Over the years, we’ve witnessed many woodworkers falling in love with and using SketchUp to design, plan and create some amazing projects. Still, for folks that haven’t learned SketchUp yet, we still get asked whether it’s the right tool for them. To answer, we created a video that answers the 5 questions we most often get asked by woodworkers when they’re trying to decide if SketchUp is worth investing the time and money in learning:

1. Is SketchUp a good tool for the types of projects I work on?
2. Is SketchUp necessary, or can I keep doing things the way I already do?
3. Is it hard to learn and do I need a background in using CAD or 3D design software?
4. How long does SketchUp take to learn?
5. Can I get by using SketchUp Free, or is it worth upgrading to SketchUp Go or SketchUp Pro?

If you’re interested in SketchUp for Woodworking you can take a look at the video here:

Then let me know if you have any questions or feedback. Thanks!

In this SketchUp tutorial, we’ll show you how to create rounded or beveled edges and corners in SketchUp using a SketchUp extension called FredoCorner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvrOPRzR-9U

To use FredoCorner, you’ll need to download and install two extensions from SketchUcation.com:

LibFredo6 - https://sketchup.school/libfredo6
FredoCorner - https://sketchup.school/fredocorner

Be sure to watch it and let me know if you have any feedback or questions!

Need to turn a 2D floor plan into a 3D SketchUp model? We created a video tutorial that walks you through the process. In the video we cover how to:

1. Import & Scale Your 2D Plan
2. Draw the Walls
3. Add the Door Openings
4. Add the Window Openings
5. Group & Tag your Model

You can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2Zxep6wuKg

Then be sure to let me know if you have any questions!

Happy Sketching!

Over time, we’ve gotten a lot of questions about SketchUp extensions:

• What are they?
• How much do they cost?
• Where do I get them?
• How do I install them?
• Which ones do you recommend?
• How do I use them?

We decided to take our answers to these questions and include them all in a new YouTube video titled SketchUp Extensions – Everything You Need to Know (to get started)

You can watch the video here:

There are 3 major reasons why architects, interior designers, and other design professionals decide they need SketchUp Pro over SketchUp Free or SketchUp Shop -- and we created a YouTube video that covers all 3. Specifically, we talk about Professional Tools, Presentation Options, and Design Documentation. By the end of the video, you should have a pretty good idea of whether you would benefit from upgrading to SketchUp Pro.

You can watch the video here:

Then let me know if you have any questions or feedback. Thanks!

Are you struggling to create professional-grade renderings with V-Ray for SketchUp? We created a new YouTube video that walks you through the settings that we recommend to help you achieve your rendering goals.

You can watch the video here:

And after you watch it, be sure to let me know if you have any questions!

We published a video tutorial that covers the 7 critical things you need to know before getting started with SketchUp and LayOut. Watching the video will help you avoid the mistakes that often trip people up when getting started. And, by the end, you’ll understand how SketchUp and LayOut can be used together to create construction documents and design presentations.

Inside the video we cover:

1. How LayOut and SketchUp Work Together
2. Creating Scenes Before Viewports
3. Getting the Right Camera Views
4. Giving Each Active Section Cut Its Own Scene
5. Using Tags the Right Way
6. Controlling Line Weights Via Styles
7. Drawing Some 2D Symbols in SketchUp

Plus the power of naming your Groups and Components. You can watch the video here:

Then be sure to let me know if you have any questions or feedback. Thanks!

Whether here on the forums, on our website, or in the comments on our YouTube channel, one of the questions we see asked most often is: "What's the Best Computer for SketchUp?"

And while there's not a one-size-fits-all answer to that question, we've taken everything we've learned helping people pick the best computer for their particular situation and turned it into a new video that we just published to our YouTube channel.

Inside the video we talk about:

• Considerations between PC vs. Mac
• SketchUp's minimum and recommended requirements vs. Our recommendations
• Choosing a computer for just SketchUp vs. one that also works for photorealistic rendering

You can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/cEVoLqsVHGQ

Then be sure to let me know if you have any questions or feedback. Thanks!

Do you need to create an accurate model of a room? We've recently published a new SketchUp video tutorial that explains the whole process in nine easy steps using a real-world kitchen. Plus, we show you the most common mistakes people make and how you can avoid them.

Inside the video we cover:

1. How to Orient Your Model To The Space
2. Drawing The Overall Width & Length Of The Space
3. Drawing The Thickness Of The Walls
4. Drawing The Height Of The Walls
5. Creating Window & Door Openings
6. Staying Organized With Groups & Tags
7. Drawing The Floor
8. Drawing The Ceiling
9. Adding The Details

Then be sure to reply with any questions or feedback.

Alex

Want to create a floor plan with SketchUp Free? We've published a new SketchUp tutorial video that walks you through the process in 7 easy steps. Along the way, you’ll learn the right way to use many of SketchUp’s tools and features as well as how to avoid common mistakes.

Here's what we cover in the video:

1. Get SketchUp Free Setup for 2D
2. Draw The Floor
3. Draw The Exterior Walls
4. Draw The Interior Walls
5. Add The Windows & Doors
6. Import Furniture & Fixtures
7. Style The Plan for Presentation

You can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/RXC9TJDXYnM

Then be sure to let me know if you have any questions or feedback!

We just published a YouTube video where we teach you how to build a simple house from start to finish using SketchUp Free. Inside the video we cover:

1. How to Draw Accurate Walls
2. The Importance of Grouping Early (and Often)
3. Editing Groups to Add Detail
4. How to Stay Organized with Tags
5. The Power of Using Components
6. How to Use Nested Groups & Components
7. Learning to Edit Existing 3D Shapes
8. Using Pre-Made Components from the 3D Warehouse
9. Adding Colors & Materials
10. Creating a Final Rendering

By the end of the video, you'll have learned all the skills you need to then go and apply them to your own projects! You can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXpXVAgRLV0

And be sure to let me know if you have any questions or feedback! Thanks!

