How to Change Measurements in SketchUp

SketchUp is an incredible tool for interior designers, architects and even individuals passionate about 3D design but knowing how to use the tool efficiently and correctly are essential to get the most out of the software. Resizing in SketchUp is one of those essential skills and knowing how to use SketchUp to change measurements or edit dimensions is something that we should all know. 

To answer how to change measurements in SketchUp, we will look at the different methods you can use to make your designs even more accurate.

Setting up a SketchUp Template

You may want to start by setting up a SketchUp template. Most templates will define a model’s default settings which includes things like the unit measurements. Templates include all the settings in the Model Info dialogue box with elements such as Style settings and Shadow settings. 

If you are looking for high accuracy, you can create a template that uses more granular measurement such as millimetres which can be used for larger scale applications in interior and exterior design. 

Depending on your requirements, you can create templates and customise these as much as you need them to be.

To create a template is very simple: 

• Create a new SketchUp file with the current template
• Make all the modifications you want to save with the template
• Select File > Save as Template 
• Save your template in a location where you can easily access it
• Give the template a name
• Click Save

Settings in the Model Info Window

You can set up the Model Info Window in the dialogue box where the settings are made for the entire model. Here, templates which are using the settings for the template can be made here. 

If you want to access the dialogue box do so by: 

• Select: Window > Model Info
• This is where the units and the precision are set. I.e. Inches and 1/16”
• Precision settings are selected from the drop down list. 
• When using inches the highest precision setting appears to be 1/64”

How to Scale and Resize in SketchUp

Sometimes we can get carried away with our designs that we forget to scale the image correctly. Luckily there is a tool in SketchUp that makes it easy to scale and resize entire models or parts of the models without spending too much time doing so.

There are two tools you can use, depending on your requirement. One is the tape measure the other is the scale tool.

The tape measure tool allows you to scale your entire model but, when you want to scale a part of a design or even a singular surface, the scale tool is best. (Note: you can still use the measure tool for the latter.)

We will look at both of these tools and where you can use them. 

Scale an entire model with the tape measure tool

• Select the tape measure tool
• Click either end of line for which the measurement is required to change
• Enter the newly defined dimension

Scale a selection proportionally

• This can be achieved using either the tape measure tool or the scale tool
• You can use both tools to select an area and rescale the measurement. I.e. a room maybe 15 feet wide but the rest of the floorplan can be the same as designed.
• Select the element you want to scale > type the desired dimension in the “length” box in the bottom right corner > hit enter
  This will resize the whole model. If you don’t want to do that you need to create a group.
• Scaling can be done as a percentage. (Note:  in the Measurements box, you see a scale of 1.00, which means your geometry is at its original size or scaled to 100%. Or you could simply input the scale you want to see the measurement at, i.e. 50% of full size.) Your Dialogue box will give you the information you need.

Scaling one or more dimensions

• You can use the selection tool to select the specific geometry for which measurements are required to be changed
• With the Select tool, select the geometry you want to scale
• Click an edge or face grip on the object
• Move the cursor to scale the entity
• Click to set your selection’s new scale
• The scale tool can be used to make the required changes allowing revised dimensions to also be entered

Scaling components

• Scaling a component works like every other scaling procedure mentioned
• The difference with scaling a component is that you can resize a single instance of the component or all component instances in your model
• For example, you could have a house design where the front door needs to be scaled, leaving all the other dimensions the same
• Do this by double clicking on the door
• The object will have a dotted line around it
• Use the measure or scale tool to scale the new measurement
  
  If you want to check the dimensions of your object before making any changes to the size or the scale, you can use the SketchUp Dimension tool. By selecting two points and moving away from the object, the display shows the measurement in an annotated form so you can clearly see what sizes you are working to. 

SketchUp for 3D Printing

3D printing has become popular for businesses, hobbyists and the general public alike. What used to be something that could only be dreamed of is now a reality for many people. When it comes to easy to access, learn and use, you can’t go wrong with SketchUp as a 3D printing design tool.

We will explore more about the world of 3D printing and how you can use SketchUp to help transform your designs into a 3D model. 

What is 3D Printing Software?

3D printing is the process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. 3D printing software allows you to create designs that can be repurposed into a 3D printed model. 

In order to create a 3D printed object, the design goes through an additive process. What this means is that the object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created – this is all calculated through the design stage, and by the 3D software tool. 

Using tools like SketchUp Pro is one of the easiest and most fun ways to get started. The tool allows you to design and put together a creation that is easily transferable to a 3D modelled design.

Model Your 3D Designs Accurately

When it comes to 3D design, many think that it is a complicated business of learning software and understanding every element of the design process. Many will see the barrier to entry and having to learn complex 3D design software, this is far from the case. 

SketchUp Pro is fun and easy to learn. It’s simple layout and features make getting involved with 3D design a joy. You don’t need to learn any code, or have a complete understanding of CAD design packages to start. 

