Trade toolkit · Materials
Work out how many lengths to buy and how to cut them. Type the stock lengths you can get — 2×4 and CLS, battens, skirting, architrave, plinth, pipe or bar — and the pieces you need. The calculator finds the plan that wastes least, or costs least, with every cut marked for the saw.
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How to use it
Enter the lengths the material comes in, or tap a preset: 2.4 to 4.8 m timber, 6 m bars, or 8 to 16 ft. Leave the quantity empty if you can buy as many as you need, or put in what you have on the rack. Give each length a price and the calculator can plan for the lowest cost instead of the least waste.
Type each length and how many, then press Enter for the next row. Or paste a list such as 2400 x 6 Stud and 450 x 12 Noggin, or copy rows straight from Excel. Work in millimetres, metres, inches or feet and inches.
Set your blade's kerf (3 mm is typical for a mitre saw), any trim to square up rough ends, and the shortest offcut worth keeping. The plan updates as you type: what to buy, every length drawn to scale with where each piece starts, the offcuts to keep and the waste. Print it for the saw, download it as a spreadsheet or copy a link to share it.
Questions
Adding up the metres is not enough, because you cannot join every offcut. The calculator fits your actual cuts into the stock lengths, so you buy enough to cut every piece in one go.
The width of wood the blade turns to dust at every cut, usually 2 to 4 mm. Two 1500 mm pieces will not come out of a 3000 mm length once the cut is allowed for. The calculator allows for it on every cut, and for a trim at each end if you square up rough ends.
Least waste uses the least material. When longer lengths are cheaper per metre, Lowest cost may buy a little more timber for less money. Give every stock length a price to use it.
Anything sold in lengths: 2x4 and CLS studwork, battens, skirting and architrave, plinth, worktop edging, pipe, steel or aluminium bar. For Gola, J-pull and LED profile, our aluminium profile calculator already knows the bar lengths.
A running metre (or linear metre) is one metre of length, whatever the width or thickness. Skirting, architrave, liner bar and battens are priced and ordered by the running metre or by the length.
Yes. For sheet materials, send us your cutting list and we cut and edge-band every part on our CNC and edge bander. See our cut and edge service.
More trade tools
Carpentry
Studs at 400 or 600 centres, plates, noggins, openings, timber lengths, plasterboard, screws and insulation.
Materials
Nest your panels on full boards: sheet count, edging metres and usable offcuts, then send us the job to cut.
Kitchens
How many bars of Gola, J-pull or LED profile you need, with a cutting plan you can print for the saw.
Sheet materials too?
We cut and edge panels to your list in 5 working days. Collect from Long Eaton or we deliver across the East Midlands. Email info@dtjinteriors.co.uk, call 0115 784 8231 or WhatsApp 07956 032306.
DTJ Interiors Ltd
Unit 5 Atlas Mills, Birchwood Avenue
Long Eaton, NG10 3ND
Workshop and collection
Monday to Friday, 8am to 4:30pm
Delivery across the East Midlands for £99 + VAT, and further afield priced per job.
DTJ Interiors Limited · Company no. 15242186 · VAT GB460641310
Registered office: The Mills, Canal Street, Derby DE1 2RJ
Every DTJ cabinet comes with a 5-year guarantee. How it works · FAQs · Samples · Terms of sale
