Getting started with SpacePlanner

Find your way around the screen

1. 1

   Open the editor

   Go to spaceplanner.co and click Start Drawing, or open a template. The editor opens with an empty grid, ready to draw.

2. 2

   The left toolbar holds the drawing tools

   Tools are grouped in numbered sections, in the order you build: Structure (walls, rooms, floor, roof, balcony & terrace), Openings & circulation, Furnish, Measure & label, Outdoor and Electrical. The letter badge next to each tool is its keyboard shortcut. Select and Pan sit at the top, and View in 3D at the bottom.

   

3. 3

   The top bar holds the plan controls

   From left to right: the plan name and Plans menu, the Floors control, the 2D, 3D and Elevation switch, Undo and Redo, zoom, the units button (for example cm or ft-in), Snap, Settings, Import photo and Export.

4. 4

   The right panel shows settings and layers

   With nothing selected it shows Layers and Areas. Select a wall, door or piece of furniture and its settings appear at the top of the same panel.

Draw your first room

1. 5

   Pick the Room tool

   Press R or click Room under Structure. The shape is Rectangle by default. The small arrow next to it lets you choose L-shape, Any shape or Round.

2. 6

   Drag out the room

   Press on the grid and drag to the opposite corner. While you drag you can type the size, for example 400x300, and press Enter. Four walls are drawn at once.

   

3. 7

   Add a door and a window

   Press D for the Door tool, pick a style and click on a wall. Press N for the Window tool and do the same. Each click places one opening and the editor goes back to Select, so press the key again for the next one.

4. 8

   Furnish it

   Press B or click Furniture library. Pick a category or search, for example sofa or bed, click an item and then click inside the room to place it.

5. 9

   See it in 3D

   Click 3D in the top bar or View in 3D at the bottom of the toolbar. Drag to orbit and scroll to zoom. Click 2D to go back and keep drawing.

   

Search for any tool, item or answer

The search box in the top bar finds tools, furniture, settings and help in one place, in any of the six languages.

1. 10

   Open the search

   Press Ctrl+K (Cmd+K on a Mac) or /, or click the search box in the top bar. On a phone, tap the magnifying glass.

2. 11

   Type what you want

   Type a tool, a piece of furniture or a question, for example office chair, spiral stairs or how to add a roof. Use the arrow keys and Enter, or click a result. Tools and settings run straight away, and help results open the tutorial.

3. 12

   Convert units

   Type a conversion such as 250 cm to ft, or just cm to ft, and the answer shows at the top of the results. Press Enter to copy it.

Keep your work

1. 13

   Check the save status

   Under the plan name the status reads saved here while you are not signed in. That means the plan is stored in this browser only.

2. 14

   Create a free account to keep it

   Click Sign up to keep it in the top bar. Your drawing moves into your new account and opens right where you left off. After that it saves to your account automatically.

Tips

• Click the ? button at the bottom right of the editor for the Quick tutorial, What's new and these help tutorials.
• Made a mistake? Ctrl+Z undoes it (Cmd+Z on a Mac). It works in 2D and 3D.
• Not sure where to start? Open a template or an example plan and change it. See Templates and examples.
• Pick your units before you type sizes. The units button in the top bar changes them for the whole plan.

Common problems

I cannot move around the plan

Scroll to zoom. Hold Space and drag, drag with the middle mouse button, or press H for the Pan tool to move the view. Press Shift+F to fit the whole plan on screen. See Zoom, pan and fit.

Dragging on the grid draws a box instead of moving the view

With the Select tool, dragging on empty space draws a selection box. That is on purpose. Hold Space while you drag to pan instead.

Export asks me to create an account

Exporting, sharing a link, importing a photo and adding floors need a free account. Drawing, 3D and saving in your browser do not.

My sizes show in feet but I want metres (or the other way round)

Click the units button in the top bar and pick the unit you want. It changes how every size is shown and typed. Nothing is resized. See Units.