A key element of 3D printing is the need to be accurate, this is essential for the design to transfer correctly into a three dimensional model. Software like SketchUp Pro does the hard work for you with its precision and accuracy elements of the design package. You can choose how precise you want the scale of the model to a multitude of different features that enhance your accuracy throughout the design. 

Transform Shapes into 3D Structures

No matter how simple or complex your model, every model in SketchUp is really just edges and faces. The drawing tools enable you to create those edges and faces. There are differences between drawing shapes from 2D to 3D, be sure to use the SketchUp inference engine to guide you through the process. 

For example, if you wanted to create a 3D bowl design, you draw a circle on the ground plane and a profile of the bowl’s shape directly above the circle. Using the SketchUp Pro tool, you can create an outline into the bowl by having it follow the original circle on the ground plane. This is then the profile that is used to help you create your 3D design. There is a more in-depth explanation that can be found here. 

Using software like SketchUp Pro makes creating a 3D design to be printed, a simple and easy to use prospect. 

Find Inspiration with 3D Warehouse

3D Warehouse is where you can be inspired by other designs, feature your own creations and find a model of something you were looking to create in one location. 

There is a huge repository of 3D elements available from the warehouse which can be used to create your own personalised items to off the shelf designs that are already designed to be used for your own purposes. 

The search feature is a powerful tool that helps you find exactly what you are looking for and the opportunity to share your 3D designs via the warehouse is an added benefit of the SketchUp Pro family. 

SketchUp 3D Printing Extensions

SketchUp extensions are additional pieces of software that help you create your own designs with additional features and help. You can find the extensions here.

Accessible to Windows and Mac platforms, each 3D extension provides various capabilities that help you create your own design. Many of the extensions are free to use with some exceptions for small payments being required for the use of the extensions. 

For example, one extension – 3YOURMIND – allows you to optimise your model for 3D printing and upload the design with one click into the 3YOURMIND portal. This allows you to choose from a number of different materials and compare the prices of the best 3D printing services in real-time.

SketchUp 3D Printing Tutorials

If you wanted to learn more about SketchUp Pro, you can find a body of tutorials on all topics including 3D printing across the internet and through the elmtec tutorial section. 

There are also some really good tutorials available on sites like YouTube where you can go from beginner to more advanced.   

SketchUp 3D Printing FAQs

Here are some of the more common questions when it comes to using SketchUp 3D Printing tools:

How Does 3D Printing Software Work? 

3D printing software can encompass a variety of products that help the 3D printing or 3D design process including slicers, design automation, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and computer-aided design (CAD) technologies. 

Is 3D Printing Software Hard to Learn?

3D printing software is not hard to learn, like anything it takes time and practice. SketchUp Pro is the easiest 3D printing software to learn and use making 3D printing easy. 

Which Software is Best for 3D Printing?

You want a 3D software package that is easy to use, simple to learn and supported with lots of resources and used extensively within design communities. That makes SketchUp Pro the best 3D printing software to use. 

Sketchup Pro Plans and Pricing

If you want to take advantage of SketchUp Pro, you can purchase a license from here. There are three options to choose from including, one for education (schools and lecturers) and a subscription option.   

SketchUp for Construction

Have you been looking for information about SketchUp for construction? SketchUp construction design software is widely used in your sector, a respected and popular tool used to speed up design, making the entire process smoother and faster. SketchUp Pro lets you identify potential issues before they become real-world problems, figure out a fair price for a construction project, and help your clients understand the plans more clearly and easily than ever before. Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of creating top class SketchUp construction drawings. By the end of this article you’ll know exactly why it’s such a good idea to know how to build a house in SketchUp.

SketchUp 3D Construction Modelling

SketchUps 3D construction modelling capabilities provide incredibly valuable design visualisation. As someone who works in the construction sector building plans are second nature to you, but not necessarily for your less-experienced clients. SketchUp construction documents make it a whole lot easier for non-experts to understand your plans.

SketchUp Viewer lets people investigate, evaluate and explore construction design projects before they’re brought to life, something that saves money, time and hassle. It means you can carry out revisions at an early stage before actually committing to the final construction documentation. SketchUp construction plans even come with the capability to use AR/VR to evaluate the different construction design options virtually. It’s a powerful tool that’s very easy to use as well as fun. And that makes it the perfect choice for construction contractors, small and large.

SketchUp Construction Drawings

SketchUp for construction, using SketchUp Pro in conjunction with Layout, is a brilliant way to create accurate, useful, clear construction drawings directly from 3D models. It can be done in two ways, each with its own pros and cons.

Firstly, you can get the 2D information from the model itself. This means the model has to be very accurate in the first place. It’s important to add colour and texture to the interior of the elements so the sectioned model is good and clear. It also helps to apply a different colour or texture to each different kind of material. Using this method means your plans and sections are always closely related to the model. When you make a change in 2D it doesn’t take much work to make it appear in 3D. On the down-side the modelling takes longer and you need to know all about the construction of the building in detail. 

