Last reviewed

Wardrobe cutting list: a sample and a free blank template

A wardrobe cutting list has one row per part type, with its name, finished size, cut size, quantity, board thickness, edge band and grain direction. Our example is a 3600 mm wardrobe with drawers. It needs 63 boards in 44 rows. The free template below has the same columns and no data, ready for your own job.

Download the blank template (CSV)

Blank CSV, column headers only: no sample data. 240 bytes. Opens in Excel and Google Sheets.

Which row is which board

View
Drawn to proportion. The numbers match the rows in the excerpt. Sizes are in the excerpt only.

Faded parts are not in the excerpt. Rows 1 and 3 are not boards: each names the cabinet or gap strip below it.

  • Box board18 mm, 19.26 m²
  • Door board (shutter)20 mm, 7.91 m²
  • Back board8 mm, 9.03 m²

What every cutting list needs

One part row can call for several identical boards. Check its quantity and seven key fields.

They are the board's name, its finished size, its cut size, how many, the board and its thickness, the edge band, and the grain.

Before cutting, check that the list carries the approved design revision and matches the measured site.

The sample: the first 10 rows

The sample is one wardrobe of 3600 × 2286 × 600 mm. It has 3 cabinets and 2 gap strips (fillers), hinged doors and drawers.

Its full list has 49 rows. Of these, 44 are boards; the other 5 are heading rows, one above each cabinet or gap strip. The cards below show the first 10, in file order.

Rows 1 and 3 are not boards. Each one names the cabinet or gap strip that the rows below it belong to.

Each card is one row. Sizes are in mm: the finished size, then the cut size. Tap to see it bigger.

How to read one row

Take row 4, the left side of the first cabinet. Each cell answers one question for the workshop.

An edge band is the thin strip that covers a board's raw edge. In this example, the saw cuts each banded edge short so the band finishes flush: 1 mm on box board, 2 mm on door board.

A board with no edge band keeps one size: the back wall, row 8, stays 2191 × 1167 mm.

Row 4, cell by cell

Name
Left side
Column PART NAME.
Finished → cut size
2211 × 600 → 2209 × 598 mm
The saw cuts the second size. The edge band brings it to the first. Columns FINLENGTH, FINWIDTH, CUTLEN, CUTWID.
How many
1
Column QUANTITY.
Thickness
18 mm
16 mm plywood with laminate on both faces. Columns THICKNESS, TEXTURE.
Edge band
4 edges
Every edge, so no raw edge shows. Columns EDGE TOP to EDGE RIGHT.
Pattern
must not turn
Grain is the line pattern in the laminate. Here it must run along the board's length. Column GRAIN.

Grain

Grain 1 means the board must not turn: the laminate pattern runs along its length.

boards whose pattern must not turn
20 of 63Sample
The thick line is the edge band. The left side has one on every edge, so its cut size is a little under its finished size.

Edge band in the whole list

Each row says which of its four edges get a band. Row 2, gap strip (filler): band on 1 edge. Row 4, left side: band on 4 edges. Row 8, back wall: no edge band.

The sum of banded edges is a net length; add your workshop allowance and round to the roll size before ordering.

on doors and gap strips
38.00 mSample
on all other boards
135.04 mSample

The blank template

The template is a CSV file with one row: the 28 column headers. It holds no sample data.

Fill one row per part type and quantity, and keep each cabinet's rows together.

It opens in Excel and Google Sheets.

Our template's 28 columns

Every row uses one of 3 board builds.

If you import the file into factory software: write a header row for each block, then that block's boards. Start the first cell with a two-digit build step, like 02_.

Our template's 28 columns, with the value in row 4
ColumnWhat it holds, and its value in row 4
PRODUCTBuild step and block code. A header row opens each block. Row 4: 02_UNIT-02.
PART NAMEThe board, in the workshop's words. Row 4: Left side.
FINLENGTHFinished length, mm. Row 4: 2211.
FINWIDTHFinished width, mm. Row 4: 600.
CUTLENSaw length. It is the finished length less the allowance per banded short edge. Row 4: 2209.
CUTWIDSaw width. It is the finished width less the allowance per banded long edge. Row 4: 598.
QUANTITYHow many of this board the block needs. Row 4: 1.
TEXTUREThe board layers: face, core, back. Row 4: LAM-C+16PLY+LAM-C_18MM.
CATEGORYA factory grouping field, blank in this file. Row 4: empty.
MATERIALThe face material. Row 4: walnut.
THICKNESSBoard thickness, mm. On a header row it holds the block's height. Row 4: 18.
COLORThe face shade. Row 4: walnut.
EDGE TOPBand on the top long edge. Row 4: LAM-C_22*0.8.
EDGE BOTTOMBand on the bottom long edge. Row 4: LAM-C_22*0.8.
EDGE LEFTBand on the left short edge. Row 4: LAM-C_22*0.8.
EDGE RIGHTBand on the right short edge. Row 4: LAM-C_22*0.8.
BARCODE1The inside label text printed for the board. Row 4: Sample wardrobe_UNIT-02_Left side_run-c/UNIT-02/SIDE-L_I__LAM-C+16PLY+LAM-C_18MM.
BARCODE2The assembly label text. Row 4: Sample wardrobe_UNIT-02_Left side_run-c/UNIT-02/SIDE-L_A__LAM-C+16PLY+LAM-C_18MM.
PROJECTThe job every row belongs to. Row 4: Sample wardrobe.
GRAIN1 means the pattern must not turn. Row 4: 1.
PART NUMBERThe board's place in its block. Row 4: run-c/UNIT-02/SIDE-L.
ZAR NOThe job reference on every row. Row 4: WD-SAMPLE.
CODEA factory code field. Row 4: empty.
MODULE CODEThe block the board belongs to. Row 4: UNIT-02.
ROLEWhat the board does in the cabinet. Row 4: side-l.
CONSTRUCTIONWhich of the 3 board builds makes it. Row 4: 18 mm carcass board.
RUNThe wall the cabinet stands on. Row 4: run-a.
NOTEA one-line note for the workshop. Row 4: empty.

Board area per build, whole list

Box board
19.26 m² (207.30 sq ft)
Door board
7.91 m² (85.13 sq ft)
Back board
9.03 m² (97.22 sq ft)
  • Resource

    From wardrobe design to cut list

    How a wardrobe workshop freezes an approved design, handles revisions and checks the resulting cut list before ordering sheets or cutting boards.

  • Tool

    Wardrobe plywood and material calculator

    Enter your wall in feet or mm. Get units, doors, boards, 8 × 4 ft sheets per thickness, edge band and hinges. An 8 ft wardrobe needs about 12 sheets.

  • Resource

    Wardrobe quotation format + blank CSV

    A wardrobe quotation format with real quantities from a 3600 mm design: 87.60 sq ft of front, plus fittings. Rates left blank. Blank CSV (column headers only).

  • Tool

    Cutting list sheet estimator

    Paste a cut list (length × width × how many, up to 40 lines) and get a range of 8 × 4 ft sheets to buy, per board thickness. Area only, no layout.

  • Resource

    What is a wardrobe shop pack?

    The 9 factory documents one approved design produces — cut list, sheets, hardware, saw and drill files, labels, job sheets, fitting guide, sign-off.