SketchUp for Architects

Master SketchUp navigation and basic tools—line, rectangle, and circle—using snapping to end points and midpoints, with precise input and a three-button mouse.

Move along the x, y, and z axis to draw accurately, using red, blue, and green lines; lock axes with arrow keys and undo with control z.

Master grouping in SketchUp to keep objects separate and avoid messy models, then use the push/pull tool to extrude faces into 3D forms for building foundations.

Use the push pull tool to extrude exterior walls to a uniform height, then create and apply interior wall and brick materials while mastering the paint bucket and alt-sample workflow.

Turn on second floor plan, draw floor plate, extrude 18 in, align, offset walls, raise to nine foot ceiling, and apply brick exterior and seven foot header height windows (PDF).

Explore door types in SketchUp by sourcing door models from 3D Warehouse, adjusting scale and inversion, and resizing frames while customizing materials for garage and sliding doors.

Add exterior components from the 3D warehouse, copy and paste fixtures and grills, adjust ceilings and soffits, apply materials, place a fireplace, and finish with landscaping.

Learn to build a residential roof in SketchUp by creating a flat modern roof, applying a metal material, adding a soffit and can lights, and detailing pitches with precise measurements.

Explore the instant roof builder extension from Valley Architects, covering gable and hip roofs, with tutorials, installation guides, and a $39 yearly subscription.

Learn to use the roof builder extension in SketchUp to create gable and hip roofs with eight by 12 pitch, apply materials, and adjust eave fascia parameters.

Connect roof sections by intersecting faces and erasing lines, then cut and delete overlapping pieces to reveal the attic space and refine roof details for the next lesson.

Apply roof details in SketchUp, select faces, and add shingles, gutters, and ridge adjustments. Model chimneys with extrusion and brick materials for realistic roof detailing.

Explore SketchUp styles and backgrounds to customize the scene, switch artistic modes, adjust shadows and colors, set backgrounds and two-point perspective, save scenes, and export or screenshot for client presentations.