Get an optimized layout for raw particle board panels. The cheapest panel material in the lumber yard rewards careful planning more than any other.
Open the Optimizer →Particle board sells for less than half the price of plywood, so the temptation is to over-buy and not worry about waste. But cheap panels are heavy, awkward to transport, and unforgiving on the saw — you don't want to make extra trips back to the lumber yard for a sheet you didn't have to buy. The same job that uses six sheets cut casually might come in at four or five with five minutes of optimization.
Particle board also can't be re-glued or salvaged when you cut it wrong: it's a one-shot material, no second chances. The optimizer's job is to map every part to a sheet before any blade touches the panel, so you waste minutes of planning instead of dollars of MDF-grade scrap.
| Sheet | mm | inches |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 2440 × 1220 | 96 × 48 |
| Cabinet shop oversize | 2440 × 1525 | 96 × 60 |
| European panel | 2800 × 2070 | 110 × 81 |
| Half-sheet | 1220 × 1220 | 48 × 48 |
Use a fine-tooth blade. 60-tooth ATB blades cut particle board cleanly. A framing blade will tear chunks out of the edges.
Account for sag. Particle board shelves sag under load over long spans. If you're calculating shelf parts, keep them under 30 inches between supports, or thicken to 3/4".
Edge band the visible edges. Raw particle board edges look terrible and absorb moisture. Plan parts slightly oversized if you'll iron-on banding (add 0.5mm per banded edge to the cut size).
Keep offcuts dry. Particle board swells dramatically when wet — a soaked offcut is unusable. Stack remnants flat in a dry spot, on edge if possible.
Don't bother with rotation lockouts. Most particle board has no visible grain and is structurally identical in both axes. Let the optimizer rotate freely — you'll usually save a sheet.
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