List the lengths you need to cut and the board, pipe or bar lengths you can buy. The optimizer packs the cuts onto as few boards as possible, allows for the saw kerf between every cut, and shows a cutting plan for each board with the leftover offcut.
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Settings
Stock lengths you can buy
Length
On hand
Price each
Remove
Leave On hand blank for unlimited. Add a price to every length to optimize for cost instead of total length.
Cuts needed
Label
Length
Qty
Remove
Fractions work: 30 1/2, 30-1/2, 2' 6" or 30.5
Paste a list
Cutting plan
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How to use the Linear Cut Optimizer
Pick the units and enter the saw kerf (about 1/8 in for a typical miter or table saw blade). Add an end trim if your boards have rough or split ends.
Add the stock lengths you can buy, such as 8' and 10' boards. Leave “On hand” blank for unlimited, or enter how many you already have.
Enter the cuts with a label, length and quantity, or paste a list like 30 1/2 x 4 shelf.
Press Calculate cutting plan. The plan updates as you type, showing how many boards you need and where each cut goes.
Copy, print or download the plan and cut the longest pieces on each board first, measuring from the same end each time.
How the cutting plan is calculated
Cutting a list of lengths from boards with as little waste as possible is called the one-dimensional cutting stock problem. Each cut needs its own length plus one saw kerf, so a board of length L holds a set of cuts when:
sum of cut lengths + kerf × (number of cuts − 1) ≤ L − end trim
(If you use an end trim, one more kerf is subtracted for the trimming cut.) For each new board the optimizer runs a bounded knapsack search over the remaining cuts to find the combination that fills that board most completely. That pattern is repeated while enough identical cuts remain, then the search starts again with what is left. A first-fit decreasing layout (largest cut first) is calculated too, and the better plan wins.
Waste % = 1 − total cut length ÷ total stock length. Example: four 60 in aprons and slats from 96 in boards use 60 + 1/8 in each, leaving a 35 7/8 in offcut per board, which is often enough for two 16 1/2 in braces. Mixing short and long cuts on the same board is where most of the savings come from.
Common stock lengths and kerf values
Material
Typical stock lengths (US)
Metric equivalents
Dimensional lumber (2×4, 2×6, 1×4…)
8', 10', 12', 14', 16' (studs often 92 5/8" or 104 5/8")
2.4, 3.0, 3.6, 4.2, 4.8 m
Trim, molding, baseboard
8', 12', 16'
2.4, 3.6, 4.8 m
Hardwood boards
Random lengths, often 6'–12'
1.8–3.6 m
PVC and copper pipe, conduit
10'
3.0 m
Steel and aluminum tube or bar
20' (sometimes 12' or 24')
6.0 m
Cutting tool
Approximate kerf
10" or 12" miter saw / table saw, full-kerf blade
1/8 in (3.2 mm)
Thin-kerf blade
3/32 in (2.4 mm)
Circular saw, 7 1/4" blade
about 1/16–3/32 in (1.6–2.4 mm)
Hand saw
about 1/16 in (1.5 mm)
Metal chop saw / abrasive wheel
about 1/8 in (3 mm)
Metal band saw
about 1/32–1/16 in (1 mm)
Pipe or tubing cutter
0
Tips for cutting with less waste
Buy one spare board for knots, warps or a mismeasured cut, especially on larger projects.
Check actual board length. Many "8 foot" boards are a little longer than 96 in; measure a few and enter the real length if you want to use that extra.
Cut the longest pieces first on each board, and measure every piece from a freshly squared end so the kerf does not accumulate as error.
Label pieces as you cut with the names from the plan to keep same-looking parts apart.
For plywood and other sheets, use the Cut List Optimizer, which packs rectangles onto sheets instead of lengths onto boards.
Frequently asked questions
How does the linear cut optimizer work?
It treats each board as a bin and each cut (plus one saw kerf) as an item. For every new board it searches for the combination of remaining cuts that fills the board most completely, choosing between your stock lengths, then repeats that pattern while it still fits. It also runs a first-fit decreasing layout and keeps whichever plan needs the least total stock (or the lowest cost when every stock length has a price).
Is the result the minimum possible number of boards?
For typical project lists it is optimal or very close, but this is the one-dimensional cutting stock problem, which is mathematically hard to solve perfectly for large lists. The tool uses an exact best-fill search per board, which usually matches the true minimum, but a very large list may occasionally be beaten by one board.
How is the saw kerf handled?
Every cut removes a slice of wood as wide as the blade. The optimizer adds one kerf after each piece, except when the last piece ends exactly at the end of the board. A typical full-kerf blade removes about 1/8 in (3.2 mm); thin-kerf blades about 3/32 in (2.4 mm). With many cuts per board, the kerf can add up to an inch or more.
What is end trim for?
Lumber often comes with ends that are not square, checked (split) or stamped. End trim removes that length from the start of every board before the first cut, plus one kerf for the trimming cut, so all your pieces come from clean wood. A quarter to a half inch is common for construction lumber.
Can I use different board lengths together?
Yes. Add every length you can buy, for example 8', 10', 12' and 16'. The optimizer picks the length that wastes the least for each pattern, and at the end swaps a board for a shorter one when its cuts still fit. If you enter a price for every length, it minimizes total cost instead, which matters because longer boards often cost more per foot.
How is waste calculated?
Waste % = 1 − (total length of all cuts ÷ total length of stock used). It includes saw kerf, end trim and all offcuts. Offcuts longer than the “keep” length you set are counted separately because they are usually still useful for small parts or blocking.
Does this work for pipe, steel, trim and molding?
Yes. The math is the same for anything sold in fixed lengths and cut to length: dimensional lumber, trim and molding, dowels, metal tube and bar, PVC or copper pipe, conduit, aluminum extrusion and curtain rods. Set the kerf to match your cutting tool, or 0 for tools that do not remove material, like a tubing cutter.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.