Cut list dimensions, actual thickness & grain direction

Understand finished part length, width, actual panel thickness and grain direction before planning your woodworking cuts.

Applies to: DIY rectangular panel and board planning. United States English; user-entered dimensions and prices.

Start with the finished part

Enter the size you want a finished part to be. In the cut list, length is the first dimension; it does not automatically mean the longer side. Width is the second dimension in the plane of the sheet. Thickness belongs to the material group.

For a cabinet side, the cabinet height can become the part length, and the cabinet depth can become its width. Label the part “Left side” or “Right side” when the distinction matters.

Make grain explicit

When “Grain” is checked, the part length stays parallel to the stock length. When it is unchecked, the planner may rotate the part by 90 degrees. Enter the stock length along its grain direction. This controls direction only; it does not preserve continuous grain across adjacent drawer fronts or match a surface pattern.

Use actual thickness

The shape templates subtract your entered thickness. For the open cabinet template, sides run the full height. The top, bottom and shelves fit between them:

Horizontal part length = outside cabinet width − 2 × actual side thickness.

For a 30 in wide cabinet with 3/4 in thick sides, the horizontal parts are 28 1/2 in long. This is a geometric example with butt-fit panels. It does not include face frames, grooves, fasteners, doors or structural bracing. Measure your stock; a product's nominal name is not a promise of its actual thickness.

Fractions and mixed units

The planner stores dimensions in millimetres. Exact inch fractions are displayed as fractions; other values remain decimal. Changing the display unit does not change the stored size. Match final measurements to the accuracy of your tools and drawings.

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