Cabinet cutting template
Kitchen Cabinet Cut List Template
Use this kitchen cabinet cut list template to plan the plywood parts for base and wall cabinets before you cut a single sheet. It gives you a repeatable way to list panels, set quantities, account for saw kerf and grain direction, and check how many sheets you really need.
What goes into a kitchen cabinet cut list
A kitchen cabinet is mostly a set of repeated rectangular plywood parts. A complete cut list keeps those parts organized so quantities stay correct across every box. For a typical frameless base cabinet you will usually plan two side panels, a bottom, a back, one or two stretchers at the top, an adjustable shelf, and a toe kick. Wall cabinets follow the same logic with a top, a bottom, two sides, a back, and shelves.
List each part by a clear name, its finished width and length, the material thickness, and the quantity. The most common kitchen cabinet mistake is copying a part with the wrong count across multiple boxes, so confirm quantities before generating a layout.
Base cabinet parts (per box)
Material: 3/4 in plywood (carcass), 1/4 in plywood (back)
Kerf allowance: 1/8 in between cuts
Grain direction: vertical on visible sides
Part | Size (in) | Qty
----------------+-------------+----
Side panel | 23-1/4 x 30 | 2
Bottom | 22-1/2 x 30 | 1
Top stretcher | 4 x 30 | 2
Back (1/4 in) | 30 x 30-1/2 | 1
Adjustable shelf| 22 x 29-3/4 | 1
Toe kick | 4 x 30 | 1These dimensions are a planning model, not a universal spec. Real sizes depend on your cabinet width, depth, material thickness, and joinery. Adjust the numbers to your design, then keep the structure.
Wall cabinet parts (per box)
Material: 3/4 in plywood (carcass), 1/4 in plywood (back)
Part | Size (in) | Qty
----------------+-------------+----
Side panel | 11-1/4 x 30 | 2
Top / bottom | 10-1/2 x 30 | 2
Back (1/4 in) | 30 x 30-1/2 | 1
Adjustable shelf| 10 x 29-3/4 | 2Wall cabinets are shallower than base cabinets, so they pack differently on a sheet. Keep the visible side grain running vertically so finished ends look consistent across the run.
Turn the parts list into a plywood layout
A static cut list tells you what to cut; it does not prove the parts fit on your sheets. Once you have every base and wall cabinet part with quantities, run them through a layout tool that accounts for kerf and rotation. Use the plywood cut calculator to see how the panels pack onto 4x8 sheets and how many sheets the kitchen actually needs.
For board-level parts like stretchers and toe kicks, the cut list calculator helps plan linear cuts. When the project is large or changing, move the whole layout into the CutList app so it can be saved, edited, and exported as a PDF for the shop.
How many sheets of plywood will a kitchen need?
Do not estimate by dividing total square footage — plywood is cut as rectangles, so the shapes have to fit. A small run of base and wall cabinets can move from three sheets to four once kerf, grain direction, and waste are included. For the full method, see the guide on how many sheets of plywood you need, then confirm the count with a real layout.
Reduce waste before you buy
The cheapest time to reduce plywood waste is before purchase. Group repeated shelves and sides so they batch cleanly, lock grain direction on visible faces, and keep large offcuts rectangular enough to reuse for cleats or jigs. For deeper tactics, read how to reduce plywood waste and what cut list optimization is.