Open dataset · Plywood planning
Plywood Project Yield Benchmarks
We tested 75 common project parts lists on 96 × 48 inch sheets with a 1/8 inch kerf. The results show why area alone cannot reliably predict sheet count and where rotation constraints change the estimate.
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Download project benchmark CSV
The CSV contains one row per project, the benchmark version and method, source template, part area, theoretical area minimum, heuristic sheet counts, yield percentages, and rejected-piece count.
Results for 75 common plywood projects
The area-only minimum is a lower bound: it divides total part area by 4,608 square inches and rounds up. It does not account for part shape, kerf, or orientation. “Rotation allowed” lets the heuristic turn rectangles 90 degrees. “Grain locked” keeps the entered orientation.
| Project | Category | Parts | Area min. | Rotate | Yield | Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base cabinet | Cabinets | 6 | 1 | 1 | 73.6% | 1 |
| Wall cabinet | Cabinets | 7 | 1 | 1 | 60.8% | 1 |
| Bathroom vanity | Cabinets | 6 | 1 | 1 | 58.3% | 1 |
| Pantry cabinet | Cabinets | 10 | 2 | 3 | 58.9% | 3 |
| Laundry room cabinet | Cabinets | 7 | 2 | 2 | 59.6% | 2 |
| Shop storage cabinet | Cabinets | 9 | 3 | 3 | 67.7% | 4 |
| Bookshelf | Storage | 9 | 2 | 2 | 60.8% | 2 |
| Cube storage unit | Storage | 13 | 2 | 2 | 52.9% | 2 |
| Mudroom bench | Storage | 7 | 1 | 2 | 38.2% | 2 |
| Window seat | Storage | 7 | 1 | 2 | 48.6% | 2 |
| Utility closet cabinet | Storage | 8 | 2 | 3 | 62.0% | 3 |
| Under-bed drawers | Storage | 12 | 1 | 1 | 72.8% | 1 |
| Coffee table | Furniture | 6 | 1 | 1 | 72.5% | 2 |
| Console table | Furniture | 5 | 1 | 1 | 47.0% | 1 |
| Record cabinet | Furniture | 8 | 2 | 2 | 56.5% | 2 |
| Media wall cabinet | Furniture | 9 | 2 | 2 | 65.8% | 2 |
| Folding craft table | Furniture | 6 | 1 | 1 | 77.8% | 1 |
| Kids table | Furniture | 6 | 1 | 1 | 41.8% | 1 |
| Mobile workbench | Shop | 9 | 1 | 2 | 48.7% | 2 |
| Assembly table | Shop | 7 | 2 | 3 | 50.3% | 3 |
| Miter saw stand | Shop | 9 | 1 | 2 | 42.9% | 2 |
| French cleat tool wall | Shop | 12 | 1 | 1 | 82.4% | 2 |
| Rolling utility cart | Shop | 9 | 1 | 1 | 58.2% | 1 |
| Outdoor storage box | Outdoor | 6 | 2 | 2 | 58.3% | 2 |
| Kitchen island | Cabinets | 7 | 1 | 2 | 49.8% | 2 |
| Appliance garage | Cabinets | 6 | 1 | 1 | 32.2% | 1 |
| Microwave shelf cabinet | Cabinets | 8 | 1 | 1 | 60.6% | 1 |
| Closet tower | Storage | 10 | 1 | 2 | 48.0% | 2 |
| Entryway locker | Storage | 8 | 2 | 2 | 67.6% | 2 |
| Laundry folding table | Furniture | 6 | 2 | 2 | 53.6% | 2 |
| Craft storage cabinet | Storage | 10 | 2 | 3 | 61.1% | 3 |
| Sewing table | Furniture | 6 | 1 | 1 | 78.7% | 2 |
| Sheet goods storage cart | Shop | 11 | 2 | 4 | 42.5% | 5 |
| Cutoff storage bin | Shop | 8 | 1 | 2 | 48.3% | 2 |
| Sanding station | Shop | 7 | 2 | 2 | 52.0% | 2 |
| Small parts drawer cabinet | Shop | 10 | 1 | 1 | 74.1% | 1 |
| Floating shelf | Storage | 7 | 1 | 1 | 33.2% | 1 |
| Wall garage cabinet | Storage | 7 | 2 | 2 | 51.7% | 2 |
| Storage bench | Storage | 6 | 1 | 2 | 36.6% | 2 |
| Toy box | Furniture | 6 | 1 | 2 | 32.9% | 2 |
| Shoe rack | Storage | 9 | 1 | 1 | 55.0% | 1 |
| Nightstand | Furniture | 5 | 1 | 1 | 35.1% | 1 |
| Dining bench | Furniture | 6 | 1 | 1 | 34.1% | 1 |
| Entryway table | Furniture | 5 | 1 | 1 | 43.0% | 1 |
| Tool cabinet | Shop | 8 | 1 | 1 | 58.8% | 1 |
| Router table | Shop | 7 | 1 | 2 | 41.5% | 2 |
| Pegboard organizer | Shop | 9 | 1 | 1 | 35.9% | 1 |
| Clamp rack | Shop | 18 | 1 | 1 | 19.3% | 1 |
