SketchUp for Woodworking: Complete Workflow and Cut Lists

SketchUp became the default woodworking design tool for a reason: it thinks in solids, it measures precisely and it costs far less than parametric CAD. This guide covers the full workflow from board to cut list. New to the software? Read the SketchUp beginner guide first, then come back.

Set up a woodworking template

Set units to fractional inches or millimetres in Window > Model Info > Units, with precision at 1/32" or 0.1 mm, and switch off length snapping. Save this as your own template through File > Save As Template so every project starts correct.

Model board by board, not shape by shape

The single most important habit: model every physical board as its own component, at its real finished dimensions. A carcass is not one extruded box, it is six boards. This costs a few extra minutes and pays back in three ways: you can dry-fit joinery, you can count material honestly, and you can generate a cut list automatically.

1. Draw a rectangle at the board face dimension and type the exact numbers.
2. Push/Pull to the board thickness, typing the value.
3. Triple-click, press G, and name the component descriptively, for example "Side panel 18x400x800".
4. Copy and place instances with the Move tool while holding Ctrl or Option.

Joinery: mortise, tenon and dado

Cut joinery by modelling the removal, not by faking it. Open the component, draw the mortise outline on the face, and Push/Pull inward to the depth. For a tenon, draw the shoulders and push the waste away. Because each board is a solid component, SketchUp Pro's Solid Tools (Subtract, Trim) let you cut one part with another directly, which is the fastest way to make matching dados.

Keep a small library of your standard joints as components in a scrapbook file, then import them into new projects rather than remodelling them.

Generating a cut list

Once every board is a properly named component, a cut list is one click away. The classic free extension is CutList (available in the Extension Warehouse), which reads component names and dimensions and exports a CSV with board sizes, quantities and sheet layouts. OpenCutList is the modern, actively maintained alternative and also produces cost estimates and offcut optimisation for sheet goods.

The extension can only report what you modelled, so name your components consistently and always model finished sizes. See our best SketchUp extensions roundup for the full list of woodworking plugins.

Grain, materials and realistic previews

Apply a wood texture, then right-click the face and choose Texture > Position to rotate the grain so it runs along the board, not across it. Wrong grain direction is the tell-tale sign of a rushed model. For client-facing images, a render engine adds depth; our guide to SketchUp rendering compares the options.

Shop drawings

Create scenes for front, side, plan and an exploded axonometric view, then send them to LayOut for dimensioned shop drawings. An exploded view is easy to build: copy the assembly, move each component outward along its axis, and save it as a separate scene.

Common mistakes

• Modelling nominal instead of finished thickness, so nothing fits.
• Using groups instead of components, which breaks cut list extensions.
• Leaving joinery as a drawn line rather than removed material.
• Ignoring grain direction on plywood and solid stock.
• Forgetting kerf and machining allowance in the cut list settings.

If you want a structured path from first box to full furniture set, the SketchUp Master course takes you through the professional workflow end to end.

FAQ

Is SketchUp good for woodworking?

Yes. Its solid modelling, precise numeric input and cut-list extensions make it one of the most widely used design tools among furniture makers and cabinet shops.

What is the best cut list extension for SketchUp?

OpenCutList is the most actively maintained free option, producing cut lists, sheet layouts, offcut optimisation and cost estimates. The older CutList extension still works for simple projects.

Can I use the free version of SketchUp for woodworking?

SketchUp Free in the browser handles modelling but does not support extensions, so you lose automatic cut lists and Solid Tools. Most serious woodworkers use SketchUp Pro or the older desktop Make release.

Should I model nominal or finished lumber dimensions?

Always model finished dimensions. A nominal 1x4 is really 3/4" by 3-1/2", and modelling nominal sizes produces joinery and cut lists that do not match your actual stock.

How do I show wood grain direction in SketchUp?

Apply the wood texture, then right-click the face and choose Texture > Position to rotate and scale the image so the grain runs along the length of the board.