What Is The Best Software For Woodworking? 

In this digital age, woodworkers are not limited only to pen and paper for creating designs. There are several software programs that were developed to help woodworkers create beautiful designs. These software programs help create top notch designs which would have been impossible with only pen and paper.They make the designing process a lot cushy and less time consuming.

Your choice of woodworking software determines how good the designs you create are. There are so many woodworking software and choosing the best ones can be difficult, especially if you’re a beginner. Good design software is easy to use. Also, it should suit your budget. In this article, we share with you the best software for woodworking.

What to consider when choosing software for woodworking

When choosing software for a woodworking project, you must choose the right software for your requirements. For example, depending on the design you want to create, you can choose software with 2D or 3D modeling. You also need to consider the cost of the software when picking the software for your project.

Below we look at the several considerations you need to make when picking the ideal software for woodworking.

Study basic software requirements

It’s important to consider the basic requirements of the design software you choose. Software may require your device to have some size of memory space or a specific processing speed for you to be able to use it.

Another software can be compatible with any other remote device while others may not. Without the basic software requirements, your chosen software may not work.

Features for the software

When choosing software for your woodworking project you should know the kind of features it has. More features in the software may mean a steeper learning curve.  This can be difficult especially if you’re an absolute beginner. However, once you get familiar with using such software, it will get easier.

Some softwares have many features. You should choose software with features that benefit your woodworking project.

The design software you choose should be budget friendly

The design software you choose must suit your budget. You don’t want to opt for software that strains your budget. There are free woodworking softwares as well as others that require you to pay a fee for you to use them.

Examples of handy software for a tight budget are sketched up and fusion 360. Some software can be premium but a lot rewarding.

Consider whether the software offers 2D or 3D modeling

The type of design you make determines whether you’ll need a 2D or 3D modeling facility. The good thing is that there are softwares that use both 2D and 3D modeling. Most beginners prefer to start with 2D modeling then shift to 3D modeling.

Perhaps, you want a software to create very simple designs, then general design software comes in handy. If you need 3D modeling you should opt for a software program that offers the 3D facility.

The Woodworking design software should be easy to use

It’s important to choose a woodworking design software that is easy to use. The software you choose may come with the necessary training you need to be able to use it. If you’re a beginner, software with a simple interface is a good choice. You don’t want to deal with complicated stuff when you are an absolute beginner.

The five best software for woodworking.

1. Sketch up

Specifically made for woodcrafters, Sketchup is one of the most popular software for woodworking. The good thing about Sketchup is that it’s pretty easy to use. This software is beginner friendly.

Sketchup offers both 2D and 3D modeling. This means that if you don’t want to begin with a 3D software application, you can opt to start with 2D sketch making. You can convert the 2D sketch to 3D designs later. What makes this software the ideal tool for your design project is that it features a lot of drawing tools which can help you create great designs.

2. EZ Wood Project Designer

The EZ Wood Project Designer is one of the best woodworking software ever. The software is especially handy if you’re a beginner because it’s easy to understand and use.

What makes this software outstanding is that you don’t need any experience in design software to be able to use it.  The good thing is that the software is an everything in one package. Whether you’re making a 2D sketch first which you will turn to a 3D design, this software works magic.

Pros

• It’s an everything in one package.
• The software is easy to understand and use.
• Beginner friendly software which you can use with no experience in design software.
• Ideal for both 2D and 3D designing.

Cons

• Not the best software for commercial builders.
• There are no up to date features.

3. Pro 100

Another great software for woodworking is Pro100. It’s the ideal software for both interior designers and woodworkers. What makes Pro100 outstanding is that it enables you to envision your ideas. This helps your planning of the design to come out good. Furthermore, the software can do both 2D and 3D design. If you want to build detailed designs, this software is the way to go.

There are many video tutorials on the internet on how to use the software. The software requires you to pay a fee for you to use it. However, it features a budget estimation tool that helps you know the cost of the design you’ll be building.

Pros

• The software is user friendly.
• It is suitable for Gcode generation for CNC machines.
• It has a budget estimation tool that helps you know the cost of the designs you’ll be creating.
• The software is beginner friendly.

Cons

• The software is expensive.
• The software has a limited number of features.

4. Fusion 360

Fusion 360 is another top rated software for woodworking that is highly suitable for both pro grade woodworkers and any other people who are passionate about woodworking. The good thing about fusion 360 is that it’s easy to use. This means that even if you have no experience in using this software, you can use it easily.

Fusion 360 is one of those design software that include both 2D and 3D features which enables you to get the most out of it. The app comes free of charge which makes it the ideal app for those working on a tight budget.

Pros

• The software is suitable for both beginners and expert woodworkers.
• The software is user friendly.
• The software is dynamic because it has both 2D and 3D features.
• You don’t need any professional expertise for you to be able to use this software.

Cons

• The software has a free option for independent design projects.

5. Auto CAD

Auto CAD is another handy tool for your woodworking projects. If you want to frame your design plans, Auto CAD is a great choice of software. The good thing about Auto CAD is that it’s easy to use. It features both 2D and 3D facilities.

This software is ideal for both beginners and expert woodworkers. What makes this software outstanding is that it has many features that make your woodworking experience great. These features include a MEP toolset and a raster design toolset. Auto CAD  is compatible with a great range of devices besides your computer.

Pros

• The software features many useful tools which make woodworking easy.
• The software is compatible with a lot of devices.
• The software is easy to use.

Cons

• The software is a bit expensive
• Absolute beginners can’t learn much if they start by using this software.

Our Top Pick

Sketchup is the best pick from the aforementioned software for woodworking. The software is great as it enables users to get the most out of it. Because of its high popularity, the software has many contributed elements. This makes the software ideal for absolute beginners. This software program is the way to go if you want to create detailed designs. It’s one of those softwares that meet user requirements.

Sketchup is the real deal and if you’ve never used it for your projects, why not check it out! You’ll be amazed by how functional the software is.

To Wrap Up

Picking the right design software for your design project is rewarding. The above mentioned softwares are the best ever software for woodworking. With the above mentioned software, you can create great designs easily, without straining your budget. From the five mentioned software, our best pick is Sketchup. Good luck choosing the perfect software for your design requirements.