Turn a raised bed idea into a cut list.

Enter the finished bed size and the timber you can buy to estimate courses, individual cuts, stock boards, posts, screws and likely offcut.

Bed length (m)Bed width (m)Target height (cm)Board face width (cm)Stock board length (m)Number of bedsSaw kerf (mm)Post below bed (cm)

BOARD COURSES240 cm nominal wall coverage

STOCK BOARDS62.4 m stock · greedy cut estimate

TOTAL CUT LENGTH12.0 mbefore saw kerf and offcuts

CORNER POSTS450 cm each

CUT LIST4 × 2.00 m sides4 × 1.00 m ends

ALLOWANCES≈ 37 exterior screws≈ 2.38 m total offcut

Show stock-board cutting breakdown

Board 1Side 2.00 m0.40 m estimated offcut

Board 2Side 2.00 m0.40 m estimated offcut

Board 3Side 2.00 m0.40 m estimated offcut

Board 4Side 2.00 m0.40 m estimated offcut

Board 5End 1.00 m + End 1.00 m0.39 m estimated offcut

Board 6End 1.00 m + End 1.00 m0.39 m estimated offcut

This is a material-planning cut list for simple rectangular raised beds with continuous side and end boards. It does not design structural joints, braces or foundations. Very long, tall or heavily loaded beds can need intermediate posts, thicker timber or additional reinforcement.

HOW IT WORKS

Plan the timber before the first cut.

The calculator determines how many horizontal board courses are needed to reach the target bed height, then creates the required side and end pieces for every bed. A simple first-fit cutting routine packs those pieces into the stock-board length you enter and reports the resulting board count and estimated offcut.

The stock-board result is a buying estimate, not a joinery design. If one continuous side is longer than the stock timber, the tool flags it instead of silently assuming a joint. Tall or long beds can also need intermediate posts or bracing beyond the four-corner baseline.