# Best way to smooth an existing terrain **URL:** \ **Category:** Pro\ **Tags:** terrain, sketchup, modeling, fredo6, smooth\ **Created:** [April 15, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/best-way-to-smooth-an-existing-terrain/323581 "2025-04-15T22:06:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xosira](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/xosira/32/142526_2.png) [@xosira](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/xosira)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/best-way-to-smooth-an-existing-terrain/323581/1 "2025-04-15T22:06:18Z")
Hi I have a terrain, not from contours because I don’t really know how to do that. I have topoterrain, and i have obviously sandbox tools. I’m attaching a pic of what i currently have, and i wish i could smooth the edges so that it doesn’t look steps. and it’s all smoothed out. i try to smooth it out with soften edges. but now it just looks like awful. I don’t want that. ![Screenshot 2025-04-15 174905](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/b/2/b2300491c3767119f631004125ff015cdb96f6db.png) ---
**Author:** ![francisquitof](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/francisquitof/32/191263_2.png) [@francisquitof](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/francisquitof)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 1:30am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/best-way-to-smooth-an-existing-terrain/323581/2 "2025-04-16T01:30:00Z")
It looks like you have different groups(hopefully) or geometry intersecting, it’s probably a bit messy. I would grab all that, make a group and use the plugin Align Ends to make the terrain. If you share the file I could help you with the best solution. ---
**Author:** ![xosira](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/xosira/32/142526_2.png) [@xosira](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/xosira)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 1:30pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/best-way-to-smooth-an-existing-terrain/323581/3 "2025-04-16T13:30:42Z")
[terrain.skp](https://forums.sketchup.com/uploads/short-url/1Sne0NZnUcZ54LqkiKZ8ohGI6r5.skp) (229.6 KB) Yeah a lot of geometry intersecting.. i’ve tried everything. its so messy and i can’t triangulate it. i just wish i could smooth it out more since it’s supposed to be a parking lot lol. i’ve uploaded the file. Take a look and let me know what I could do. Thanks so much!! ---
**Author:** ![francisquitof](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/francisquitof/32/191263_2.png) [@francisquitof](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/francisquitof)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 7:35pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/best-way-to-smooth-an-existing-terrain/323581/4 "2025-04-16T19:35:43Z")
[terrain.skp](https://forums.sketchup.com/uploads/short-url/pQMM0cKKZw85NPeMK24vnfnO3iT.skp) (530.9 KB) Here´s a video of what I did with your file, first I grouped the loose geometry, then I created a flat mesh with the exact same shape of the terrain divided with quads. The plugin I used to drop down the mesh on the terrain you created is called, Align Ends. ---
**Author:** ![xosira](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/xosira/32/142526_2.png) [@xosira](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/xosira)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 4:57am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/best-way-to-smooth-an-existing-terrain/323581/5 "2025-04-17T04:57:54Z")
Wow!! thank you so much. I downloaded that extension. is there any way to align things to this terrain? I know I can use drape with sandbox tools. but is there a way to align objects to a terrain? lets set a sidewalk, not just the face of a sidewalk. I’ve been trying to use different extensions but can’t find a solution. is this a way to do with align ends? ---
**Author:** ![francisquitof](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/francisquitof/32/191263_2.png) [@francisquitof](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/francisquitof)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 5:08am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/best-way-to-smooth-an-existing-terrain/323581/6 "2025-04-17T05:08:07Z")
Of course you can, just make sure that the plans or lines must be subdivided, other wise you’ll have just a flat plane or a straight line on top of the terrain. you can algo draw the sidewalks and ways on a plane, then extrude it so it intersects the terrain mesh, then use joint push pull to give the volume