How To Use SKETCHUP to Design Your Van / RV / Tiny Home / Basement Layout - SIMPLIFIED!!

I made this Sketchup tutorial video to teach the basics on how to design the layout for your future camper van, RV, tiny home, or basement.
Sketchup is a tool used to design 3D models for everything from construction to electronics. It can be scary to pick it up at first due to all of the features, but we only need a few of them to get our job done.
Timestamps:
0:00 - 0:22 - Intro
0:22 - 1:01 - What Is Sketchup?
1:01 - 1:44 - Creating A Project
1:44 - 5:18 - Tools
5:18 - 7:04 - Components
7:04 - 8:21 - Tags
8:21 - 9:50 - Converting Real Life to Sketchup
9:50 - 10:17 - Coming Up Next...

[@orificium]

Please do a video demonstrating design with 8020 components in sketchup.

[@alisinwanderland]

Loved this...it was super easy to follow along with, and you covered a lot of content in a short period of time. Looking forward to seeing your build design! Thanks again for the SketchUp tutorial.

[@sylviahurst7163]

Makes a lot of sense. Thanks Seven for stretching my mind to a new way of planning a layout.

[@thejspotvlog]

Thanks for the introduction to sketch up !! I have finally made my layout for my van and its amazing adding new things to it ... your channel is great love how the videos flow great work hallo from Cyprus

[@jannezack]

If you make something a “component” such as a cabinet, if you copy it, but want to change the size of one, the size changes on all of those “cabinet components”. So each size cabinet needs a unique component name OR you can make “groups” instead. It is done the same way only you don’t have to name it or describe it. Components are fantastic when you want to use the same components over and over again but groups are great for things that need to have some of the same sizes (such as your limber sizes) but need differing lengths. Once you get a bunch of lumber (or 80/20) put together into a box/cabinet shape, you can then hold your shift down and select all the “groups” that form that thing and right click to create yet another group or component. Sketchup is amazing! But get in the habit of making groups or components very often. Tags are also great so you can turn some things off to work on other things so you don’t accidentally grab too much stuff and accidentally erase something you didn’t intend to erase (story of my life)!

[@jnxmck]

Hey man, I've been planning my van build for the last year or so and have been doing it with Illustrator as I couldn't ever get my head around Sketchup, but this really helped me understand it and I've actually managed to start putting my layout together properly!

[@ErikSjaastad]

Using this to design my 80/20 bed frame today! Thank you!!!!

[@garycotz563]

Glad you whipped thru it... finally got cheap, good, fast all in one

[@thomasthrift349]

Very informative video and I appreciate you leaving in the mistakes. Just purchased a turtle top conversion 3500 Chevy Express van. While I'm normally a paper and pencil kind of guy, I may give SketchUp a try.

[@garyjennyfrost9485]

This made soooooo much more sense for how to start this. I'm designing a sit-stand desk back wall after getting inspired by a new desk that Corsair has coming out soon. So many possibilities with 8020 type t-rail. goona be fun to see it in 3d before doing the build. Thank you

[@bencuraza6503]

GREAT TUTORIAL for a Dummy-101 like me. You made it easy to follow. NICE !!!

[@NoLimitVanLife]

I should probably use this on my current build. Thanks Savage

[@beauroberts3623]

Been with you so since the beginning of Vangelina and will continue to watch even more though sometimes you are faster than .my thought process. I am truly fascinated.

[@seven_o_savage]

Thanks Beau! Happy to have you here!

[@tdivyak]

Super easy to get started, I struggled with the app for hours, now I get it.

[@LadyBugout]

Love, love, love!!!! Thank you for this awesome tutorial. 🥳

[@mausie1967]

Thanks for the info. Loved it very much and greetings from Holland

[@YNotBeeAntoine]

Just ordered my Kilmat. Starting this weekend. This will be helpful for my husband, because he can't see inside my head. ;) Thanks!

[@seven_o_savage]

Hahaha love it!

[@alexander.damien]

Man, I've spent 2 days messing around with SketchUp and Fusion 360 with 0 experience in either... just trying to get a basic design for a van build I'm starting next month. Everything has been way too complex for the basic things I want to do. You just saved me literal hours of fumbling around in the app and getting frustrated. Thanks a bunch!

[@noshepard]

Thanks for this. I love the channel!

[@kenhurley4441]

My cousin's 2nd son was one of the engineers that developed Sketchup. Yep it's a great piece of software!

[@CharlesJohnstone-tc8ix]

Congratulations. Your videos convey a heap of information in a readily acceptable fashion. In fact, you are the reason I have now opted for a UK equivalent of 80/20 and the use of Sketchup. The latter was previously explained by someone with undoubted user ability but absolutely no teaching ability! Well done.

[@lauragirard1649]

Thank you! Great tutorial!

