Free course · Architecture & Engineering
Free SketchUp Course
Model buildings, interiors and objects quickly in SketchUp — from push/pull basics to clean, organised models, presentations and LayOut drawings.
9 lessons · 1 practical project · about 6 hours · free, no sign-up
Your progress
0 of 10 lessons and projects complete · saved on this device
About this course
SketchUp is one of the fastest ways to think in 3D. This free course takes you from your first push/pull to organised, presentation-ready models, with the habits professionals rely on: grouping everything, using components for repeated elements, tagging correctly, and building scenes for every view you need.
You'll finish by modelling and presenting a small house, and the advanced lesson shows how LayOut turns your model into scaled, dimensioned drawings.
By the end you will be able to
- Navigate and draw accurately with inference
- Model with push/pull, offset and Follow Me
- Structure models with groups, components and tags
- Apply materials and textures correctly
- Present with scenes, styles and sections
- Produce drawings in LayOut
Who it’s for
- • Architecture and interior design students
- • Designers who need fast concept models
- • Builders, landscapers and makers
- • Anyone new to 3D modelling
Getting SketchUp legitimately
- • Trimble offers a free web-based version of SketchUp for personal, non-commercial use.
- • Paid subscriptions are required for professional use; check current plans and terms.
- • Eligible students and educators can get educational licences.
Course outline
Follow the order, or jump to what you need — nothing is locked. Each lesson has steps, an exercise, a checklist and a quiz.
Beginner SketchUp basics
Beginner overviewWhat SketchUp is, how to navigate and draw accurately with inference, push/pull modelling, and keeping geometry clean with groups and components.
- 1. What is SketchUp?SketchUp is a fast, intuitive 3D modelling program popular for architectural concepts, interiors, landscaping and woodworking. Learn what it’s good at and which version to use.10 min
- 2. Navigation and the inference engineSketchUp’s inference engine is its secret weapon: it snaps to axes, points and edges while you draw. Learn to navigate and use inference for accurate modelling.14 min
- 3. Drawing and push/pullDraw closed shapes to make faces, then push/pull faces into 3D. It’s how almost everything in SketchUp begins — from buildings to furniture.16 min
- 4. Groups and componentsLoose SketchUp geometry sticks to everything it touches. Groups and components are how you keep parts separate, reusable and easy to edit — the most important habit in SketchUp.16 min
Intermediate Organising and presenting
Intermediate overviewTags, materials, advanced modelling tools, and presentation with scenes, styles and section planes.
- 1. Tags and model organisationTags control visibility. Used correctly — on groups and components, never on raw geometry — they make large models manageable and drive your scenes.14 min
- 2. Materials and texturesMaterials bring models to life. Learn to apply colours and textures, set their real-world size, position them on faces and keep file size under control.14 min
- 3. Follow Me, intersect and solid toolsBeyond boxes: Follow Me sweeps profiles along paths, Intersect Faces and Solid Tools combine shapes, and Move/Copy arrays repeat elements precisely.18 min
- 4. Scenes, styles and section planesScenes save views with their settings; styles control the look; section planes cut the model for plans and sections. Together they turn a model into a presentation.16 min
Advanced Documentation
Advanced overviewProduce scaled, dimensioned drawings from your model with LayOut.
Practical projects Practical project
Practical projects overviewModel, organise and present a small house.
Free KitWren tools for this course
- Length ConverterConvert between metres, centimetres, millimetres, kilometres, inches, feet, yards and miles.
- Area ConverterConvert square metres, square feet, acres, hectares and more.
- Image ResizerResize images to exact pixel dimensions or by percentage, keeping the proportions if you like.
- Image CompressorCompress JPG, PNG and WebP images to make them much smaller — with a before/after preview and the size saved.
- Paint CalculatorWork out how much paint you need for a room’s walls and ceiling, in litres or gallons.
- Flooring CalculatorCalculate how much flooring, timber, laminate or carpet to buy, including waste and boxes.
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SketchUp course: questions
Can I use SketchUp for free?
Trimble offers a free web version for personal, non-commercial use. Commercial work needs a paid plan. The KitWren course is free either way.
Is SketchUp good for architecture?
It's excellent for concept design, massing, interiors and presentations, and small projects can be documented in LayOut. Larger projects are usually documented in BIM tools such as Revit.
Where can I get 3D models of furniture and trees?
Use the built-in 3D Warehouse and manufacturers' official models, respecting each model's licence, or model your own. Keep imported models light to protect performance.
Free, independent learning material written for KitWren. SketchUp and LayOut are trademarks of Trimble Inc. KitWren is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by Trimble. We never provide software downloads, licence keys or cracks — use the official sources.