Confused what the differences are between all the versions of SketchUp? You're definitely not alone. To help you sort it out, we created a YouTube video that lays out the 10 Key Differences between SketchUp Free, SketchUp Shop, and SketchUp Pro. Here are the topics we cover in the video:::

1. Web vs Desktop
2. Intended Users
3. SketchUp Extensions
4. Starting From an Existing CAD File
5. 3D Modeling Tools
6. Adding Pre-Built 3D Models
7. Creating Custom Colors & Materials
8. Importing Satellite Imagery & Location Information
9. 3D Printing & CNC Fabrication
10. Exporting Renderings, Walkthroughs, Drawings & More

You can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph3S2Oc0WYw. And then let me know if you have any comments or questions!

Whether you’re a hobbyist wanting to use SketchUp for personal projects or a design professional wanting to try SketchUp Free before investing in SketchUp Pro, we created a video to help you get started. In the video, we'll show you how to access the web-based SketchUp Free, the right way to use the drawing, editing & navigation tools, and how to avoid the things that often trip up self-taught SketchUp users.

Here's everything we cover:

• How to Access SketchUp Free
• Start in 2D
• Use the Right Mouse
• Draw the Right Way
• Understand Stickiness
• Group (Almost) Everything
• Master the Move Tool
• Navigate like a Pro

You can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEGqe_CQ_wc

Then be sure to let me know if you have any questions or feedback!

Have you wondered whether V-Ray for SketchUp or Lumion would be better to use to create realistic renderings of your SketchUp models?

There are 7 key things you need to consider when deciding between V-ray for SketchUp and Lumion:

1. Speed
2. Photorealism
3. The Objects in Your Model
4. How You Build Your Environment
5. Animation
6. Operating System
7. Price

We cover all the details in our new YouTube video: Vray for SketchUp vs Lumion – Which is right for you?
https://youtu.be/raoRE7PguV0

When you get a chance, watch the video and let me know if you have any questions or feedback. Thanks!

Most problems people run into with V-Ray for SketchUp come from getting too far into the rendering process too fast. That's why we created a new YouTube video titled The Secret to Better Renderings in V-Ray for SketchUp.

Inside the video, we cover "The Photographer Method", a 3-step approach that we teach our students in our V-Ray for SketchUp course that helps them understand how to think like a photographer in order to avoid early mistakes and create better renderings.

Take a look at the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE4uRqi_GqQ. Then be sure to let me know if you have any questions or feedback!

Thanks!

Alex

Want to create awesome photorealistic renderings with V-Ray for SketchUp? We've created a YouTube video tutorial that sheds light on an important step that self-taught users often miss. Watch it to learn what the missing step is, why it matters, and the 5 things to do in this step to get great renderings out of V-Ray for SketchUp. Here's what we cover in the video:

• Orienting Your Model
• Organizing Your File
• Mastering Your Materials
• Adding Important Details
• Minding Your Polygons
• BONUS TIP: Using High-Quality Models

You can watch the new video on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/iCBRmNi5ONo

When you get a chance, watch the video, and then be sure to let me know if you have any questions or feedback. Thanks!

Want to learn how to create realistic renderings of your SketchUp models? If so, you should check out our new How to Render in SketchUp tutorial video that we just published on our YouTube channel. Inside the video, we answer these three questions everyone asks when struggling to get started:

1. How does rendering work in SketchUp?
2. How do you choose the best rendering software?
3. How do you create a rendering using SketchUp and your chosen rendering software?

Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtoNW05yKfM

And after watching the video, if you need help choosing the right rendering software for your particular situation, we give you a link to contact us so we can help. You'll find the link in the YouTube video description.

Need to create a floor plan with SketchUp? We've created a YouTube video tutorial that walks you through the process in 7 easy steps. Based on the approach we teach in one of our paid courses, watch this video and you’ll avoid the problems people often run into when learning how to create a professional floor plan with SketchUp. Here's what we cover:

1. Start in a "2D Template"
2. Draw Your Floor
3. Draw Your Exterior Walls
4. Draw Your Interior Walls
5. Add Your Windows & Doors
6. Import Furniture & Fixtures
7. Style Your Plan for Presentation

You can watch the new video on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ8UtjJgpQw

When you get a chance, watch the video, and then be sure to let me know if you have any questions or feedback. Thanks!

There are a number of things that often trip up self-taught SketchUp users. So we've created a new YouTube tutorial video: In it, you’ll learn the 7 critical concepts you need to know to avoid struggling when you’re first getting started. Here's what we cover:

1. Start in 2D
2. Use the Right Mouse
3. Draw the Right Way
4. Understand Stickiness
5. Group (Almost) Everything
6. Master the Move Tool
7. Navigate Like a Pro

You can watch the new video on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/v-xCDa_lmUQ

When you get a chance, watch the video and then be sure to let me know if you have any questions or feedback. Thanks!

Want to render your SketchUp models in Lumion? There are several fundamental things you need to know to avoid struggling when getting started such as understanding how-to:

1. Use the Lumion LiveSync Extension
2. Create Terrain in SketchUp vs. Lumion
3. Convert SketchUp Scenes into Lumion Cameras
4. Decide when to use Lumion’s Object Library vs. SketchUp’s 3D Warehouse
5. Use Tags in SketchUp to replace objects in Lumion
6. Take Advantage of Lumion Nodes
7. Work with Materials in SketchUp to more easily enhance or replace them later in Lumion

You can watch the new video on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/GynbluSJHOQ

When you get a chance, watch the video and then be sure to let me know if you have any questions or feedback. Thanks!