[@deanharris2240]

Great vid man! I just did my mock up in SketchUp and had to re-design my plan. Went from a folding couch/bed to a murphy bed. This software just saved me a ton of time, money, and potential frustration. I've got it dialed in now!! I'm 61 y/o and was able to figure it out and want to thank you for taking the time to go thru SkecthUp. Getting ready to hit the road Jack!!! LOL

[@MexicoDrones]

Great and very useful video with a focus on the specific tools you need to mock up a build. A thousand thanks! (Or mil gracias en Espanol)

[@DaDavidVids]

When I saw that you were filming this with a webcam, I was a little apprehensive. However, I must say, great video. When I first started on my VanLife obsession, I tried to learn SketchUp over a few months and gave up because I would just get stuck. Your concise yet thorough video reinvigorated my desire to design my build on there.

[@seven_o_savage]

That is awesome.Thank you! Hope sketchup ends up working

[@ericlawrence9729]

Great video thanks for posting.

[@desertclimber78]

Thanks for the rad content!

[@user-ih2wt3sz8x]

Thank you for sharing!

[@CianArranEoin]

Great tips... Thank you!!!

[@estherstephens1858]

Ok, ya got me. I’m here from Jarrod Tocci’s channel. New sub.

[@gashead2]

Very helpful thanks

[@alnerjohnaguilar8882]

Thank you!

[@CharlesJohnstone-tc8ix]

.... oops! wrong key stroke! .... thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@tandyadventures]

Thank you for sharing! I’m still debating if i should build a camper van.

[@seven_o_savage]

Do ittttttttt

[@navibean1635]

"Just do it."

[@Moto290]

Thank you

[@kanehelgren5618]

you are the best

[@baopham8676]

I recommend van space 3D for building a van conversion diagram

[@ron-almog]

That's so cool! But how do I bring the 80/20 into the game? is there a way to import the parts, the extrusion, nuts, etc?

[@smallg327]

thanks

[@David_11111]

YAY

[@jeffkarrow6924]

Does viewing the display on a 16:9 monitor result in the visual distortion of a square even if you set the dimensions numerically? I'm using Lightwave 3D version 6 to design the "kitchen wall" for my Windstar mini van RV conversion. You can then animate the model and record it. I presume SKETCHUP runs under Windows 10?

[@tgj1313]

Great video! Where can I find the template or sample of the file of those aluminium extrusion? Thanks in advance

[@morenonesense]

Hey man, any chance you share how you managed to incorporate 80/20 extrusions in SketchUp? Using the 3D Warehouse but can't get any of them to work properly ...

[@jarosawmadzia2289]

👍👍👍

[@nadines7175]

What version are you using? All of the tutorials that I’ve found are for an older version and they don’t seem to match up with the newest ones. Thank you!

[@jessy7884]

For some reason I can’t change the measurements in this system. Just started and I’m already frustrated

[@bizim_eller]

👍👍🙂

[@HeroesBanners]

Are you using a mobile version or online version of sketchpad

[@freedomtrailamerica2981]

Did you see the couple with the shower in the middle of their van. It had 2 other uses, too. I think they were 159 or 171 ft floor plan...which I will do next time!

[@leefritchman9643]

The only country that went to the moon invented feet and inches 😂😂

[@drott150]

Call it Vincent. As in Vincent Van Go.

[@bwbrady8372]

Making components -- I select the rectangle that is the floor, (before adding anything else. It's just the floor rectangle). *Right click.* Window opens, but does not include "make component" option. Help!

[@seven_o_savage]

Triple click to select the rectangle and all edges before right clicking

[@bwbrady8372]

​@@seven_o_savage Thanks! I'm not sure you can triple click on a Mac. But I figured out how to use the select button, then click and drag to encase and highlight the item, then double click on it and the proper box finally came up. (We dummies have to have every step defined and walked through.) Thanks again. Your video, after many previous failures, was the one that finally helped me get sketchup to work.

[@thakatathaka1876]

15 like

[@jerryocrow1]

Why didn't you paste the file containing your build? Please do.

[@jonathansimmons5353]

Do it by eye old school, drawings and paper. Much easier, less hassle no brain ache. If you have good hands on skills you dont need software to do it for you.

[@justaguy8223]

Probably would have been better to not have the in screen vid, so the whole screen is sketchup. :)

[@johnmoonen8416]

sketchup is not free any more in the Netherlands

[@joopzhez2024]

The paid version is only for the pro version. If you go to sketchup.com and click “For Personal” you can get the free version

[@TheJeffDing]

My guy really said "fetus deletus" 😂

[@Frankiez220]

I’ve got a headache already. I could see myself pulling my hair out with this and wasting a whole day working it out.

[@Theflyinghoneybadger]

great video. Get a mic and speak softer so it doesn't sound like you are yelling at us the whole video.

[@epoch2844]

if your watching this now the little pizza icon is now an “i” inside of an 0

[@lillihowell1543]

Sketchup is NOT free.

[@josefasantos7647]

Minecraft in real life

[@jongauna7593]

Why are you yelling at me?

[@davidventer]

Same! Why is he? What did I do? I’m sorry! Stop yelling at me! 😭😭😭🥺🙉

[@Daithi354]

Dafuq is with the shouting