1.

0 Introduction
Welcome to this plugins tutorial for SketchUp. SketchUp is so easy that most people can
pick it up without much training. But of course, a structured course helps you get to
speed...fast, properly. In this tutorial, we will explore some commands which will do
more complex 3D modeling faster with the help of some plugins.
So lets get started. !ire up your SketchUp "y dou"le#clicking the tool on your Desktop
or from the dock if you are an $pple %S& user.
2.0 Initial Setup
Before you 'ump straight in to "uild that dream 3D
model, take a moment to do the initial setup. (ou
only need to do this the first time you use
SketchUp.
)lick on the screen menu Window/Preferences
and click on OpenGL. *ake sure that the +Use
hardware acceleration, is checked. -his is .ital. If
you dont check this, you will notice that your
screen refreshes will "e slow.
What if this option is grayed out/ Well, you are in
trou"le. (our computer doesnt ha.e %pen01
capa"ilities. 2einstalling the correct .ideo card
dri.er may help. In the worst case scenario, you
ha.e to change your graphics card. It is
recommended that you should consider Nidia or
$-I 2adeon powered graphics cards.
-he next thing you want to do is to set your
working units. )lick on +!e"plate, and followed "y
+#rchitectural 2$ %illi"eters,. 3-his is one of the
localised -emplates included in your SketchUp
when you install using our SI$)$D Installation
D4D5
In order for this to take effect for all new models you work on, click on the &ile/New menu command.
-hats all you need to do. $nd this has to "e done only during the first time you use SketchUp. 1ets
mo.e on.
Note: Click on SketchUp / Preferences. OPENGL is normally set up correctly by OSX so you
don't need to fiddle wit it.
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'.0 !ool Palettes
-he designers of SketchUp want the software to "e as unintimidating as possi"le, hence your initial
workspace will ha.e only the +Gettin( Started, tool palette.
-his is insufficient for most of our work so lets uncheck
it to turn it off and check the +Lar(e !ool Set, and the
+Standard, tool palette.
We will first co.er commands from the 6776"it $rchitectural -ools. (ou will notice its long hori:ontal
-ool"ar.
(ou can also switch it into few shorter separate
tool"ars from the Plu(ins menu ; 1001)it Pro ;
%ana(e tool)ars. -his pops up the 6776"it.com
*anage tool"ars. Select Separate tool"ars then click
the *Sae settin(s+ "utton then *,-it+.
(ou will "e prompted to restart SketchUp for the
tool"ars to take effect.
..0 /ip 0oof
We will now open the file hip1roof.s2p from the folder <Sketchup on the Desktop.
1eft#click the surface of the profile with the
Select tool.
Select the 3reate hip roof tool
!rom the screen menu, left#click on Plu(ins ;
1001)it Pro ; 0oof ; 3reate hip roof
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-his will pop up the 3reate /ip 0oof dialog "ox.
)hange the .alues as re=uired then click the *3reate /ip 0oof+ "utton.
>ow you undestand the se=uence, do try with a more complex roof shape.
4.0 0afters5 6attens/Purlins
1ets add rafters and "attens to the
roof.
Since the roof and fascia are
grouped together, right#click the roof
then left#click ,dit Group.