Alternatively you can generate a 2D group in SketchUp that contains all the 2D info you need, generated simply by right-clicking on the section plane. When you edit this group you can add all the fine detail you need to create accurate plans and sections. It’s handy not having to model everything in detail and being able to control the level of detail, but on the down side there’s no link between the model itself and the Layout presentation. Plus, the details of the section cut involves a 2D job, something SketchUp isn’t primarily designed for. On the other hand there are always TIG 2D Tools to rely on, and Layout itself helps a lot.

Layout lets you include essentials like dimensions, labels and text, all of which matter when you’re trying to get the details of a construction project across quickly, clearly and accurately. In exactly the same way you’d use old-school word processor tech, you type text into the drawing area. You can also import text from a file or even add Auto-Text defined on special fields inserted into the document. And the text can be formatted to your brand for great brand synergy.

Labels and dimensions are impressive. Labels come with an arrowed leader line which makes it easy to highlight individual elements. It can show Auto-Text as well as data from a SketchUp model. And dimensions display measurements either on the page or from a SketchUp model. You can share your SketchUp drawings in a variety of popular standard formats and import them into different CAD software tools. And you can print SketchUp for construction drawings easily, which is great when you prefer to work from printed diagrams rather than a screen.

Would you like to check out how to use more aspects of this great tool? Take a look at our tutorials, then figure out whether you need the free or Pro version via our handy comparison page. 

Now you know what SketchUp drawings, SketchUp dimensions and SketchUp diagrams can do for you. Will you be harnessing the amazing power of SketchUp Pro for your next construction project?

How to Copy in SketchUp

Are you wondering how to copy in SketchUp? Or how to copy and paste in SketchUp? Or how to copy scenes in SketchUp? Copying and pasting objects, scenes and components is a fundamental SketchUp skill and capability, and we’re going to show you exactly how to do it in this article. By the end of it you’ll know how to move objects whether you intend to rotate them, copy them or do something else creative with them.

How to Copy and Paste in SketchUp

The first thing to know is that the process of copying and pasting in SketchUp is much the same as it is in many other programs. The standard CTRL+C and CTRL+V keypress combinations work perfectly, which means your learning curve isn’t going to be that steep. And the select tool is an arrow, exactly as you’d expect.

The Select tool specifies the items you want to change using other SketchUp tools and commands. You’ll find it via the Getting Started toolbar, the Large Tool Set toolbar, the Principal toolbar in MS Windows / Tool Palette in macOS, and also via the Tools menu.

How to copy multiple objects in SketchUp? Using the Select tool, select an object you want to copy or select multiple objects. To change a line’s length, for example, you need to select the line. Scaling a box involves selecting the box. You can also select a group of objects to change at the same time, creating a ‘selection set’. To select more than one thing, simply hold down the Shift key and click all the items you want to select.

Choose Edit > Copy from the menu or use a shortcut – either Ctrl+C for Windows or Command+C for a Mac. Next choose Edit > Paste from the menu bar, Ctrl+V for Windows or Command+V for a Mac – and you’ll see the cursor change into a Move tool. The SketchUp components you’ve copied float around as you move the mouse. To place SketchUp objects, simply click where you want them to go.

How to select and copy multiple objects in SketchUp

You’ll probably need to select specific, multiple objects when copying in SketchUp. So how do you do it? It’s simple. You use the Shift key to select multiple objects, and the same key to remove objects from your selection set.

Double clicking faces selects the face you want along with all of the adjoining edges. In the same way, double clicking an edge selects it along with its adjoining faces. When you triple click on a face you select the entire object that it belongs to, which it forms a part of. And when you select an element it changes colour to blue making it easy to keep track of what you’re doing.

How to Copy Scenes in SketchUp

A SketchUp Scene is simply a saved image of your mode associated with a tab. Scenes are what you use to save different views of models and their properties, which you can present to colleagues or clients. It makes more sense than opening a drawing with the view you want, erasing the contents, then pasting in the new model.

Creating a Scene triggers a tab at the top of your drawing area. To view the Scene – the saved view – you click the tab to display it. You can also import and export Scenes to other models using a special plugin costing five US dollars, PageExIm.rb by Rick Wilson. 

While you can’t animate Scenes with SketchUp for Web yet, you can export all your video animations as image sets. As you can imagine, animations are a great way to present models from different angles and create useful shadow studies, revealing exactly where the light falls throughout the day.

Before you create an animation you need to make scenes of your model, each with different settings. Once you’re ready to animate, you can either play an animation in SketchUp, export your animation to a video file, or export the image set as a collection of image files to be animated via video software, something you can do via SketchUp Pro. It’s good to know that copies made across a variety of standard image formats can be imported into SketchUp.

Download SketchUp today!

Now you know how to copy in SketchUp, what will you create? Find out more about how to use this exceptional tool via our popular tutorials, and explore the choice between the free and Pro versions of SketchUp here.