Simple CAD App - Advice Please

Hi All,

We moved a year ago and left behind a lovely 14 x 8 wooden workshop that looked good, worked well and cost very little, which might explain why the supplier has ceased trading.

I have decided to make my own workshop this time and was wondering if anyone could recommend a very simple and free CAD package that would allow me to do the basic frame layout etc.

Many thanks, Nick

Open Office Draw

Hi Nick,

You could always use "Libre Office" and the drawing part.

Hi Nick,

My son's brother-in-law is a chippy and builds "Summer Houses" and "Garden Offices" as a speciality business. Apart from agreeing the overall dimensions of the building there are no highly detailed plans involved that I'm aware of - he basically seems to work off the materials involved to figure out a construction 'unit' - allows for openings - and then just makes the required 'units' for each wall. He's got a rough sketch and works out a detailed materials list but it's not anything like an architectural drawing.

As someone asked me here recently - are you sure you're not over-thinking this?

Regards,

IanT

I am a satisfied user of QCAD Community Edition.

Whatever package you choose will need some time to learn so a pencil and paper might be a better option for just one job. On the other hand if you think your newly acquired CAD skills willl be used for other jobs in future then go for it.

Thank you everyone for your advice and yes Ian I have been accused of over thinking things in the past!

I am not good with numbers and I am what I call ‘numerically dyslexic’ - measure it twice and cut it wrong once. I wanted to draw a plan up partly to overcome the number business and also be able to work the materials out more easily and have the flexibility to make changes.

Thank you all again, I will keep you posted on progress. Nick.

FreeCad has an architectural section but I find CAD too detailed as it wants things to mm accuracy whereas in designing a shed you just want to slap a 2x4 in the general area of where it should go and cut off a bit later if too long.

Libre Office Draw and Open Office Draw are very similar, have the same heritage.