Best/Simplest Garage/Shop layout design software (free preferred)

[prone2xl]

Hey guys! Looking for the best layout program.
I’m helping my parents organize their garage and I will likely be moving across country so they will be inheriting my 26” craftsman edge series stack (Midnight Blue) and 41” craftsman roll cabinet. My dad already has a 26” craftsman stack (Red) of his own as well as a Lista cabinet that I scored for him. Trying to lay it all out the best possible way. He also has a harbor freight workbench. It’s a 2 car garage and I don’t have all the measurements and such but just wanna kinda get an idea of how I can help them before we attempt to move all this and end up with a garage worth of


I hear everyone talking about Sketchup and I’m a pretty tech savvy guy but it looked a bit confusing to me (free version).

Thanks in advance.

 

[jarhead]

Sketchup, small learning curve, allot of YouTube videos to get you going fast

Resto-Mod pole barn 24X40

We built this back in 2003 if I recall correctly. The original intent was to raise Holstein calves, store hay, and a tractor. As my daughter got older we raised horses, they grew up, moved away, we went back to calves. Over the years I have enclosed the front, divided off half for working on...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[duneslider]

I have autocad so that is my go to but I think people discount good old graph paper. Super easy to draw the building on graph paper and then cut out graph paper the size of the items you have (toolboxes, cars, workbench,etc) and easily move them around and check position and layout.

If you don't know how to use sketch up I bet you can do a graph paper model before you can get sketch up downloaded and watch one youtube on how to use it.

 

[bdbecker]

NanoCAD has a very good free 2D drafting software. If you have any seat time in AutoCAD, you'll find it to be very familiar.

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[niget2002]

I have friends that use freeCAD for various designs and projects

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[eastbaysubaru]

Sketchup, small learning curve, allot of YouTube videos to get you going fast

Resto-Mod pole barn 24X40

We built this back in 2003 if I recall correctly. The original intent was to raise Holstein calves, store hay, and a tractor. As my daughter got older we raised horses, they grew up, moved away, we went back to calves. Over the years I have enclosed the front, divided off half for working on...

www.garagejournal.com

Sketchup, at least for me, has a larger learning curve than it is made out to be. Not very intuitive IMHO.

I used the Grizzly Industrial Workshop Planner but it's been down for a while now. It was originally recommended to me by someone here.

-Brian

 

[kelpaso1]

Sketchup, at least for me, has a larger learning curve than it is made out to be. Not very intuitive IMHO.

I used the Grizzly Industrial Workshop Planner but it's been down for a while now. It was originally recommended to me by someone here.

-Brian

Ya wonder what is up with that. Some kind of copyright issue?

 

[niget2002]

Sketchup, at least for me, has a larger learning curve than it is made out to be. Not very intuitive IMHO.

I used the Grizzly Industrial Workshop Planner but it's been down for a while now. It was originally recommended to me by someone here.

-Brian

I used to use that too. It worked quite well. I was very sad when it stopped working.

 

[eastbaysubaru]

Ya wonder what is up with that. Some kind of copyright issue?

No idea. Definitely a bummer though.

-Brian