My Layers Toolbar id not giving me the option to add layers or turn layers on and off, how do I fix this?
Adding layers and controlling their visibility is done in the Layers window, not in the Layers toolbar.
Here:
Not here:
how do I find the layers “window”?
It’s normally in the Default tray. If it isn’t, go to Window>Default Tray and select it.
AHHHHH!!! thank you!!! that should have been easier to find LOL
By default, when you first install Sketchup 2016, that default tray is sitting there on the right side of the screen and the Layers window is included in it. If it was there, you must have changed something after the installation.
As my grandmother liked to say when I was looking for something that was right in front of my face, “It it had teeth, it would have bit you.” 
That window is always in my way, so I always close it. I haven’t used the layers yet so I didn’t realize there was a difference between “toolbar” and “window” simple now that I have found it. I’m used to AutoCad layers and have heard those act very different then Sketchup
The tray doesn’t cover any of the drawing space if it is docked on the side so it shouldn’t be in your way.
Yes. Layers in SketchUp are very different. Do yourself a favor and look at the online help resources about layers in SketchUp.
The key things are:
Layers only control the visibility of entities.
ALWAYS leave Layer 0 active. That is, leave the radio button to the left of Layer 0 at all times.
ALWAYS leave edges and faces on Layer 0.
Only make layer associations for groups/components.
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