diff --git a/sway/desktop/transaction.c b/sway/desktop/transaction.c
index cdfa3f8c51..e71e3f6e66 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/transaction.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/transaction.c
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include <time.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_buffer.h>
 #include "sway/config.h"
+#include "sway/scene_descriptor.h"
 #include "sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h"
 #include "sway/desktop/transaction.h"
 #include "sway/input/cursor.h"
@@ -250,6 +251,352 @@ static void apply_container_state(struct sway_container *container,
 			view_center_surface(view);
 		}
 	}
+
+	if (container_is_floating(container)) {
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(container->scene_node, root->layers.floating);
+	}
+}
+
+static void layout_title_bar(struct sway_container *con,
+		int x, int y, int width, int height) {
+	container_update(con);
+
+	wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(con->title_bar.node, !!height);
+	if (height) {
+		int titlebar_border_thickness = config->titlebar_border_thickness;
+
+		wlr_scene_rect_set_size(con->title_bar.border, width, height);
+		wlr_scene_rect_set_size(con->title_bar.background,
+			width - titlebar_border_thickness * 2,
+			height - titlebar_border_thickness * 2);
+
+		wlr_scene_node_set_position(con->title_bar.node, x, y);
+		wlr_scene_node_set_position(&con->title_bar.background->node,
+			titlebar_border_thickness, titlebar_border_thickness);
+
+		container_layout_title_bar(con, width, height);
+	}
+}
+
+static void arrange_container(struct sway_container *con,
+		int width, int height, bool title_bar) {
+	// this container might have previously been in the scratchpad,
+	// make sure it's enabled for viewing
+	wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(con->scene_node, true);
+
+	// also make sure to disable the title bar if the parent is not managing it
+	// If we do actuall want to display it, layout_title_bar will re-enable it
+	if (title_bar && !con->view) {
+		wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(con->title_bar.node, false);
+	}
+
+	int content_x = 0, content_y = 0;
+	int title_bar_height = container_titlebar_height();
+
+	int gaps_inner = con->current.workspace->gaps_inner * title_bar;
+
+	if (con->current.layout == L_TABBED) {
+		wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(con->title_bar.node, true);
+		content_y = title_bar_height;
+
+		double w = (double) width / con->current.children->length;
+		for (int i = 0; i < con->current.children->length; i++) {
+			struct sway_container *child = con->current.children->items[i];
+			bool activated = child == con->current.focused_inactive_child;
+
+			layout_title_bar(child, w * i, -content_y, w, content_y);
+			wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(child->content.node, activated);
+			wlr_scene_node_set_position(child->scene_node, 0, 0);
+			wlr_scene_node_reparent(child->scene_node, con->content.node);
+
+			if (activated) {
+				arrange_container(child, width, height - title_bar_height, false);
+			}
+		}
+	} else if (con->current.layout == L_STACKED) {
+		wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(con->title_bar.node, true);
+		content_y = title_bar_height * con->current.children->length;
+
+		int y = 0;
+		for (int i = 0; i < con->current.children->length; i++) {
+			struct sway_container *child = con->current.children->items[i];
+			bool activated = child == con->current.focused_inactive_child;
+
+			layout_title_bar(child, 0, y - content_y, width, title_bar_height);
+			wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(child->content.node, activated);
+			wlr_scene_node_set_position(child->scene_node, 0, 0);
+			wlr_scene_node_reparent(child->scene_node, con->content.node);
+
+			if (activated) {
+				arrange_container(child, width, height - content_y, false);
+			}
+
+			y += title_bar_height;
+		}
+	} else if (con->current.layout == L_VERT) {
+		int off = 0;
+		for (int i = 0; i < con->current.children->length; i++) {
+			struct sway_container *child = con->current.children->items[i];
+			int cheight = child->current.height;
+
+			wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(child->content.node, true);
+			wlr_scene_node_set_position(child->scene_node, 0, off);
+			wlr_scene_node_reparent(child->scene_node, con->content.node);
+			arrange_container(child, width, cheight, true);
+			off += cheight + gaps_inner;
+		}
+	} else if (con->current.layout == L_HORIZ) {
+		int off = 0;
+		for (int i = 0; i < con->current.children->length; i++) {
+			struct sway_container *child = con->current.children->items[i];
+			int cwidth = child->current.width;
+
+			wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(child->content.node, true);
+			wlr_scene_node_set_position(child->scene_node, off, 0);
+			wlr_scene_node_reparent(child->scene_node, con->content.node);
+			arrange_container(child, cwidth, height, true);
+			off += cwidth + gaps_inner;
+		}
+	} else if (con->view) {
+		int border_width = con->current.border_thickness;
+
+		if (con->current.border == B_NORMAL) {
+			title_bar_height *= title_bar;
+
+			if (title_bar) {
