A cut list is a complete inventory of every piece of wood you need for a project, with exact dimensions. Building one before you cut prevents waste, saves trips to the lumber yard, and catches errors on paper instead of on the workpiece.
What Goes in a Cut List
- Part name — what the piece is (e.g. “Side panel”, “Bottom shelf”)
- Quantity — how many of this exact piece you need
- Length — finished length in inches and fractions
- Width and thickness — usually from the lumber species/size
Adding Kerf Allowance
Every saw cut removes material. For pieces cut from the same board, subtract one kerf width between each cut. Standard table saw kerf is 1/8″.
Example cut list from one 8ft (96″) board:
| Part | Length |
|---|---|
| Top | 24″ |
| Bottom | 24″ |
| Side (x2) | 18″ |
Total cuts: 24 + 24 + 18 + 18 = 84″. Plus 3 kerfs at 1/8″ = 84 3/8″. Fits on one 8ft board with 11 5/8″ waste.
Using TapeMath’s Cut List Builder
Open the Cut List tab, add each piece with its label and length, select your kerf, and TapeMath calculates total material needed, board fit, and waste automatically. Copy the result to share with a helper or save it.