Open dataset · Saw kerf
How Saw Kerf Changes Plywood Sheet Count
A blade removes material on every cut. We compared ten repeated-part patterns at zero, 1/16, 3/32, and 1/8 inch kerf to show when an exact-fit digital plan stops fitting on a real sheet.
Download the data
Download saw kerf benchmark CSV
Each row records the pattern, part count and area, kerf setting, estimated sheet count, yield, source page, version, and method.
Sheet count at four kerf settings
Zero kerf is included only as a counterfactual baseline. A saw blade has nonzero width, so do not use the zero column as a cutting plan. Measure a test cut with the actual blade and machine.
| Repeated-part pattern | Parts | 0 in | 1/16 in | 3/32 in | 1/8 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eight 12 x 48 shelves | 8 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Eight 24 x 24 panels | 8 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Four 48 x 24 panels | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Six 34.5 x 24 cabinet sides | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Twelve 32 x 16 shelves | 12 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Twelve 24 x 18 drawer bottoms | 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Twenty 48 x 3 cleats | 20 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Ten 30 x 11.25 shelves | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Six 30 x 16 door panels | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Twenty-four 18 x 12 cubby parts | 24 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
The exact-fit effect
4 of the ten patterns changed sheet count between the zero-kerf baseline and a 1/8 inch kerf. The most sensitive patterns divide a 48 × 96 inch sheet exactly: eight 12 × 48 shelves, eight 24 × 24 panels, four 48 × 24 panels, and twelve 32 × 16 shelves. Once blade width is reserved between adjacent pieces, the exact grid no longer fits.
This does not imply that kerf always adds a sheet. Six patterns had enough geometric slack to keep the same estimated count across the tested settings. Sensitivity depends on the full layout, not only the number of cuts.
Method and interpretation
All patterns use a 96 × 48 inch sheet, allow 90-degree rotation, and run through the same deterministic packing heuristic. Only the kerf value changes. Yield is part area divided by the total area of the estimated sheets, so it excludes the physical area of defects and trim.
Kerf is not simply “number of parts multiplied by blade width.” A shared cut, cutting sequence, edge trim, rough breakdown, and machine setup affect how material is consumed. The benchmark isolates spacing in a rectangle layout; it is not a shop-ready cut sequence.
Practical planning rule
Enter the measured kerf before trusting a tight layout. If parts exactly divide the nominal sheet width or length, leave room for blade loss and damaged-edge trimming. Review saw kerf explained, then test your own list in the plywood cut calculator.
License and citation
Dataset version 2026-07-21, method woodcuttool-maxrects-v1. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Suggested attribution: “WoodCutTool Saw Kerf and Sheet Count Benchmark, 2026-07-21.”