Cabinet Variant Sheet

What it is for

When you plan a bookcase or an open shelf for a niche, the first question is rarely "how do I build it?" but "which size?". Two widths, three heights, a different shelf count: each combination changes how much board you buy and how much room each compartment has. This tool draws up to five widths × five heights as a sheet of simple open-shelf carcasses at the same scale, lists panel area and clear compartment height for each, and builds the selected variant with the real Kerfwise cabinet engine, including a part list and a native project file.

The variants are concept sketches: two sides, top, bottom and evenly spaced fixed shelves, no back, no doors, no edging and simple butt joints. The tool does not check load capacity, wall anchoring or anti-tip safety. Open the project in Kerfwise for that.

Worked example

The default compares widths 400, 600 and 800 mm with heights 600, 900 and 1200 mm at 300 mm depth, 18 mm panels and 2 shelves. Variant 1 (400 × 600 × 300 mm) needs 0.797 m² of panel and leaves 176 mm clear height per compartment. That is enough for paperbacks but not for folders.

A taller bookcase for a hallway niche: Widths "500, 700", Heights "1800, 2000", Depth 350 mm, Panel thickness 19 mm, Whole shelf count 4 and Selected variant number 2. The result: "4 variants; selected 2." Variant 2 is 700 × 1800 × 350 mm with 2.65 m² of panel and a Clear compartment height of 337.2 mm: six horizontal panels of 19 mm take 114 mm, and the remaining 1686 mm are split into five compartments. The 2000 mm variants give 377.2 mm per compartment for an extra 0.14 m² of board. The generated parts are two sides of 1800 × 350 × 19 mm and six horizontal panels (bottom, top and four fixed shelves) of 662 × 350 × 19 mm, because the shelves sit between the sides: 700 − 2 × 19 = 662.

How to read the result

• The sheet draws every variant at a common scale; the selected one has a blue background. Click a variant or pick it under Shelf variant, then Apply variant to rebuild parts and project.
• Selected variant lists Variant number, dimensions, Valid geometry, Panel area (m²) and Clear compartment height (mm).
• Generated parts is the cut list for that variant: name, length, width and thickness in millimetres.
• shelf-variant.kerfwise.json is a native Kerfwise project of the selected variant, ready to refine.

Tips and common mistakes

• Variants are numbered row by row: all widths of the first height, then all widths of the next. With two widths, variant 3 is the first width at the second height.
• Measure the tallest item first. If folders are 320 mm high, you need more than 320 mm of clear height, plus room for your hand.
• Panel area is the sum of part faces, not the board you buy. Add offcuts and saw kerf when you order sheets.
• Thickness changes inner widths: the same 700 mm unit has 664 mm shelves with 18 mm board and 662 mm with 19 mm.
• Wide spans sag. Before choosing an 800 mm shelf, check deflection and fixings in Kerfwise.

FAQ

Can I add a back panel or doors?

Not here. Open the exported project in Kerfwise and add a back, doors, edging and joinery there.

Why does a variant show as invalid?

The geometry must leave positive inner widths and compartment heights. Very thick panels or too many shelves in a low unit fail that test.

Does the material price matter?

The project uses a custom material with a zero price. Set real material and prices in Kerfwise.

How many combinations can I compare?

Up to five widths and five heights, so at most 25 variants.