+				layout_title_bar(con, 0, 0, width, title_bar_height);
+			}
+		} else if (con->current.border == B_PIXEL) {
+			container_update(con);
+			wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(con->title_bar.node, !title_bar);
+			title_bar_height = border_width * title_bar;
+		} else if (con->current.border == B_NONE) {
+			container_update(con);
+			title_bar_height = 0;
+			border_width = 0;
+		} else if (con->current.border == B_CSD) {
+			wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(con->title_bar.node, false);
+			title_bar_height = 0;
+			border_width = 0;
+		}
+
+		wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(&con->content.border_top->node,
+			con->current.border != B_NORMAL && title_bar);
+
+		wlr_scene_rect_set_size(con->content.border_top, width, border_width);
+		wlr_scene_rect_set_size(con->content.border_bottom, width, border_width);
+		wlr_scene_rect_set_size(con->content.border_left,
+			border_width, height - border_width - title_bar_height);
+		wlr_scene_rect_set_size(con->content.border_right,
+			border_width, height - border_width - title_bar_height);
+
+		wlr_scene_node_set_position(&con->content.border_top->node, -border_width, -border_width);
+		wlr_scene_node_set_position(&con->content.border_bottom->node, -border_width,
+			height - title_bar_height - border_width);
+		wlr_scene_node_set_position(&con->content.border_left->node, -border_width, 0);
+		wlr_scene_node_set_position(&con->content.border_right->node,
+			width - border_width * 2, 0);
+
+		// make sure to reparent, it's possible that the client just game out of fullscreen mode
+		// where the parent of the surface is not the container
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(con->view->scene_node, con->content.node);
+
+		content_x = border_width;
+		content_y = title_bar_height;
+	} else {
+		sway_assert(false, "unreachable");
+	}
+
+	wlr_scene_node_set_position(con->content.node, content_x, content_y);
+}
+
+static void arrange_fullscreen(struct wlr_scene_node *scene_node,
+		struct sway_container *fs, int width, int height) {
+	if (fs->view) {
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(fs->view->scene_node, scene_node);
+	}else{
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(fs->scene_node, scene_node);
+		arrange_container(fs, width, height, true);
+	}
+
+	// transient containers
+	struct wlr_scene_node *node, *node_tmp;
+	wl_list_for_each_safe(node, node_tmp,
+			&root->layers.floating->state.children, state.link) {
+		struct sway_scene_descriptor *desc = node->data;
+
+		if (desc->type == SWAY_SCENE_DESC_NODE) {
+			struct sway_container *floater = desc->data;
+			bool trans = container_is_transient_for(floater, fs);
+			wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(floater->scene_node, trans);
+
+			if (trans) {
+				wlr_scene_node_set_position(floater->scene_node,
+					floater->current.x, floater->current.y);
+				wlr_scene_node_reparent(floater->scene_node, scene_node);
+
+				arrange_container(floater,
+					floater->current.width, floater->current.height, true);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+static void arrange_workspace(struct sway_workspace *ws, int width, int height) {
+	struct sway_container *fs = ws->current.fullscreen;
+	wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(ws->layers.tiling, !fs);	
+
+	if (fs) {
+		arrange_fullscreen(ws->layers.fullscreen, fs, width, height);
+	} else {
+		if (ws->current.layout == L_VERT) {
+			int off = 0;
+			for (int i = 0; i < ws->current.tiling->length; i++) {
+				struct sway_container *child = ws->current.tiling->items[i];
+				int cheight = child->current.height;
+
+				wlr_scene_node_reparent(child->scene_node, ws->layers.tiling);
+				wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(child->content.node, true);
+				wlr_scene_node_set_position(child->scene_node, 0, off);
+
+				arrange_container(child, width, cheight, true);
+				off += cheight + ws->gaps_inner;
+			}
+		} else if (ws->current.layout == L_HORIZ) {
+			int off = 0;
+			for (int i = 0; i < ws->current.tiling->length; i++) {
+				struct sway_container *child = ws->current.tiling->items[i];
+				int cwidth = child->current.width;
+
+				wlr_scene_node_reparent(child->scene_node, ws->layers.tiling);
+				wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(child->content.node, true);
+				wlr_scene_node_set_position(child->scene_node, off, 0);
+
+				arrange_container(child, cwidth, height, true);
+				off += cwidth + ws->gaps_inner;
+			}
+		}
+
+		for (int i = 0; i < ws->current.floating->length; i++) {
+			struct sway_container *child = ws->current.floating->items[i];
+
+			wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(child->scene_node, true);
+			wlr_scene_node_reparent(child->scene_node, root->layers.floating);
+			wlr_scene_node_set_position(child->scene_node, child->current.x, child->current.y);
+
+			arrange_container(child, child->current.width, child->current.height, true);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+static void workspace_disable(struct sway_workspace *ws) {
+	// if any containers were just moved to a disabled workspace it will
+	// have the parent of the old workspace. Move the workspace so that it won't
+	// be shown.
