How to Create a Cut List from SketchUp (2026 Guide)

A cut list is the parts bill you take to the saw: every panel or stick with finished size, quantity, and material. SketchUp is excellent for designing cabinets, furniture, and built-ins in 3D, but it does not generate a production-ready cut list or nested cutting layout on its own.

You can stay inside SketchUp with OpenCutList, export a Collada (.DAE) model into Cutlistor, or skip the model entirely and upload a PDF or screenshot. Hobbyists often start with OpenCutList or a quick screenshot. Cabinet makers and production shops usually want full sheet and linear optimization, printable cutting diagrams, and material cost estimates, which is where Cutlistor fits after the model is ready.

A SketchUp cut list is the same workshop document you would build by hand, except the dimensions come from your 3D model. When someone searches for a SketchUp cut list or a cut list from SketchUp, they want a clean parts table they can cut from, not just a pretty perspective view.

A reliable list usually includes:

• Part dimensions (length × width, plus thickness when it matters)
• Materials (for example birch plywood 18 mm, MDF, melamine, oak)
• Quantities for each unique size
• Grain direction when face appearance or strength matters
• Edge banding notes when finishes affect finished size or buyouts

That table is only the start. Once parts are listed, you still need to nest them on real sheet sizes or stock lengths so you know how many sheets or sticks to buy. For a deeper breakdown of columns and workflows, see our guide on how to make a cut list.

• Accurate material estimates before you order plywood, MDF, or lumber
• Faster production because every part size is decided before cutting starts
• Fewer mistakes from missing panels, wrong quantities, or mixed materials
• Clearer project planning for cabinets, closets, and furniture runs
• Material optimization when the list feeds a nesting engine
• Less waste on expensive sheet goods and hardwood

If your next step is nesting parts on sheets or sticks, start with the how to use a cut list optimizer walkthrough, then open the free sheet tool for plywood and panels.

OpenCutList is a free SketchUp extension built for woodworking. It is popular with DIYers and cabinet makers who already design every part as a component inside SketchUp and want a parts report without leaving the model.

Instead of configuring every nesting rule only inside SketchUp, Cutlistor can import your 3D model and automatically generate cut lists plus optimized cutting layouts. Export once as Collada (.DAE), upload, and let the optimizer group parts, nest sheets, and estimate material.

After you upload the .DAE file, Cutlistor reads the assembly and builds a production-ready workflow from the components you prepared.

• Reads every component
• Detects quantities
• Detects dimensions
• Groups parts by material
• Creates the cut list
• Optimizes sheet layouts
• Optimizes linear materials
• Estimates material requirements

Many shops never open SketchUp for every job. If you already have plans, Cutlistor AI can extract parts from uploaded drawings so you still get a cut list and optimized layouts.

Upload cabinet plans, workshop drawings, furniture drawings, or construction PDFs. Review the extracted sizes against critical field measurements, then nest the list the same way you would after a model import.

For quick jobs, upload a SketchUp screenshot, cabinet drawing, hand sketch, dimensioned drawing, or photo of plans. The AI identifies parts and generates a cut list you can edit before optimization.

This path is ideal when you need speed more than a perfect CAD export. Always verify hinge-critical and reveal-critical sizes before you cut expensive face material.

Choose OpenCutList if you want to stay inside SketchUp and generate a parts list from components you already modeled. Choose Cutlistor if you need kerf-aware sheet and linear nesting, edge banding and lamination on the cut list, AI plan import when you do not have a model, and workshop-ready cutting diagrams after the list is built.

Many shops use both: OpenCutList for a quick in-model check, then Cutlistor for final optimization and PDF handoff.

Plywood is expensive. MDF prices continue to rise. Hardwood and prefinished melamine cost even more. Material waste directly reduces profit on cabinetry and furniture work.

Generating a cut list is only the first step. Optimizing how those parts are cut from sheet goods or stock lengths is where the biggest savings happen. A perfect SketchUp model still wastes money if panels are laid out by eye.

For practical waste-reduction tactics, read the material optimization guide and compare sheet nesting with stick cutting in our sheet vs linear guide.

• SketchUp model
• Cut list
• Material grouping
• Optimization
• Cutting diagrams
• Workshop production

Keep sheet goods and linear stock in separate optimization passes. Cabinet carcass plywood belongs in the sheet optimizer. Face-frame lumber, trim, pipe, and aluminium extrusion belong in the linear tool.

• Optimize plywood sheets
• Optimize MDF
• Optimize melamine
• Optimize lumber
• Optimize aluminum extrusions
• Reuse offcuts
• Calculate required sheets
• Estimate material costs
• Generate printable cutting layouts
• Export production reports

Most bad imports are modeling habits, not software bugs. Fix these before you export Collada.

Whether you are designing cabinets, furniture, closets, or built-ins in SketchUp, Cutlistor makes it easy to go from design to production. Import your SketchUp model as a Collada (.DAE) file, or simply upload a PDF or screenshot, and Cutlistor will generate your cut list, optimize your sheet layouts or linear materials, and produce workshop-ready cutting diagrams in minutes.

With Cutlistor you can:

• Import SketchUp 3D models (.DAE)
• Import PDFs and screenshots with AI
• Generate cut lists automatically
• Optimize plywood, MDF, melamine, and lumber
• Optimize aluminum extrusions and other linear materials
• Reuse offcuts to reduce waste
• Calculate material requirements and costs
• Print professional cutting layouts