Grain direction for plywood
Lock grain direction when the wood grain is visible in your project. Panels will not rotate unexpectedly. For hidden structural panels, you can allow rotation to reduce waste.
Create a cut plan for plywood
With visible plywood, grain direction matters. Plaatplan lets you lock panels to grain direction, calculates the layout on standard sheets, and shows a visual cut diagram per sheet.
- Kerf width included in the layout
- Multiple subprojects in one plan
- Offcut stock before new sheets
- PDF work plan for hardware store or cutting service
Example from the planner
Sheet 5 from the demo plan (Chest, Desk and Cabinet on MDF 2440 × 1220 mm). Panels are colour-coded per subproject.
Ladenblok zijkant
Bureau
Ladenblok zijkant
Bureau
Bovenblad
Kast
Onderblad
Kast
Vaste plank
Kast
Vaste plank
Kast
Lade bodem
Commode
Lade bodem
Commode
Lade bodem
Commode
Lade bodem
Commode
The full demo plan: 5 sheets, 29 parts, 74.5% utilisation (including kerf).
Plywood cut layout
Enter your panels per subproject: sides, shelves, back panels. Parts with the same thickness can share one sheet, color-coded per project. That way you see whether you need one or two plywood sheets.
From cut plan to workshop
Print the work plan or export a CSV. You get a cut list with dimensions, cut sequence, and optional strip mode for the cutting service.
How Plaatplan works
From material to work plan in four steps.
- 1. Set up your material stockChoose a standard sheet (size, material, grain direction) and set kerf width. Add offcuts you already have if needed.
- 2. Enter subprojects and partsCreate a subproject per project. Enter panels via the table or the L×W×qty name line format.
- 3. Review the cut layoutSee how many standard sheets you need, which offcuts are used, and whether everything fits.
- 4. Export the work planOpen the work plan via Export → Open work plan. Configure under Prepare, review the cut order and export as PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Can panels rotate? What is grain direction?
With MDF and particle board you can usually rotate panels 90°. With visible plywood, lock grain direction so panels do not rotate unexpectedly.
Can I put multiple projects in one plan?
Yes. Each project is a subproject. Parts with the same thickness can share a sheet, colour-coded per project.
Can I take this to the hardware store or cutting service?
Yes. Use Export → Open work plan for the work plan, or What do I need for a purchase overview. See the Print work plan guide.