Relocating a Carpentry Workshop: Machines, Timber and Offcuts

Sawdust is on everything. The planer sits under a tarpaulin, three wardrobes wait for varnish, and a stack of mahogany boards leans against the wall because there was never a proper rack. The landlord wants the shed back, and you have a week to find a new place and move a workshop that has been growing for years.

A carpentry workshop is heavy, dusty and full of long things. Plan the move around those three facts and most of the trouble goes away.

Start with the unfinished work

Finish or hand over what you can. A half-built bed frame travels badly, because glued joints and fresh varnish do not like a truck bed. If a job cannot be finished, take the pieces apart where the design allows, and tag each part with the customer's name and a number.

Keep finished furniture for a separate trip or at least a separate corner of the load, wrapped in old blankets or foam. Our guide on padding and protecting furniture on the truck shows how drivers do it.

Machines: planers, saws and sanders

Your machines are the business. Treat them accordingly.

1. Unplug and disconnect every machine. Take photos of the wiring and the pulley belts before you touch anything.
2. Remove blades, cutters and saw discs and wrap them separately in thick cloth or cardboard. Put them in a labelled box.
3. Lock or remove moving tables and fences, and tie loose cables.
4. Strap each machine to a pallet or a thick board so it can be lifted with a trolley or a crew, not dragged.

A thicknesser or table saw can be much heavier than it looks. Do not guess. Use enough people, lift with a plan and keep fingers out from under the base. Our post on lifting heavy items safely is worth a read for the crew.

Timber: long, heavy and awkward

A bundle of planks looks light until you carry it up a ramp. Group boards by length and species, bind the bundles with rope or strapping, and keep the longest ones for the bottom of the load.

Long timber should not hang far past the tailgate. If a board is longer than the truck bed, say so in the request and ask drivers how they will carry it safely. Tie a bright cloth to the end that sticks out. Strap across the bundle at several points, not only once in the middle.

Keep timber off wet ground before loading. Damp wood weighs more, and it stains whatever it touches.

Offcuts, dust and small stock

Do not move rubbish. Sort offcuts into useful pieces and waste, and sell or burn the waste before the truck comes. Sweep the floor, because sawdust blows into everything once the truck is moving.

Pack screws, hinges, handles and varnish tins in strong boxes. Close paint and varnish lids tightly, tape them, and stand them upright in a crate so they cannot tip. Thinner and lacquer should travel upright and away from heat, and you should follow the manufacturer's guidance on the label.

Loading order

Heavy machines go in first, low and against the cab wall. Timber bundles come next, then finished furniture, then boxes of small stock. Put cardboard under machine feet to protect the truck bed.

Strap everything and cover the load with a tarpaulin, because an unexpected shower can ruin a stack of unfinished doors. Our guide on securing a load with straps, ropes and tarpaulins covers the details.

At the new workshop

Before the truck arrives, mark where each machine will stand, and check the power. Many workshops need a strong supply for the planer, so confirm the sockets and the generator before the machines arrive. Offload heavy machines first while the crew is fresh, then timber, then furniture. Stack timber flat on bearers so it does not warp.

How to do this on Sphere

Open the Sphere app and choose a truck for a full workshop, or a pickup van for a smaller shed. Add the pickup and drop-off, then describe the load: "1 thicknesser, 1 table saw, 2 router tables, 80 planks up to 3.6 metres, 5 wardrobes in pieces, 12 boxes of fittings". Mention the long timber. Propose a price, and nearby verified drivers accept or send counter-offers. Agree loading and offloading help with the driver before you accept an offer.

You may also want truck hire in Lagos and business moves in Lagos. For the furniture side, read relocating a furniture showroom.