Lay out Your Shop

• 1). Measure the space where your shop will be located and draw it to scale on a large piece of paper.
  
  
• 2). Determine the sizes and shapes of the furniture that you want to build for your workshop. Draw these on another piece of paper, to the same scale as the first drawing, and cut them out with a pair of scissors.
  
  
• 3). Move the furniture drawings around on the scale drawing of the room to determine the best layout for your shop furniture. Modify the shapes and sizes of the furniture if necessary to make them fit into your shop. Remember to provide adequate room between tools and furniture for traffic and materials.
  
  

Design Your Furniture

• 1). Make scale drawings of the benches, shelves and cabinets that you are planning to build, using the dimensions that you determined were best in Section 1. Make two drawings for each piece of furniture, one showing it from the front and one from the side.
  
  
• 2). Draw all parts of the furniture to scale, and include all details such as shelves and drawers. Write the dimensions of all parts onto the drawing as you are designing it.
  
  
• 3). Use the drawing to create a parts list for each piece of furniture. Make a list that includes the number of parts; the height, width and depth of each part; and the necessary materials. For example, an item from a parts list for a bench might read something like, "4 legs: 3 inches by 3 inches by 27 inches, maple." Being organized and keeping everything clear on paper can save time and prevent mistakes.