+	for (int i = 0; i < ws->current.tiling->length; i++) {
+		struct sway_container *child = ws->current.tiling->items[i];
+
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(child->scene_node, ws->layers.tiling);
+	}
+
+	// if this fullscreen node was coming from an enabled output, the view
+	// parent would be of the old workspace.
+	if (ws->fullscreen) {
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(ws->fullscreen->view->scene_node,
+			ws->fullscreen->content.node);
+	}
+
+	for (int i = 0; i < ws->current.floating->length; i++) {
+		struct sway_container *child = ws->current.floating->items[i];
+
+		wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(child->scene_node, false);
+	}
+}
+
+static void arrange_output(struct sway_output *output, int width, int height) {
+	for (int i = 0; i < output->current.workspaces->length; i++) {
+		struct sway_workspace *child = output->current.workspaces->items[i];
+
+		bool activated = output->current.active_workspace == child;
+
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(child->layers.tiling, output->layers.tiling);
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(child->layers.fullscreen, output->layers.fullscreen);
+		wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(child->layers.tiling, activated);
+		wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(child->layers.fullscreen, activated);
+
+		// don't recurse if the workspace is invisible 
+		if (activated) {
+			struct side_gaps *gaps = &child->current_gaps;
+			struct wlr_box *area = &output->usable_area;	
+
+			wlr_scene_node_set_position(child->layers.tiling,
+				gaps->left + area->x, gaps->top + area->y);
+
+			arrange_workspace(child,
+				area->width - gaps->left - gaps->right,
+				area->height - gaps->top - gaps->bottom);
+		}else{
+			workspace_disable(child);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+static void arrange_popups(struct wlr_scene_node *popups) {
+	struct wlr_scene_node *node;
+	wl_list_for_each(node, &popups->state.children, state.link) {
+		struct sway_scene_descriptor *desc = node->data;
+		if (desc->type == SWAY_SCENE_DESC_POPUP) {
+			struct sway_xdg_popup *popup = desc->data;
+
+			int lx, ly;
+			wlr_scene_node_coords(popup->child.view->xdg_surface_node, &lx, &ly);
+			wlr_scene_node_set_position(popup->child.scene_node, lx, ly);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+static void arrange_root(struct sway_root *root) {
+	struct sway_container *fs = root->fullscreen_global;
+
+	wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(root->layers.shell_background, !fs);
+	wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(root->layers.shell_bottom, !fs);
+	wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(root->layers.tiling, !fs);
+	wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(root->layers.floating, !fs);
+	wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(root->layers.shell_top, !fs);
+	wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(root->layers.shell_overlay, !fs);
+
+	// hide all contains in the scratchpad
+	for (int i = 0; i < root->scratchpad->length; i++) {
+		struct sway_container *con = root->scratchpad->items[i];
+
+		wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(con->scene_node, false);
+	}
+
+	if (fs) {
+		arrange_fullscreen(root->layers.fullscreen, fs, root->width, root->height);
+	} else for (int i = 0; i < root->outputs->length; i++) {
+		struct sway_output *output = root->outputs->items[i];
+
+		wlr_scene_output_set_position(output->scene_output, output->lx, output->ly);
+
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(output->layers.shell_background, root->layers.shell_background);
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(output->layers.shell_bottom, root->layers.shell_bottom);
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(output->layers.tiling, root->layers.tiling);
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(output->layers.shell_top, root->layers.shell_top);
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(output->layers.shell_overlay, root->layers.shell_overlay);
+		wlr_scene_node_reparent(output->layers.fullscreen, root->layers.fullscreen);
+
+		wlr_scene_node_set_position(output->layers.shell_background, output->lx, output->ly);
+		wlr_scene_node_set_position(output->layers.shell_bottom, output->lx, output->ly);
+		wlr_scene_node_set_position(output->layers.tiling, output->lx, output->ly);
+		wlr_scene_node_set_position(output->layers.fullscreen, output->lx, output->ly);
+		wlr_scene_node_set_position(output->layers.shell_top, output->lx, output->ly);
+		wlr_scene_node_set_position(output->layers.shell_overlay, output->lx, output->ly);
+
+		arrange_output(output, output->width, output->height);
+	}
+
+	arrange_popups(root->layers.popups);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -305,6 +652,7 @@ static void transaction_progress(void) {
 		return;
 	}
 	transaction_apply(server.queued_transaction);
+	arrange_root(root);
 	transaction_destroy(server.queued_transaction);
 	server.queued_transaction = NULL;