Measure before buying another rack or a larger palette. This planner draws one simple arrangement using dimensions you enter, with an explicit warning when it extends beyond the tabletop. The example outlines are planning estimates, not guaranteed product fit. It makes no product recommendations.

Try your measurements

All sizes are in centimetres. Defaults are invented planning examples, not product specifications. Include lids, handles and overhangs in your measurements. Controls become available when JavaScript loads.

Outlines need 76 × 42 cm. 4 cm width remaining; 8 cm depth remaining. Within the entered desk dimensions; check real clearances before use.

Example rectangular arrangement, to scale. Rear edge at top; seated edge at bottom. The table below is the text equivalent.

Coordinates in cm from the desk's rear left corner; negative positions are outside the desk.
Outline	Left	Rear	Width	Depth
Work	0	12	40	30
Palette	42	12	20	15
Water	42	29	10	10
Lamp	64	12	12	12
Storage	0	0	80	10

Back to the knowledge hub · Station setup guide · Glossary

Measure what actually occupies the desk

Measure usable tabletop width and depth, excluding permanent obstructions.
Measure each item's full footprint, including protruding handles and any open lid you leave on the desk. Use a bounding rectangle for rounded items.
Reserve a working rectangle for your hands and model. Try it while seated before entering its dimensions; the example is not an ergonomic recommendation.
Enter the depth of a rear storage strip, or zero to omit it. The strip reserves the whole desk width. Put any storage protrusions within that depth.
Add a gap between outlines and calculate. Mirror the supplies if that suits your working hand. Try the result with empty containers and paper templates.

The lamp rectangle represents a base resting on the desk. Clamp compatibility, desk thickness, lamp-arm sweep, cable routes, shelf clearance and lighting coverage need separate checks against your equipment. Do not enter zero for a clamp and assume those constraints disappear.

What the layout means

The work area occupies the left column in the default arrangement. The palette and water pot share the middle column, with the water pot nearer the seated edge. A lamp base occupies the right column. The optional storage strip sits along the rear edge. Mirroring swaps left and right. This is a starting layout to evaluate, not an optimisation algorithm.

The diagram and coordinate table describe the same rectangles. Coordinates start at the desk's rear left corner. The diagram scales to show overflow as well as the desk, so a smaller desk can still show every outline. The planner runs in your browser and stores or transmits no entered measurements.

Worked example and manual calculation

For the default 80 × 50 cm desk, the work area is 40 × 30, palette 20 × 15, water pot 10 × 10, lamp base 12 × 12, rear storage depth 10, and gaps 2 cm.

Side-column width = larger of palette width and water width = 20 cm.
Required width = work width + two gaps + side-column width + lamp width = 40 + 4 + 20 + 12 = 76 cm.
Front section depth = largest of work depth, palette depth + gap + water depth, or lamp depth = largest of 30, 27 and 12 = 30 cm.
Required depth = storage depth + one gap + front section depth = 10 + 2 + 30 = 42 cm. With no rear strip, omit both storage depth and that gap.

That leaves 4 cm width and 8 cm depth in this example. Remaining dimensions are unused strips within this arrangement, not a claim that another object will fit. A result with zero remaining space has no allowance beyond the gap you entered. The calculator accepts decimal centimetres; displayed results round to two decimal places.

Limits and real-world checks

A rectangular fit does not establish stability, reach, comfortable posture or suitability for spraying. Keep drinks separate from rinse water. Check the real setup with your chair, lighting and normal hand movements before adding paint or water. The HSE workstation checklist provides general prompts on space and work position; it concerns display-screen work and does not certify a hobby arrangement.

For the calculator above, use desk dimensions of 10–300 cm wide and 10–200 cm deep, a working rectangle up to 200 cm on each side, other item dimensions up to 100 cm, rear storage depth 0–100 cm, and gaps 0–20 cm. These are input limits for this tool, not recommended furniture sizes. Any out-of-range or incomplete input must be corrected before recalculating.

Source data

There is no product-size dataset. All rectangles use your entries; the defaults above are editorial examples. The HSE link supplies general workspace prompts only. The calculator above applies the arithmetic explained above.

Sources & further reading

HSE: workstation assessment checklist (general workspace prompts) — checked 2026-11-02