Can SaunaDesignPro open a .skp file directly?
Not currently. Export the SketchUp model as a GLTF Binary File (.glb), then import that GLB into SaunaDesignPro.
Bring your SketchUp sauna design
Bring your SketchUp sauna design into SaunaDesignPro
Already modeled the room, cabin, or whole sauna building in SketchUp? Export one standard GLB file, import it into SaunaDesignPro as an aligned 3D reference, and continue with sauna-specific planning around it.
Import my SketchUp saunaRead SketchUp GLB export help
SaunaDesignPro does not open the native .skp file and does not require a SketchUp extension. The workflow uses SketchUp's standard GLTF Binary File (.glb) export. The geometry, relative positions, materials, textures, and overall model bounds in that self-contained file become a browser-local visual reference in the SDP 3D planner.
The imported model opens by itself in the 3D view so it does not collide with the existing SDP room or benches. The editable SDP design is preserved but hidden until you choose Show SDP overlay. The imported mesh remains a reference rather than silently becoming construction or pricing data.
Step 1: prepare the sauna model
Keep the sauna near the SketchUp drawing origin, leave it at real-world scale, and remove geometry that is not useful for planning. A smaller, focused model loads faster and is easier to align with the SDP room.
- Purge unused or hidden components, distant site entourage, and duplicate geometry.
- Avoid resizing the sauna just for export; SDP reads the GLB at real-world scale and provides a scale control if adjustment is needed.
- Reduce oversized texture images when a visually simple model has become unexpectedly large.
- Export a self-contained GLB. SDP rejects files that depend on external buffer or texture URLs.
Step 2: export GLB from SketchUp
In SketchUp, choose File → Export → 3D Model. In the format list, select GLTF Binary File (*.glb), choose a file name and location, then export. SketchUp documents this same GLB workflow in its official help center at https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/working-gltf-files.
Step 3: import the SketchUp sauna into SDP
Open the SaunaDesignPro project menu and choose Import SketchUp GLB. Select the exported file. SDP validates the self-contained GLB, detects its overall dimensions, and gives you the option to use those bounds as the room width, depth, and height. Leave that option off if the SketchUp scene includes a larger building or objects outside the hot room.
Step 4: review the model, then overlay SDP when ready
The GLB opens alone in the SDP 3D view. Inspect the imported layout and materials, then choose Show SDP overlay when you are ready to align it with the editable room. Scale, rotation, X/Y/Z position, visibility, opacity, and Center + floor controls help compare the two without forcing them to overlap by default.
- Use the SketchUp model for existing-room geometry, architectural context, custom details, adjacent spaces, and the proportions already approved.
- Use SDP for editable walls and openings, bench geometry, heater sizing and clearances, ventilation, wall assemblies, product selections, material quantities, 2D views, and handoff documents.
Important: reference, not automatic conversion
SketchUp faces and groups do not automatically become SDP walls, benches, openings, heater clearances, prices, or material-list rows. That boundary prevents a visually plausible mesh from silently becoming construction data. Trace or recreate the sauna elements you want SDP to calculate and document.
What happens when the design is shared?
The imported GLB stays in browser-local storage. Saved or shared SDP designs keep the model name, dimensions, visibility, opacity, scale, rotation, and position, but another browser or device must relink the same GLB file. The model is not uploaded as part of the import workflow.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install a SketchUp extension?
No. The workflow uses SketchUp's standard GLB export and SaunaDesignPro's browser-based importer. There is no SDP extension to install in SketchUp.
Does the importer turn SketchUp geometry into editable SDP walls and benches?
No. The GLB opens by itself as a visual reference while the existing SDP design is preserved but hidden. Choose Show SDP overlay when you are ready to recreate the walls, openings, benches, heater, materials, and construction details with SDP tools.
What comes across in the GLB?
The importer reads the model geometry, relative positions, materials, textures, and overall bounds contained in a self-contained GLB file.
Where is my SketchUp sauna model stored?
The GLB stays in browser-local storage. SaunaDesignPro does not upload it as part of this import workflow. Another browser or device must relink the same GLB.
How large can the imported SketchUp file be?
The current importer accepts self-contained GLB files up to 250 MB. Removing unused components, hidden geometry, and oversized textures can make the file easier to work with.