What is cutting waste?

Cutting waste is the part of the material that is lost because you cannot use all of it when cutting to size. Think of offcuts of tiles, laminate, plasterboard, joists or pipes. In an estimate, cutting waste is usually included as a percentage on top of the net quantity required: the waste percentage. In Dutch it is called versnit, a word derived from the verb for cutting.

How do you calculate with cutting waste?

1. Calculate the net quantity: the area or length you need exactly.
2. Add the waste percentage.
3. Round up to whole packs or standard lengths.

Example: for 20 m² of floor with 10% waste, you order 22 m², rounded to the minimum number of packs needed for that.

What determines how much cutting waste you have?

• Laying pattern: laying straight gives little waste, diagonally or in herringbone clearly more.
• Shape of the room: many corners, niches and pipe penetrations create more waste.
• Size of the material: large tiles or boards give relatively more offcut loss in a small room.
• Standard lengths: pipes, joists and mouldings are sold in fixed lengths. If you cannot use the leftover lengths, they are waste.
• Experience: test pieces and miscut parts count too.

Tips to reduce cutting waste

• Make a laying plan or cutting list before you order, especially for sheet materials. That shows which offcuts you can use elsewhere.
• Start the next row with offcuts with laminate and boards, as long as the joints are staggered enough.
• Order from one batch: with tiles and natural stone, the colour can vary per production batch. So it is better to buy slightly too much at once than to reorder later.
• Keep a few pieces afterwards for repairs.

Second meaning

The Dutch word also refers to a blend of different kinds into one new product, often to weaken the main kind or make it cheaper.

Related terms

• Specification
• Construction costs
• Laminate
• Tiling
• Masonry offset

Want to learn more about construction terms? Visit our knowledge base at fredsdiyplans.com.