-he pitch is also a 0roup so you need to right#
click again and left#click ,dit Group to select all
the faces.
%nce your ha.e selected all the pitched faces, left#click the
3reate rafters5 )attens/purlins tool
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-his will pop up the 3reate 0oof 0afters and 6attens/Purlins dialog "ox.
-ry other 2after type "y left#clicking the *7+ "utton
)hange the .alues as re=uired then click the *3reate 0afters5 6attens/Purlins+ "utton.
8.0 3reate %etal $ec2s
1ets create metal decks. %pen the file "etal1dec2.s2p from the folder
<Sketchup on the Desktop.
Select a surface then left#click the 3reate %etal $ec2s tool
Set the .alues as re=uired then left#click the +3reate "etal dec2,
"utton.
>ext, left#click the start point of the metal deck
followed "y the intended direction of the ri"s.
1ets try on the other faces, ie. side wall and
roof. -ake note that after the start point, the ri"s
direction follows the direction of your cursor.
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Start point
Start point
Start point
9.0 $iide Panels
We will now open the file panels.s2p from the folder <Sketchup on the Desktop.
1eft#click the surface of the arced profile.
Select the $iide panels tool
-his will pop up the Panel $iider dialog "ox.
)hange the .alues as re=uired then click the
*3reate Panel+ "utton.
:.0 3reate Grilles and Screen
>ow, left#click the rectangular surface.
-hen select the 3reate Screen tool
-his will pop up the 3reate Screen dialog "ox. )hange the .alues as re=uired then click the *3reate
Openin(+ "utton.
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;.0 3reate Loures
>ext, left#click the long rectangular face.
Select left#click the 3reate Loures tool
-his will pop up the 3reate Screen dialog "ox. )hange the .alues as re=uired then click the *3reate
Loures+ "utton.
10.0 3reate Profiles on Plane
We will now open the file
profile.s2p from the folder
<Sketchup on the Desktop.
>ext, select the panel "y window
from point $ to point B.
Select the 3reate Profiles
on Plane Screen tool
-his will pop up the 3reate Screen dialog "ox. )hange
the .alues as re=uired then click the *3reate Openin(+
"utton.
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%nce the profiles are created, you may need to erase the face within the profile. 2ight#click the face
then Brase.
11.0 3reate Profiles on Plane
1ets open the file ed(es1profile.s2p from the folder <Sketchup on the Desktop.
!rom the screen menu ,dit ; Select #ll. -hen left#click the ,d(es to Profiles tool
-his will pop up the ,d(es to Profiles dialog
"ox. )hange the .alues as re=uired then click
the +3reate Profiles, "utton.
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12.0 3reate Grooes on &aces
%pen (rooes.s2p next. 1ets create some groo.es on the faces. 1eft#click the faces and click the
3reate Grooes on &aces tool
)hange the .alues as re=uired then left#click the
+3reate Grooes, "utton.
8ick the intersection of the guide line and .ertical edge for the start
le.el.

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Start point at
Intersection
1'.0 3reate 0a"p
We are now going to create a ramp. 1ets open ra"p.s2p from the same folder 1S2etchUp.
We are going to make it slope up. !irst thing to do is to
pick the arc.
1eft#click the Slope ,d(es tool
!rom the pull#down menu, switch to carpark ramp to
preset the 0radient 6 to D.3. (ou may change the
Eeight and the 0radient will automatically set for you.
>ext, left#click the +Slope ,d(es, "utton. 8ick the Start
point 3$5 followed "y the Bnd point 3B5.
%nce the arc slopes up, left#click the ,-trude #lon( Path tool
When prompted whether to +*aintain .ertical section profile/,, left#click the <es "utton.
>ext, pick the profile of the ramp. -hen pick a reference point on the profile.
!inally pick the start point of the ramp 3lower end of arc5.
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6efore #fter
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%nce the ramp is created, erase the ramp profile.
1..0 3reate Staircases
1ets create staircases. 1eft#click the 3reate Staircases tool
Scroll to the right and look for -ype of staircases
that you wish to create then left#click the +6uild
staircases, "utton.
-his pops#up the 3reate Staircase =2> dialog "ox. )hange the .alues as re=uired then left#click the
3reate Staircase "utton.
8ick the origin of the staircase then choose the angle you wish
to position it. %nce you ha.e dynamically set the angle, left#
click to confim the position.
1ets create a Spiral staircase.
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Scroll to the right and look for staircase type +66,
then left#click the +6uild staircases, "utton.
-his pops#up the 3reate Spiral Staircase dialog
"ox. )hange the .alues as re=uired then left#click
the +3reate Spiral Staircase, "utton.
1eft#click to position the spiral staircase.
14.0 3reate ,scalator
!inally we are going to create an Bscalator. 1ets open
escalator.s2p from 1S2etchup folder.
1ets left#click the 3reate ,scalator tool
!rom the custom setting 6 pull#down menu, lets select
the ?7, escalator
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)hange the .alue in the dialog "ox as re=uired then left#click the +3reate ,scalator, "utton.
8ick a point on the lower floor followed "y the upper
floor. %nce the escalator is created, erase the floors.
18.0 3onclusion
We ha.e come to the end of this SketchUp with 6776"it tutorial. We are confident that you ha.e learnt a
lot and ha.e found "oth SketchUp and 6776"it 8ro .ery easy and producti.e to use for your designs.
-here are many more tools, tips and tricks "ut as SketchUp and 6776"it is so intuiti.e, you will "e a"le
to pick that up along the way. Until then, ha.e fun using SketchUp and 6776"it 8roG
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