Free 3D modeling tools you can use for your housing projects. (window, painting) - House -remodeling, decorating, construction, energy use, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, building, rooms - City-Data Forum

CptnRn · 02-19-2011, 03:50 PM

Anyone here tried the free Google Sketchup 3D modeling software for a residential project. It really helps one get a feeling for the final results. Here are a couple of screenshots, of an entrance area that I reworked. I will add some photos of the finished product later.

Another free 3D modeling tool I found is in the so called computer game "Second Life". Below are photos of a model I built where I converted a covered deck into a sunroom.

Covered Deck before remodeling:

Second Life 3D model of Sunroom:

Photo of finished Sunroom:

thecoalman · 02-19-2011, 05:13 PM

These are advanced tools and not necessarily for buildings but modeling and animation, keep in mind there is steep learning curve for both.

blender.org - Home

3D Modeling Software - trueSpace

Sample from blender:

CptnRn · 02-19-2011, 05:40 PM

Blender is free but NOT at all easy to learn how to use.

Same appears to be true of True Space.

My point in telling people about the two described above is that they are free and pretty darn easy to learn how to use.

khuntrevor · 02-19-2011, 06:01 PM

Benjaminmoore has some neat, free software for painting.

Momotaro · 02-21-2011, 07:43 AM

great tools, I have used 3d software in the past, but mostly made giant robots lol. I might give the Google tool a try for my garden project this spring. I made some paint sketched but ya those look terrible.

3-Oaks · 11-02-2011, 09:14 PM

Thanks!

MrRational · 11-03-2011, 06:46 AM

Very cool.
Did your download come with the 12 year old needed to operate it?

Mine didn't.

thecoalman · 11-03-2011, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrRational

Very cool.
Did your download come with the 12 year old needed to operate it?

LOL, most professional 3D rendering programs have a very steep learning curve however Google Sketchup is not that hard. It's much more intuitive than most I've used. It was designed to be easy so people could create 3D models for Google Earth.

Probably the biggest hurdle to overcome is the workflow. For example let's suppose you were going to build a simple window frame. Most people's intuition would have them building each side of the frame individually. That's not the fastest way to do it for that type of model, instead you draw a block the total size of your window frame and then "whittle" away at it.