How much does it cost to build furniture with a CNC?
The short answer: the plywood is usually the biggest cost, followed by your machine time, finish and hardware. The plan is a small part of the total. Add up each item for your own prices, and you will see what a piece really costs before you cut it.
What goes into the cost of one piece
- Plywood: the number of sheets times the price per sheet. A good nesting layout can save a whole sheet. See nesting on a 4 × 8 sheet.
- Machine time: the cutting time of the job times an hourly rate that covers the machine, power and your own time. In the US, small shops charge roughly $35 to $60 per hour.
- Bits: a sharp bit is cheap compared with a spoiled sheet. Count a small amount per job for wear.
- Finish: oil, varnish or paint, plus sandpaper.
- Hardware: hinges, drawer slides, screws, glue and wall anchors.
- The plan: the cost of the credits you use to download the files.
What CNC shops charge in the US
There is no single official rate. Published pricing guides for 2025 and 2026 give ranges that depend on the kind of shop, the region and the tolerance. Use them as a rough guide, and ask for a quote before you commit.
- Small woodshop or garage CNC: about $35 to $60 per hour. A rate around $45 per hour is typical of this group, and it is the figure we use in the example below.
- Small professional shop: about $50 to $85 per hour, which usually covers the machine, the operator and some design time.
- Larger production or precision shop: about $85 to $120 per hour, and more for tight tolerances or coastal cities.
- Setup and programming: often billed on top, as a one-time charge or a minimum order.
- Per sheet: older shop reports quoted roughly $25 to $45 to cut a simple sheet of parts, but most shops today quote by the job with a minimum charge, because cutting time matters more than the hourly rate.
These ranges come from vendor and industry guides such as the 2026 US CNC machining rate guide and the CNC router pricing guide, and they are not a quote. Prices vary a lot by region and by how busy the shop is.
A worked example at $45 per hour
This example uses an hourly rate of $45 and illustrative material prices. Replace each figure with your own.
- Plywood: 2 sheets at $85 each = $170.00
- Machine time: 1.5 hours at $45 per hour = $67.50
- Bits and consumables: $5.00
- Finish and sandpaper: $20.00
- Hardware and glue: $15.00
- Total: $277.50, plus the plan.
If the layout needed three sheets instead of two, the plywood line would go up by $85, and the cutting time would grow too. Every extra hour of machine time costs $45 in this example, so a tighter layout and a clean first cut save real money. If you cut the parts yourself, the same maths tells you when it is cheaper to have a shop cut them: compare your own cost per hour, including the machine's wear, with the shop's quote.
Where you can save
- Nest the parts on the fewest sheets, and rotate parts if the grain does not matter.
- Check the fit with a small test, so you do not waste a sheet on a bad clearance. See the fit test generator.
- Buy the plywood for one project in one go, from one batch.
- Keep offcuts for smaller pieces: drawer parts, brackets and test cuts.
Selling what you make
If you build furniture to sell, work out the price from the total above plus your time for sanding, finishing and assembly. Each plan from this site comes with a licence that lets you sell the pieces you make. You may not resell the files themselves.
Frequently asked questions
How much do CNC shops charge per hour in the US?
Published guides give about $35 to $60 per hour for small woodshop or garage CNC routers, $50 to $85 for small professional shops and $85 to $120 or more for larger or precision shops. Ask for a quote, because cutting time and setup charges change the final price.
What is the biggest cost of a CNC furniture project?
Usually the plywood. A layout that saves a whole sheet is worth more than most other savings.
How do I price furniture I want to sell?
Add the plywood, machine time, bits, finish and hardware, then your time for sanding, finishing and assembly, and add your margin on top.
Can I sell furniture made from these plans?
Yes, each plan comes with a licence to sell the pieces you make. You may not resell, share or publish the files themselves.