Alexander Novak

Co-founder, architect

Alexander is a co-founder of CarpDraw and a practising architect. He prepares technical drawings for his own projects, so he runs into the same problem every week: turning a furniture idea or a reference photo into drawings and specifications a maker can actually build from. CarpDraw is the tool he wanted for that work, and he writes here about drawings, dimensions and getting furniture from idea to build.

Published guides

Moisture meter resting on a stack of pale unfinished boards in a workshop

Wood Moisture Content: Check Before You Build

Check wood moisture against its future room, use your meter correctly, and keep a simple log before you cut furniture parts to their final size.

Alexander Novak 13 October 2026 11 min read

Walnut frame with a diagonal miter seam on a worn wooden workbench

Miter Joint: Cut a Frame That Closes at Every Corner

Make a clean mitered frame with matched rail lengths, exact measuring diagrams and a full dry-fit check before glue.

Alexander Novak 13 October 2026 11 min read

Pale wood butt-jointed corner held on a workbench with a steel square nearby

Butt Joint: Make a Square Corner in 5 Steps

Make a clean practice butt joint with square cuts, a dry fit and careful glue-up. Learn what a neat seam can tell you, and what it cannot.

Alexander Novak 12 October 2026 10 min read

Birch plywood wall cabinet with two doors above a workshop bench

French Cleat: How to Hang a Cabinet Securely

Plan a French cleat cabinet mount with the right bevel, cabinet support, wall fixing and removal clearance. Includes an exact side-section diagram.

Alexander Novak 11 October 2026 11 min read

Pale wood panel held by steel bar clamps on a workshop bench

How Long Does Wood Glue Take to Dry? Know When to Wait

Clamp time is not full cure. Use label-based timings to plan a furniture glue-up, avoid early machining and leave a clear workshop handoff.

Alexander Novak 11 October 2026 11 min read

Oak dining table with a wood apron below its top in a sunlit room

Table Apron: Plan Height, Setback and Knee Room

A table apron can make or break chair comfort. Use this worked example to check its height, setback, knee space and the details your maker needs.

Alexander Novak 11 October 2026 10 min read

Oak dining table with a solid wood top in a carpentry workshop

Wood Movement: Plan for It Before You Build

Plan solid wood furniture for seasonal change with a worked allowance example, a grain-direction diagram and a practical workshop checklist.

Alexander Novak 10 October 2026 11 min read

Two pale wooden rails separated to show two fluted dowel pins

Dowel Joint: Make Matching Holes in 5 Steps

Make an accurate dowel joint with a shared reference face, controlled drilling depth, a dimensioned practice layout and a dry-fit checklist.

Alexander Novak 10 October 2026 11 min read

Pale maple boards with loose oval wood biscuits on a workshop bench

Biscuit Joint: 5 Steps to a Flush Panel

Make a biscuit joint for an edge-glued panel. Learn where to mark slots, how to keep faces flush and which dry-fit errors to fix before glue.

Alexander Novak 10 October 2026 11 min read