Wood Cutting Optimizer

This tool helps you visualize how to efficiently cut wood pieces from stock with minimal waste.

Get Started

Start by creating a group and adding pieces to it from the sidebar.

Each group will have its own cutting plan optimized to minimize waste.

How The Cutting Optimizer Works

The optimizer uses a bin packing algorithm with the first-fit decreasing heuristic:

  • Pieces are sorted by length (longest first)
  • Each piece is placed in the first stock that can fit it
  • Kerfs (saw width) and margins (error buffer) are considered in the layout
  • Pieces that are larger than the maximum stock length are automatically split into joinable parts
  • Only pieces of the same stock type can be optimized together
  • Perfect fits are allowed without margins for the last piece in a stock

To improve your cutting plan:

  • Group related pieces together
  • Adjust the kerf based on your saw blade width
  • Consider adding margins for cutting error if needed
  • Try different stock lengths in the settings

WoodCalc © 2025 - All rights reserved