Lumbertool Calculate board feet

Mixed-length stock cutting plan

Assign different part lengths to the fewest identical stock boards, while showing each board group and its remaining offcut.

Try the calculation

Example inputs · U.S. customary units

Four parts from 8 ft stock. A small cut-list example with explicit kerf and end trim. Replace it with measured stock and your part list.

Example: 96 in.

Example: 0.5 in.

Example: 0.125 in.

Example: 60, 60, 30, 30 in. Enter one length per line or separate lengths with commas. Each number is one required piece.

Results

Ready to calculate

Enter your values, then choose Calculate. Your results will appear here.

How to use mixed-length stock cutting plan

What this calculation does

A mixed-length cut plan assigns every listed part to identical measured stock while minimizing the number of boards under one kerf and trim rule.

Measure the stock first, enter each required cut once, then check the exact board-by-board assignment before cutting.

Enter the measurements

  1. Measured stock length: Measure the usable length of each stock board.
  2. Total end trim per board: Enter the end trim removed from every board.
  3. Kerf between consecutive parts: Measure the blade kerf used between adjacent parts.
  4. Required part lengths: List one required finished length on each line.

Formula and variables

For n pieces cut from one board, required length = sum(part lengths) + (n − 1) × kerf + end trim. An exact branch-and-bound search assigns every piece once and minimizes the stock-board count.

Each board must cover its assigned part lengths, one kerf between neighboring cuts, and the entered end trim. The search is exact and bounded to the stated part limit.

Read the result

Two boards are the minimum for these four parts; each board carries one 60 in part and one 30 in part, leaving 5.375 in after the declared kerf and trim.

Worked example

Inputs: 96 in stock, 0.5 in end trim, 0.125 in kerf and parts 60, 60, 30, 30 in

  1. Each 60 + 30 in pair uses 60 + 30 + 0.125 + 0.5 = 90.625 in.
  2. The remaining length is 96 − 90.625 = 5.375 in per board; four parts therefore fit in two boards.

Expected result: 2 boards; each takes 60 + 30 in parts and leaves 5.375 in

Frequently asked questions

Does the plan guarantee the grain or defect layout?

No. Grain, defects and board quality are not inputs; inspect each physical board before assigning cuts.

Can the result be approximate?

No approximate layout is labeled optimal. If the bounded exact search cannot prove a minimum, the calculation returns an error.

Conditions, presets and technical notes

One stock length, one kerf, one end-trim allowance per stock board, and at most 40 parts. The exact search has a bounded state budget and returns a clear error if it cannot prove the minimum; it never presents a heuristic layout as optimal. Defects and grain are excluded.