A smithy is laid out as a short line of work stations, forge then anvil then quench tank then finishing area, with the forge against an exterior wall under a stone or brick chimney, the fuel store at least 3 m from the fire, and at least two exits on different walls. The layout exists to keep the hot piece moving a short distance with nothing in the way, and to keep the open fire, the fuel and the smoke each away from the people.
Part of Workshop & Forge Design
A smithy is a building arranged around a forge: an open fire with a forced air supply, the anvil and quench tank that serve it, and the fuel, tools and exits that keep it safe to work in.
A Smithy Is An Open Fire Indoors, So The Layout Is Mostly Safety
A forge burns charcoal or coke in a firepot with air blown in from a bellows. That makes the smithy the one building in a settlement where an open fire, sparks, scale and a fuel supply all share a room with people who spend hours there. The layout rules in the workshop guide follow from that: the forge goes against an exterior wall or in a corner so the smoke has a clear path out, never in the middle of the floor; the chimney is stone or brick and rises above the roof peak; the floor is earth or stone, never wood.
The second job of the layout is movement. The smith carries a piece at forging heat from fire to anvil, then to the quench. The workshop guide arranges these in sequence, with a right-handed smith having the forge on the left, the anvil in the centre and the quench tub on the right, so the work never doubles back.
What You Need
- An exterior wall or corner for the forge, with room above for a hood and chimney (see Forge Placement & Chimney)
- A non-combustible floor of packed earth, flagstone or compacted gravel
- Height: the workshop guide asks for a ceiling of 3.5-4.5 m minimum, with a raised ridge opening to let hot air and smoke out
- Water: a quench tank of 40-80 L at the anvil and a separate barrel of at least 200 L (see Quench Tank & Water Access)
- Two exits on different walls, so a fire at one side does not trap the smith
Method: Lay Out The Line
Step 1: Fix the forge. Put it against the exterior wall or in a corner, with the chimney directly above. Everything else is measured from here.
Step 2: Place the anvil on the smith’s working side. The workshop guide gives 1.5-2 m from the forge; the metalworking guide’s forge setup says within one step (Forge Setup). The two disagree, and the anvil article explains the trade (Anvil Positioning & Mounting).
Step 3: Put the quench tank within arm’s reach of the anvil, so the piece is never carried across the floor.
Step 4: Put the tool rack beside the anvil, where any tool can be taken without stepping away.
Step 5: Put the day’s fuel in a stone or metal bin away from the sparks, and the bulk store outside (Coal & Charcoal Storage).
Step 6: Clear a swing zone and a walking route from the anvil to each exit. At this point you should be able to walk from the anvil to either door without passing the forge.
Worked Example: How Much Air The Room Holds
A smithy 6 m by 5 m with a 4 m ceiling holds 6 × 5 × 4 = 120 m³ of air. A forge in general work burns 4-6 kg of charcoal an hour (the forge fuel guide, Forge Fuel). The carbon in even a modest part of that, turned to carbon monoxide instead of carbon dioxide, is more than the room’s air can dilute, which is why the chimney and hood must carry the gas out at the source. The arithmetic is in Ventilation Systems.
Common Mistakes
- Forge in the middle of the room. The smoke has no path out and the smith works in it.
- Fuel stacked beside the forge. Sparks land in it. The workshop guide asks for at least 3 m; the forge fuel guide asks for 2 m minimum, so take the larger.
- One door. If the fire or the smoke is between the smith and that door there is no way out.
- Closing the building up in winter. This is how smiths are poisoned (see Safety).
Safety
Carbon monoxide kills smiths in winter
Charcoal and coke fires make carbon monoxide, which has no smell and gives a headache, dizziness and drowsiness that a tired smith blames on the cold. The danger is greatest when the doors and shutters are closed against the weather and the chimney draws poorly. Stop work and get into fresh air at the first headache, never lie down in the smithy, and keep a permanent air inlet open in winter. The same hazard is treated in Carbon Monoxide Risks.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Forge Placement & Chimney — where the smoke goes and why the height matters
- Combine with: Fire Prevention in Settlements — the forge as the settlement’s main fire risk