How many 16" × 16" pieces can you cut from a 4×8 sheet?
You can cut 10 pieces of 16" × 16" from one 4×8 sheet (48" × 96") with a 1/8" saw kerf and rotation allowed — 56% of the sheet ends up in parts. Sizes like this are typical for stool seats and small cabinet bottoms.
The layout is a straight grid, 2 across and 5 along the length. Only 56% of the sheet becomes parts. This size leaves a lot of sheet behind: nest it alongside other parts, or tweak the size if the design allows.
Kerf and grain
On paper the sheet holds 18, but that is the no-kerf answer. Three 16" parts add up to exactly the sheet's 48", so there is no room left for even one 1/8" saw cut between them. Cut the parts at 15-7/8" × 15-7/8" instead and you get all 18 back.
Squares don't care about rotation, so grain direction is free: lay every piece with the grain running the 96" length and the count stays at 10.
| Saw kerf | Rotation allowed | Grain-locked (no rotation) |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8" | 10 · 56% | 10 · 56% |
| None (theoretical) | 18 · 100% | 18 · 100% |
How many sheets for a batch?
| Pieces needed | 4×8 sheets | Last sheet |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1 | full |
| 25 | 3 | 5 of 10 — room for 5 more |
| 50 | 5 | full |
Same 1/8" kerf, rotation allowed. A part-filled last sheet is the place to nest drawer bottoms, shelves or anything else from the same material.
FAQ
How many 16x16 pieces can you cut from a 4×8 sheet?
You can cut 10 pieces of 16" × 16" from one 4×8 sheet (48" × 96") with a 1/8" saw kerf and rotation allowed — 56% of the sheet ends up in parts. The layout is a straight grid, 2 across and 5 along the length.
Why only 10 and not 18?
On paper the sheet holds 18, but that is the no-kerf answer. Three 16" parts add up to exactly the sheet's 48", so there is no room left for even one 1/8" saw cut between them. Cut the parts at 15-7/8" × 15-7/8" instead and you get all 18 back.
How many 4×8 sheets do I need for 25 pieces at 16" × 16"?
3 sheets. At 10 per sheet, the last one carries 5 parts, leaving room for 5 more.
How this was worked out
EZNESTING's nesting engine (the same one the optimizer runs, in its default least-waste guillotine mode) was given more 16" × 16" parts than could possibly fit on one 48" × 96" sheet, with a 1/8" kerf between parts and none at the factory edges. The parts it placed are the answer. That count is checked against simple grid layouts in both orientations (best of those: 10), so the page never shows less than a straight grid would give. No edge trim is assumed; if you skim 1/4" off a factory edge, re-run it in the optimizer with trim set.
Nearby sizes
- 18" × 18" from a 4×8 sheet — 10 per sheet
- 20" × 20" from a 4×8 sheet — 8 per sheet
- 12" × 12" from a 4×8 sheet — 21 per sheet
- 24" × 24" from a 4×8 sheet — 3 per sheet
Try any size in the sheet yield calculator, or lay out a full cut list with the plywood cut list optimizer, the 4×8 plywood cut calculator or the nesting optimizer.