Workbench Plywood Cut List (60 x 30 Inch Top)

A worked example for a 60 x 30 inch workbench top laminated from two layers of 3/4 inch plywood, plus a lower shelf.

The workbench

A thick plywood top gives a flat, stable work surface. Here the top is two layers of 3/4 inch plywood glued together, finishing at 1 1/2 inches thick, each layer 60 inches long and 30 inches wide. The lower shelf is 56 1/2 inches by 24 inches, sized to sit between and on cleats attached to the leg frame. The frame itself is typically solid lumber and is not included here.

Cut list

Part	Qty	Length (grain)	Width	Material
Top layer	2	60	30	3/4 inch ply
Lower shelf	1	56 1/2	24	3/4 inch ply

For the lamination, cut both layers a little oversize if you expect slippage when clamping, then trim the finished top to final size with a flush-trim bit or a straightedge and circular saw.

How many sheets?

With 96 × 48 inch sheets, a 1/8 inch kerf and no trim, the Kitebyte solver needs three sheets for this list: each 60 × 30 inch top layer is on its own sheet, and the 56 1/2 × 24 inch shelf does not fit in the leftover strips (an 18 inch strip and a 36 × 48 inch block remain beside each layer, and the shelf needs 24 inches in both directions).

Two sheets are enough if the shelf is 17 1/2 inches deep instead. The solver then puts one top layer and the shelf on the first sheet (the shelf fits in the 18 inch strip, 30 1/8 inches from the edge) and the second layer on the second sheet, with about 50 percent waste overall. If a 17 1/2 inch shelf is deep enough for your use, that saves a full sheet. The remaining offcuts, 36 × 48 inches each, make good cleats or jigs.

Grain notes

Lay the face grain of both top layers along the 60 inch length; this is the default orientation in the optimizer, and lock the grain on the layer rows if you want it enforced.
Laminating with both layers running the same way keeps the top flat; mismatched grain directions can be used deliberately, but the top should be balanced.
The lower shelf is hidden structure, so rotation is usually fine.

Using the optimizer

The link below opens the three-sheet version; the 17 1/2 inch variant is linked after it.

Open this project in the optimizer