No need to know the vocabulary first
A few words, explained
- Kerf
- The width of material removed by a cut.
- Stock
- The wood or other material you start with.
- Joinery
- The methods used to connect pieces of wood.
- Cut list
- A list of the pieces you need, with their sizes and quantities.
Measure the kerf you actually cut
Use the blade specification or make a test kerf in scrap and measure it. Nominal blade labels, tooth set, material, and saw setup can differ from the material removed in the actual cut.
Add kerf between parts, not after the fact
Place the kerf allowance between adjacent components in the layout. A part can be exactly the right finished size on paper and still come up short if the blade loss is not included.
Keep trim and kerf separate
Kerf is material turned into sawdust. Trim allowance is extra stock left so a part can be squared, jointed, or brought to final size. Both belong in a reliable cut list.
Shop 101
Allow for kerf in a metric cut list
Check that all parts fit after cutting loss and trim are included.
- Choose a small batch of parts from one stock size.
- Mark every separating cut and include the actual kerf or cutter path.
- Add a trim allowance, then compare the required stock with the available stock.
Try it with your own numbers
Common questions
How do I calculate saw kerf in mm?
Measure or confirm the blade kerf in millimeters, then multiply by the cuts that separate parts in the layout. Add it between parts before you buy or cut stock.
What is a typical thin kerf saw blade in mm?
Blade kerf varies by blade and saw. Use the actual blade specification or a measured test cut instead of relying on a generic value.
Is kerf the same as cut width?
For cut-list planning, kerf is the width of material removed by the blade—the gap the cut leaves behind.