Make Woodworking Plans with Sketchup

Have you ever wanted to learn how to create woodworking plans using the 3d (CAD) drawing program “Sketchup”? 

Download Sketchup here

I have been using Sketchup to create wood plans, floor plans, project designs for a number of years now.   I recommend the product to anyone and everyone that I think might have a use for the program.  Whether you are working in a scale that is the size of Yankee Stadium or working on a tiny project, Sketchup can scale.  My primary use tends to combine woodworking with my real world application/environment for a project plan.  In fact, just the other day I completed a built in mud room boot bench plan.

Boot bench/hall bench plans (version 1 – in Video)
Boot bench/hall bench plans (version 2 – a little more detail)

Hall bench plan with SketchUp (video)

The ease of use of the program allowed me to take my wife’s project sketch, along with a few inspiration photos, and create a mock up of our existing setup along with options for the new project. Once dimensions were agreed upon, I was able to create my panel layout and cutting list.  With an accurate measurement of your space, you can essentially revisit the room in Sketchup for those measurements that you forgot (Is it just me or everyone?).

Readers of this site, who are new to Sketchup, will probably appreciate a tutorial that demonstrates how to create a woodworking plan in Sketchup.  I also decided to create a plan for an Adirondack Chair which happens to be one of the more popular items on our site.   However, in terms of Sketchup, this plan might be a little more advanced than a simple built in.

Lakesider Adirondack Chair plans

Download the Sketchup plan file

Since the building of this plan was rather in depth, I broke the tutorial down into chunks.  The videos are lengthy, but it should give you some idea of how to build a plan from drawing to finished project in Sketchup.

Enjoy.

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5