LUMBER CUTS
LUMBER CUT LIST
cuts/board = stock ÷ (cut + kerf)
in
in
RESULT
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FILL IN ABOVE
Kerf-aware (default 1/8"). For mixed cut lists, run separately per length and sum.
About this calculator
This lumber cut calculator tells a framer or finish carpenter exactly how many boards to buy when every cut is the same length — wall studs, blocking, cripples, jack rafters, fascia returns, deck balusters, fence pickets. Pick the stock length you can buy at the lumberyard, enter the length each cut needs to be, set how many cuts the job calls for, and the calculator subtracts a saw kerf (default 1/8") from each cut. The output is the cuts you can get per board, total boards needed (rounded up), and the leftover waste per stick. For a mixed cut list, run the calculator separately for each unique length and add the boards together.
Common questions
What is a saw kerf and why does it matter?
The kerf is the slot of material the blade removes on each cut — typically 1/8" for a standard circular or miter saw, 3/32" for a thin-kerf framing blade. Ignoring it underestimates waste: ten 12-inch cuts in a 120-inch board only yields nine cuts once kerf is factored in (10 × 12 + 10 × 0.125 = 121.25"), so you actually need a longer stick or accept one short piece.
What is the standard length of a wall stud?
Pre-cut wall studs run 92-5/8" for a standard 8-foot wall — that's 96" minus the 1-1/2" bottom plate and double 1-1/2" top plates. For a 9-foot wall use 104-5/8", and for a 10-foot wall use 116-5/8". Stud-grade SPF and Doug fir at the lumberyard are usually pre-cut to 92-5/8" so you can frame an 8-ft wall straight from the bunk.
How do I handle a mixed cut list?
Run the calculator once for each unique cut length, then sum the boards. A true cut-list optimizer would mix leftovers from one length into the next (a 30" leftover could yield two 14-1/2" cripples), which saves 5–15% on most jobs. The simple version here is conservative — accurate per length, but does not pool offcuts across lengths.