets even at zero kerf. Shape matters as well as area.

Will rotation respect grain or patterned material?

The checkbox permits either orientation for every piece. It does not model grain or patterns. Leave rotation off when all pieces must preserve the entered width/height direction, and confirm the sheet and piece directions yourself.