Google SketchUp: The Missing Manual

Making Stairs and a Railing

In this last example, you use the Follow Me tool to extrude a shape along a path that twists and turns and travels along different axes. You've probably seen plenty of examples of round metal handrails like the one modeled in Figure 8-32 (Making Stairs and a Railing). In this project, before you make the handrail, you'll learn another quick way to design steps.

1. Open a new document using the "Architectural Design – Feet and Inches" template.

   Send Sang, the SketchUp model, to the unemployment line for this one. Select and delete him, or right-click and hide him.

2. With the Rectangle (R) tool, begin to draw a rectangle on the ground. Then type 12',12'.

   You may need to Orbit (O) around to a view that looks down to make sure your rectangle is drawn on the ground plane.

3. Use Push/Pull to pull the rectangle up into a box.

4. With the Line (L) tool, draw a profile that represents the run and rise for the stairs.

   If you want to be precise, you can type in values as you draw your lines. However, you don't have to sweat over it too much. Focus on the techniques now, and worry about precision later when you create your masterpieces.

   That little backward L shape (Figure 8-28) is all you need to create stairs in this example, which uses SketchUp's array feature.

5. With the Select tool, click the vertical line (the rise), and then press Shift as you click the horizontal line (the run).

   The two lines show a blue highlight when they're selected.

   Figure 8-28. The rise and run for a set of ...