# How to measure an area in layout? **URL:** \ **Category:** LayOut\ **Created:** [March 24, 2025, 1:13pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486 "2025-03-24T13:13:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ArchitectinLondon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/architectinlondon/32/238469_2.png) [@ArchitectinLondon](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/ArchitectinLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 1:13pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/1 "2025-03-24T13:13:46Z")
I am trying to measure the site area in layout. I have read an old(2015) post about using labels but can’t figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 1:18pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/2 "2025-03-24T13:18:12Z")
Is the area you want to get a face in a SketchUp model viewport? If so, you can use the Auto Text function in a label. Start the label anchored to a face and click the little drop down arrow at the lower left of the text box. Choose Face in the left pane and Face Area in the right. ![Screenshot - 3_24_2025 , 8_17_11 AM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/8/b/8b073cce1c5cf822de71053a37e54c9fbe93e53d.png) Are you still using SketchUp 2018 as your profile shows? ---
**Author:** ![nmason](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/nmason/32/185820_2.png) [@nmason](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/nmason)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 1:19pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/3 "2025-03-24T13:19:57Z")
Here’s video explanation from LO2025. All you need is a face: ---
**Author:** ![ArchitectinLondon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/architectinlondon/32/238469_2.png) [@ArchitectinLondon](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/ArchitectinLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 1:46pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/4 "2025-03-24T13:46:42Z")
i am using sketchup 2024. I ditched Autocad and am now using Skethup full time! I was hiping to do a quick site area measurement in layout because in SU i have used the topographical location map as the ground and as you can imagine it is up and down so measuring an area is not easy mainly because I am strugglling to lock the axes onto a plane which is below the plan so i can simply trace over the plan! ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/5 "2025-03-24T13:56:20Z")
> [@ArchitectinLondon](#): > > i am using sketchup 2024. Please update your forum profile. It says you’re using 2018. The Autotext feature in the label only offers face area, not surface area. It’s not clear to me from your description if the surface is coming in from SketchUp. You could interrogate the model using Entity Info in SketchUp to find out what the surface area is. ---
**Author:** ![ArchitectinLondon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/architectinlondon/32/238469_2.png) [@ArchitectinLondon](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/ArchitectinLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 2:19pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/6 "2025-03-24T14:19:10Z")
Thanks. It seems like there isnt a simple way of tracing over to get an area! I will have to extrapolate the site footprint down from the ground onto a plane. It’s a long way around! ---
**Author:** ![bmike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/bmike/32/225451_2.png) [@bmike](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/bmike)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 2:21pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/7 "2025-03-24T14:21:04Z")
Not in LO. I often do it with a bit of extra geometry in SKP and use tags to control visibility in LO, making a sort of overlay. ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 2:23pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/8 "2025-03-24T14:23:00Z")
Well, there isn’t a way to get the area of a face drawn in LayOut at this point in time. Since you can get it from a face in SketchUp maybe it would be easier to draw it there. Even if it’s just a temporary thing so you can get the number to add to a label in the LayOut file. At tleast there’s little to no math involved. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ArchitectinLondon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/architectinlondon/32/238469_2.png) [@ArchitectinLondon](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/ArchitectinLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 2:27pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/9 "2025-03-24T14:27:31Z")
![Screenshot 2025-03-24 142306](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/f/1/f1d32ac75392b32ab72cb923b76e7f70f7aeabbc.png) The ground of my site is not horizontal. i have had to trace over the google map to show the neighobur buildings but the line are not horizontal. when i look at the model fron the front/ back/ side the lines are up and down. i know how to contrain the axes to a plane but can the axes be constrained when drawings lines outside of a plane? ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 2:32pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/10 "2025-03-24T14:32:54Z")
> [@ArchitectinLondon](#): > > i have had to trace over the google map Are you actually using a screenshot from Google Maps or are you using the native location feature (which doesn’t come from Google at all)? You can lock to an off-axis direction by holding the Shift key while drawing the edge. Do you want the project area of the ground or do you want the actual surface area of the ground? ---
**Author:** ![ArchitectinLondon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/architectinlondon/32/238469_2.png) [@ArchitectinLondon](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/ArchitectinLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 2:39pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/11 "2025-03-24T14:39:13Z")
My apologises! I am using the native SU location map (not google)! I guess I am looking for the ‘project area’ not the ‘surface area’! Its not that hilly! ![Screenshot 2025-03-24 143758](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/4/6/46d12b3aad4f6de1f5518f1e2467e0f7f3adf3d2.jpeg) Let me try the Shift lock again! ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 2:42pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/12 "2025-03-24T14:42:33Z")
OK. You might consider drawing a random rectangle and extruding it up through the terrain. Then use Push/Pull on the sides of the box to get them aligned with where you want in the terrain. The top of the box will then represent the projected area. ![Screenshot - 3_24_2025 , 9_44_23 AM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/0/1/014517f59e750291d330661518c862cb6d1ce14b.jpeg) This would work for non-rectangular shapes too although you might need to move sides of the box instead of just using Push/Pull. ---
**Author:** ![ArchitectinLondon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/architectinlondon/32/238469_2.png) [@ArchitectinLondon](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/ArchitectinLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/13 "2025-03-24T14:50:26Z")
I think ive jsut had a lightbulb moment. If I save my plan as an image and then import it into SU and can do a quick and easy area measurement without my line snapping all to different z coordinates! ---
**Author:** ![ArchitectinLondon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/architectinlondon/32/238469_2.png) [@ArchitectinLondon](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/ArchitectinLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/14 "2025-03-24T15:00:06Z")
Thank you for your time Dave. It’s much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-measure-an-area-in-layout/320486/15 "2025-03-24T15:00:44Z")
You’re welcome. I’m glad you found a solution.