| Drill press stand | Shop | 6 | 1 | 1 | 66.4% | 1 |
| Planter box | Outdoor | 9 | 1 | 1 | 41.3% | 1 |
| Plywood chair | Furniture | 5 | 1 | 1 | 45.6% | 1 |
| Plywood lounge chair | Furniture | 18 | 1 | 1 | 65.0% | 1 |
| Plywood dollhouse | Furniture | 8 | 1 | 2 | 49.6% | 2 |
| Desk organizer | Small Projects | 9 | 1 | 1 | 12.2% | 1 |
| Monitor riser | Small Projects | 5 | 1 | 1 | 14.2% | 1 |
| Printer stand | Small Projects | 6 | 1 | 1 | 37.1% | 1 |
| File cabinet | Storage | 9 | 1 | 1 | 46.6% | 1 |
| Rolling pantry cart | Storage | 7 | 1 | 1 | 59.9% | 1 |
| Linen cabinet | Storage | 9 | 2 | 2 | 59.3% | 2 |
| Folding work table | Shop | 6 | 1 | 1 | 62.3% | 1 |
| Folding wall desk | Small Spaces | 5 | 1 | 1 | 30.3% | 1 |
| Narrow entryway bench | Small Spaces | 6 | 1 | 1 | 36.4% | 1 |
| Over-toilet storage cabinet | Small Spaces | 9 | 1 | 1 | 56.9% | 1 |
| Rolling kitchen cart | Small Spaces | 9 | 1 | 1 | 70.6% | 2 |
| Sofa side table | Small Spaces | 5 | 1 | 1 | 24.9% | 1 |
| Under-desk rolling cabinet | Small Spaces | 6 | 1 | 1 | 43.4% | 1 |
| Portable wardrobe cubby | Small Spaces | 8 | 2 | 2 | 55.2% | 2 |
| Stackable shoe cubby | Small Spaces | 14 | 1 | 2 | 37.8% | 2 |
| Room divider cubby | Small Spaces | 10 | 2 | 2 | 56.5% | 2 |
| Balcony storage bench | Small Spaces | 6 | 1 | 1 | 57.3% | 1 |
| Drop-leaf dining table | Small Spaces | 7 | 1 | 1 | 64.3% | 1 |
| Rolling coffee bar | Small Spaces | 6 | 1 | 2 | 45.2% | 2 |
| Compact craft cart | Small Spaces | 7 | 1 | 1 | 64.1% | 1 |
| Slim laundry tower | Small Spaces | 11 | 1 | 1 | 89.7% | 1 |
| Knock-down bookcase | Small Spaces | 11 | 1 | 1 | 76.8% | 1 |
Findings
Across these inputs, the rotation-allowed heuristic used 114 sheets and produced an average project-level yield of 52.4%. 6 of 75 projects—Shop storage cabinet, Coffee table, French cleat tool wall, Sewing table, Sheet goods storage cart, Rolling kitchen cart—required an additional sheet when rotation was locked. That does not mean those parts should be rotated: visible faces may require a consistent grain direction.
The widest gap between the area-only lower bound and the heuristic estimate comes from geometry. Large rectangles can leave substantial total area unused even when no remaining part fits its shape. Sheet count should therefore be checked with a real layout, not estimated from square footage alone.
Method
- Expand each named parts list into individual rectangles.
- Sort pieces by area, then by longest and shortest side.
- Place each rectangle with a deterministic MaxRects-style free-rectangle heuristic.
- Reserve a 1/8 inch kerf between adjacent cuts where space remains.
- Repeat once with 90-degree rotation allowed and once with orientation locked.
Every tested part fit within a standard sheet; the dataset records zero rejected pieces. Source dimensions are planning examples based on the linked templates, not construction drawings.
Limitations and safe use
The algorithm is a heuristic and does not prove a global optimum. Results exclude trim loss, defects, face selection, joinery, hardware, test cuts, replacement parts, and stock variation. Theoretical one-sheet patterns may also be impractical if a real cutting sequence cannot preserve the modeled rectangles. Use the plywood cut calculator with your actual dimensions, then inspect the layout before buying material.
License and citation
Dataset version 2026-07-21, method woodcuttool-maxrects-v1. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Suggested attribution: “WoodCutTool Plywood Project Yield Benchmarks, 2026-07-21.”