MOACUTStock size guide
Standard Sheet Sizes: 4 × 8 ft, 1220 × 2440 mm, and Other Presets
A "4 by 8" sheet and a 1220 × 2440 mm panel are often treated as the same thing. They are not, and a single millimetre can change how many sheets a job needs. This guide lists MOACUT's sheet presets with their exact dimensions and shows when the difference matters.
Last updated: October 22, 2026MOACUT sheet presets
The calculator offers five presets. Selecting one fills the Sheet Width and Sheet Height fields; you can edit both fields afterwards. Areas below are the full nominal sheet area that MOACUT uses as the denominator for utilization.
| Preset | Width × height | Sheet area | Where the size is often found |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4×8 Sheet | 1219 × 2438 mm | 2.972 m² | Sheet goods sold in feet, such as North American plywood and many metal sheets |
| 3×6 Sheet | 914 × 1829 mm | 1.672 m² | Smaller sheets, for example some acrylic and sheet-metal stock |
| Metric Panel | 1220 × 2440 mm | 2.977 m² | Panels sold in metric sizes, including many plywood and MDF products |
| Metric Panel | 1250 × 2500 mm | 3.125 m² | Metric sheet metal and some board products |
| Metric Panel | 1500 × 3000 mm | 4.500 m² | Larger metric sheets, common in sheet metal |
The last column is a general orientation, not a statement about any specific supplier. Availability varies by country, material, and thickness, so confirm the exact size on the quote or the sheet itself.
Imperial sizes converted to millimetres
One foot is exactly 304.8 mm. MOACUT's presets use whole millimetres, so the two imperial presets are rounded:
| Nominal size | Exact conversion | MOACUT preset | Rounding |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft × 8 ft | 1219.2 × 2438.4 mm | 1219 × 2438 mm | Both sides rounded down |
| 3 ft × 6 ft | 914.4 × 1828.8 mm | 914 × 1829 mm | Width rounded down, height rounded up by 0.2 mm |
Rounding of a fraction of a millimetre rarely decides a layout on its own, but it shows why the preset should be treated as a convenient starting value. If your plan relies on parts that exactly fill a sheet, use the measured size and an edge margin rather than the nominal one.
The more important point is that a metric 1220 × 2440 mm panel is 0.8 mm wider and 1.6 mm longer than a true 4 × 8 ft sheet. Parts designed around 610 mm or 1220 mm, which are exact halves and wholes of the metric panel, do not divide a 1219 mm sheet the same way.
Worked comparison: 1219 versus 1220 mm
Compared input → sheet 1220 × 2440 mm and sheet 1219 × 2438 mm.
Sixteen 610 × 305 mm parts cover exactly 2,976,800 mm², the full area of a 1220 × 2440 mm panel. A 1219 × 2438 mm sheet is 2,971,922 mm², which is already smaller than the parts' total area, so it cannot hold all sixteen whatever the arrangement.
| Sheet | Area lower bound | MOACUT result | Parts per sheet | Utilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1220 × 2440 mm | 1 | 1 sheet | 16 | 100.0% |
| 1219 × 2438 mm | 2 | 2 sheets | 10 + 6 | 50.1% |
Drawn from the same placement order the calculator uses: original orientation, rotated 90°. No edge margin is used in this example. Percentages are per-sheet utilization.
The example deliberately uses zero kerf and zero margin to isolate the size difference. Real jobs need both, and once a few millimetres of kerf are added, the 1220 mm panel can no longer hold two 610 mm parts side by side either. The lesson is about planning parts around the true stock size, not about cutting without kerf. These figures were produced by entering the inputs above in the MOACUT calculator.
Measure the stock you will actually cut
Nominal sizes are a label. A delivered sheet can be slightly oversize, undersize, out of square, or have edges that must be trimmed before use. Before a tight job:
- Measure the width and length of a representative sheet at more than one point.
- Check whether the factory edges are usable or need a clean-up cut.
- Enter the smallest reliable width and length as the sheet size.
- Enter any trimming, clamping, or damaged-edge allowance as the Edge Margin, which MOACUT subtracts on all four sides.
Using the measured size with an explicit margin makes the layout match what the operator will see on the machine, and it keeps the utilization figures honest.
Choosing between available sizes
When a supplier offers more than one size of the same material, run the same cut list on each and compare the number of sheets, the utilization, and the cost. A larger sheet often reduces the number of sheets but not always the total material bought, as the cost guide shows with a shelving example.
Practical limits matter as much as yield:
- Machine bed: a CNC router, laser, or panel saw must accept the full sheet, including any hold-down area.
- Handling: larger and heavier sheets may need two people or lifting equipment.
- Transport and storage: vehicles and racks may limit the sheet length you can receive.
- Price per sheet: sizes are rarely priced in exact proportion to area.
Entering a custom size
Any width and height can be typed directly into the Sheet Width and Sheet Height fields in millimetres. Use this for offcuts from previous jobs, non-standard panels, or stock that has been pre-cut to fit a machine. If grain or a brushed finish matters, enter the dimension the grain runs along as the sheet height and follow the grain and rotation guide.
What the size field does not cover
MOACUT treats the sheet as a perfect rectangle of the entered size. It does not model out-of-square sheets, defects, knots, or irregular offcut shapes, and it calculates each job with a single sheet size. Stock that varies from sheet to sheet, or a mix of full sheets and offcuts, must be planned as separate runs.