Importing AutoCAD Files into SketchUp: Preparing a DWG for Import

Ufuk ŞEN

October 25, 2026Updated: November 9, 20265 min read1

Before you import a DWG into SketchUp, you need to clean up the AutoCAD file. In this lesson we simplify a crowded floor plan layer by layer. In the end, only the walls and the door and window openings are left. Even people who have never used AutoCAD can follow these steps easily.

Importing AutoCAD Files into SketchUp: Preparing a DWG for Import

We recorded this lesson in 2012 with AutoCAD 2012. The interface has changed since then. But the logic of turning off layers is the same in newer versions. (The video is in Turkish; this guide walks through the key steps in English.)

In this video

the basics of zooming and panning in AutoCAD,
seeing which layer an object sits on,
turning off the dimension, grid, hatch, text and furniture layers,
copying a backup of the clean plan to one side,
saving the file in a suitable version and bringing it into SketchUp.

Why do you need to prepare a DWG for import?

An architectural DWG file contains hundreds of items. Dimensions, grids, room names, square meters, item numbers and furniture all sit on the same plan. If you bring this file into SketchUp as it is, you see a pile of lines on screen. As a result, modeling drags on for hours. That is why you need to simplify the plan first.

Navigation basics in AutoCAD

In the second minute of the video, we give a short introduction. Rolling the mouse wheel forward and back zooms in and out of the plan. Holding the wheel down and dragging pans the view. So here the middle button does the job of SketchUp’s Pan tool.

Preparing the DWG for import by turning off layers

The fastest way to clean up is to turn off layers. First we click an unnecessary object, for example an outer dimension. The layer box at the top shows that object’s layer name. In our example it was the outer dimensions layer. Then we click the light bulb icon next to that layer in the list and click an empty spot. All the outer dimensions disappear from the screen at once.

With the same logic, we turned off these layers one after another:

grids and grid labels,
hatch fills,
interior dimensions and window dimensions,
square meter text, room names and item numbers,
exterior plaster lines,
furnishings, in other words furniture drawings.

Objects without their own layer

Sometimes an object does not sit on the right layer. For example, in our project some furniture was on the dimension layer. In cases like this, select the object with a right-to-left selection window. Then delete it with the Delete key. Stairs are also unnecessary if you will not go into interior detail.

Watch for drawing errors

In the eighth minute of the video, we show a small error. A wall line runs over a window. Overlaps like this make it harder for faces to form in SketchUp. Still, it is not a big problem. When you trace over the line in SketchUp, the face closes.

Symmetry and a backup copy

Large projects often have symmetry. For example, in our building two apartments were identical. In that case, it is enough to model one apartment and mirror it. That cuts the workload in half.

If you want to turn the layers you switched off back on later, just click the light bulb again. We went one step further. With the Copy command, we selected the whole clean plan and ended the selection with a right-click. Then we copied the plan to one side. After that, we turned the layers back on. Now we have both the original plan and a clean copy.

Here is a small extra tip that is not in the video. Run AutoCAD’s PURGE command before saving. This command cleans out the layers and blocks you do not use in the file. That way a lighter, more organized file goes into SketchUp. You will feel the difference right away, especially with crowded files from other offices.

Saving after preparing the DWG for import

Finally, we delete everything unnecessary that is left and choose Save As from the File menu. In the video, the file type field says AutoCAD 2010. If you like, you can also choose older formats such as 2007, 2004 or 2000. Then in SketchUp Pro you bring in this DWG file with File > Import.

The next step is turning the plan into a model. For that, watch our start-to-finish floor modeling lesson. If you want to build walls, doors and windows quickly, our 3D model from a plan article shows you the way. We explain layer organization on the SketchUp side in our article on using tags. For the supported CAD formats, see the SketchUp help page.

Summary

Preparing a DWG for import takes a few minutes but saves you hours. Click an unnecessary object, see its layer and turn it off with the light bulb. Delete the leftovers that have no layer of their own, and make a copy of the clean plan. Then save the file in a compatible version and import it into SketchUp.