Cabinet Cut List Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this cover face-frame cabinets?

No. This is a frameless box cut list. Face-frame cabinets need extra rails and stiles sized and joined separately.

What thickness should I use?

Three-quarter inch (18 mm) plywood or melamine is standard for cabinet boxes. Thinner 1/2 inch material works for backs on small cabinets.

How do I handle a rabbet for the back panel?

If you rabbet the back in, reduce the back panel width and height by twice the rabbet depth and add that depth to the side and top/bottom depth.

Are the shelf dimensions exact?

Shelves are set back 0.5 inch from the front by default to clear edge banding. Adjust that setback if your front treatment is thicker or thinner.

What about drawer boxes inside the cabinet?

Drawer box sizing depends on the slide type and opening clearance. Use the Drawer Clearance Calculator to size drawer boxes separately.

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Estimates for informational purposes only.

Important Disclaimer: Estimates for informational purposes only.

This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Results are based on assumptions and may not reflect actual outcomes. Consult qualified professionals in relevant fields before making important decisions based on these results.

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How It Works

Enter the finished outer width, height, and depth of a frameless (European-style) cabinet box, your sheet material thickness, and how many shelves you want. The tool subtracts the material thickness where panels overlap and returns a cut list of side, top, bottom, back, and shelf panels.

In a frameless box the two side panels run the full height and depth. The top and bottom panels fit between the sides, so each is narrowed by twice the material thickness. The back covers the full outer width and height. Shelves sit inside the box and are set back slightly from the front edge.

The calculator guards against impossible configurations: if your outer width is less than twice the material thickness, the inner panels would compute to zero or negative width and the tool will report an error instead of a nonsense result.

Use Cases

This cut list generator is useful whenever you are building frameless cabinet boxes:

Kitchen base and wall cabinets built from plywood or melamine sheet goods.

Custom closet components: shelving towers, drawers, and hanging sections.

Workshop storage cabinets and tool chests built from Baltic birch plywood.

Media consoles, TV stands, and built-in entertainment centers.

Bath vanities and laundry room storage where European-style frameless construction is preferred.

Tips

Get accurate parts on the first sheet with these practices:

Use actual measured thickness, not nominal. A sheet sold as 3/4 inch may measure 23/32 inch; the difference accumulates across multiple panels in a run of cabinets.

Account for the saw kerf when nesting parts on a sheet: mark the cut order to preserve the widest offcuts for later panels.

If you rabbet the back panel into the sides, reduce the back panel dimensions by the rabbet depth on each edge before cutting.

Edge-band all visible panel edges before final assembly so the tape thickness does not close up your reveal.

Dry-fit the box without fasteners before glue-up to confirm the cut list matches your intended opening dimensions.

FAQ

Does this cover face-frame cabinets?

No. This is a frameless (European-style) box cut list. Face-frame cabinets need extra rails and stiles sized and joined separately.

What thickness should I use?

Three-quarter inch (18 mm) plywood or melamine is standard for cabinet boxes. Thinner 1/2 inch material works for backs on small cabinets, but thicker stock is used for shelves that carry heavy loads.

How do I handle a rabbet for the back panel?

A full-overlay back (flush with outer edges) adds rigidity without adjustment. If you rabbet it in, reduce the back panel width and height by twice the rabbet depth and add that depth to the side and top/bottom depth.

Are the shelf dimensions exact?

Shelves are set back 0.5 inch from the front by default to clear edge banding or a face. Adjust that setback if your front treatment is thicker or thinner.

What about drawer boxes inside the cabinet?

Drawer box sizing depends on the slide type and opening clearance. Use the Drawer Clearance Calculator to size drawer boxes separately.

Cabinet Cut List Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

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