SketchUp 2021, Can only create huge sized rectangles

Hello. I am a new user with SketchUp. I am studying interior design and a class had us work with SketchUp for a few weeks. So, I am a newbie! But, I am enjoying SketchUo so far. I am trying to work in a plan view and am trying unsuccessfully to create a floor plan. I cannot enter the dimensions. I am starting off correctly in that I am click and then entering the dimensions and then clicking again. But the only rectangles I can make are massive - like 100,000s of feet long. A regular sized room of say 18’ x16’ won’t show up. Help! I am in the correct unit of measure, meaning Plan View, Inches. Thank you

After you’ve drawn the 18’ by 16’ rectangle use Zoom Extents to zoom in on the rectangle.

Use Window Menu → Model Info → Units, then make sure that you select Feet and uncheck Enable Length Snapping.

By your description, it seems that you are zoomed out a lot and thus, an 18’ x 16’ room will show as a tiny speck on the screen. Try to draw such a rectangle, then use Zoom Extend to see it from up close.

To draw the rectangle, follow these steps:

1 - Select the Rectangle Tool.

2 - Click somewhere on the screen to position one corner of the rectangle. A click is a press of the left mouse button (LMB) then a release of the LMB.

3 - Move the mouse somewhere else and click again the LMB to position the opposite corner of the rectangle.

Take note that you can also create the rectangle by keeping the LMB pressed at step 2, move the mouse then release the LMB at the opposite corner.

Also, for exact drawing, follow these steps:

1 - Select the Rectangle Tool.

2 - Click the LMB somewhere and slide the mouse a little to start the rectangle.

3 - Let go of the mouse and type the required dimensions like 18,16. These characters shall appear in the Dimension Window (DW) at the bottom right of the modelling window. Don’t click in the DW, it opens automatically to accept values once you have started the rectangle. Complete the drawing by pressing the Return key to validate your input. If you change your mind, you can enter 2 new values separated by a comma and followed by a Return. You can do that as often as you like. If you click after pressing Return, the rectangle is done.

Also, make sure that your template is set properly so the next time you start SketchUp, you won’t be drawing miles away from the axes origin.

That’s not correct. You click once, type the dimensions, and then hit enter. Do not click again or move the mouse after typing dimensions or you will undo that. Just type and hit enter.