Worked example · Free CSV

Paired Shaker Door Cut List: Overlay, Rails and Panels

Start with the cabinet opening, then work outward to the finished doors and inward to the joints. This equal-pair example uses a 30 × 24 inch opening, 1/2-inch overlay and a 1/8-inch center gap. Its cut list keeps four stiles, four rails and two center panels in separate frame and panel groups.

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Two 15 7/16 × 25 in finished doors

10/10finished pieces placed

2material groups

2separate material layouts

1/8 inblade kerf

Before changing a number

What this example includes

All dimensions are finished sizes in inches. Keep the part dimensions separate from blade loss and stock-edge trimming.

Opening and overlay: 30 × 24 in measured opening; 1/2 in overlay at the outside edges and a 1/8 in gap between the equal doors.
Frame: 2 1/4 in wide rails and stiles; 3/8 in engagement at each rail end, matching the entered groove-depth model.
Panel allowance: 1/8 in total deduction on each panel axis. This is an example allowance, not a universal expansion rule.
Specify separately: Frame and panel thickness, actual router profile, hinge boring, finish, hardware and material-specific movement allowance.

01 · Trace the dimensions

Apply the center gap once across the pair

Two outside overlays add one inch to the 30-inch opening. Subtract the single center gap before dividing by two: each door finishes at 15 7/16 inches wide. The door height is the 24-inch opening plus the top and bottom overlays, or 25 inches.

Overlay is a hardware and cabinet-construction choice. Confirm it against the hinges, neighboring fronts and actual opening before using this sample. Inset and unequal doors need different dimensions.

each door width = (30 + 2 × 0.5 − 0.125) ÷ 2 = 15.4375 indoor height = 24 + 2 × 0.5 = 25 inassembled pair = 15.4375 + 0.125 + 15.4375 = 31 in

02 · Trace the dimensions

The rail length includes its two tongues

A rail's visible span is the door width minus two stile widths. Add the engagement at both ends to get its finished blank length. With the sample 3/8-inch engagement, each rail is 11 11/16 inches long; simply cutting the visible span would leave it short.

The calculator uses the entered groove depth for both rail engagement and panel entry. Match that number to the actual cope-and-stick profile and make a test joint before batching the frame. Frame thickness is not inferred by the calculator.

rail length = 15.4375 − (2 × 2.25) + (2 × 0.375) = 11.6875 inrail quantity = 2 doors × 2 rails = 4

03 · Trace the dimensions

Deduct the panel allowance from the groove-to-groove size

The groove-to-groove width equals the rail blank length in this model. Deduct 1/8 inch total to produce an 11 9/16-inch panel width. The height is the door height minus two rail widths, plus two groove depths, minus the same total allowance: 21 1/8 inches.

A total 1/8-inch deduction gives 1/16 inch at each side when centered; it does not mean 1/8 inch at every edge. Select the real allowance for the panel material, grain and expected movement. The example does not establish panel thickness or compatibility with a particular groove.

panel width = 11.6875 − 0.125 = 11.5625 inpanel height = 25 − 4.5 + 0.75 − 0.125 = 21.125 inpieces = 4 stiles + 4 rails + 2 panels = 10

The downloadable list

Every finished part, counted once

The CSV contains the same dimensions, quantities and material groups shown here. Locked rows retain the entered length along the sheet length; check the actual face grain before cutting.

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Finished parts in inches for Paired overlay Shaker doors
Key	Part	Width	Length	Qty	Rotation	Material / note
1	Door stile	2 1/4 in	25 in	4	Axes locked	Frame stockFull finished door height.
2	Door rail	2 1/4 in	11 11/16 in	4	Allowed	Frame stockBetween stiles plus two profile tongues.
3	Center panel	11 9/16 in	21 1/8 in	2	Axes locked	Panel stockSized into grooves with the entered expansion gap.

Download these finished parts as CSV →Use the blank Excel workbook for your own design →

Measured stock, explicit allowances

See how the rectangles fit

48 × 96 in stock; 1/8 in kerf; 1/4 in trim on every edge. Usable stock is 47 1/2 × 95 1/2 in. The layouts are best-found estimates, not a cutting sequence or proof of the fewest possible sheets.

Frame stock and panel stock stay separate. The sheet layouts are rectangle-placement examples: they do not specify frame or panel thickness. Stiles and panels stay length-aligned, while this generator allows rail rotation. For directional hardwood frame stock, use the board optimizer for the four 25-inch stiles and four 11 11/16-inch rails, or lock the rails before using a sheet layout.

Two layouts are not a two-sheet shopping list. Frame and panel material are different stock groups; choose their actual sizes, thicknesses and grain rules before estimating a purchase. Use the board optimizer for solid-lumber frame lengths.

Frame stock

1 sheet layout · 7.2% finished-part area / full stock area

Sheet 1: 8 pieces. Dashed border marks the trimmed bounds; beige is unallocated stock.

1Door stile × 4
2Door rail × 4

Edit this material layout →

Panel stock

1 sheet layout · 10.6% finished-part area / full stock area

Sheet 1: 2 pieces. Dashed border marks the trimmed bounds; beige is unallocated stock.

3Center panel × 2

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Stock price is not estimated here. The prefilled calculator starts its price at 0; enter your supplier’s price to estimate cost. The CSV contains finished parts; set kerf and trim separately when importing it.

Adjust dimensions and regenerate the list →

Before buying or cutting

Turn the example into your project

Confirm overlay, center gap and hinge compatibility on the cabinet.
Match the entered engagement to the real cutter profile and test joint.
Specify frame and panel thickness and a suitable movement allowance.
Set grain restrictions before purchasing frame stock or cutting visible parts.

References for the decisions behind the dimensions

The arithmetic and layouts above are SawNest examples. These references help you check site measurements, stock and joinery; they are not reports of a SawNest build test.

Rockler: Shaker cabinet door constructionCheck the matching rail-and-stile profile and make test cuts for the chosen joint.
Rockler: rail and panel sizingRail length includes both groove engagements; panel movement depends on the material and conditions.

Finished lists with the arithmetic shown

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See the dimensions, material groups and stock allowances before changing the example. Each page includes a free CSV and an editable calculator preset.

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