Guides
Plan the cut before you touch the saw
Cut lists, sheet counts, kerf, grain and cutting order, worked through with real projects. Every diagram and number comes from the same optimizer that runs in Plyplan.
How to make a plywood cut list, step by step
From a sketch to a sheet layout, with a full bookcase as the worked example.
9 min read
How many sheets of plywood do you need?
Why dividing by sheet area gives the wrong answer, with five projects measured.
6 min read
Saw kerf explained: what it costs and how to allow for it
Why four equal strips do not come out of a sheet that divides evenly.
6 min read
Plywood grain direction: when it matters and what it costs
How to read a sheet, which parts to lock and when it costs an extra sheet.
6 min read
What order to cut plywood in
Breaking down a full sheet, then a numbered cut sequence for a real project.
7 min read
One-sheet plywood bookcase: full cut list and cutting plan
A full-height bookcase carcass from one sheet, with every part and cut.
5 min read