SKP to SHP Converter
Upload your SketchUp (SKP) model, check its location and get a SHP file to load into QGIS, ArcGIS or other GIS software.
SKP and SHP explained
SKP
SketchUp's 3D model file. It holds faces, edges, layers (tags), materials, components and groups, but no coordinate system: a location exists only when the model was placed with Add Location (Google Earth) or set by hand in SketchUp.
Shapefile
A multi-file GIS vector format: .shp, .shx, .dbf plus .prj (CRS) and .cpg (encoding). One geometry type per file, so we output separate point, line and polygon files in a ZIP. DBF field names are limited to 10 characters; curves are converted to line segments.
When to use SKP to SHP
- The server reads SketchUp files from version 2021 onward, so you do not need SketchUp installed. Verified on files saved by SketchUp 2021 and 2026.
- Load the model's faces into QGIS or ArcGIS and overlay them on a basemap, cadastre or other GIS layers.
- You need attributes to filter and style: layer, material name and component or group name live in the .dbf table.
- You need each vertex's Z height (PolygonZ, PolyLineZ) for analysis or 2.5D display.
What carries over and what changes
| Aspect | In the SHP result |
|---|---|
| Layers | Each SketchUp layer (tag) is kept as the organising unit. The Location Snapshot and Location Terrain layers (Google Earth terrain and satellite imagery created by Add Location) are always left out. Hidden layers and hidden objects are not exported. |
| Geometry types | PolygonZ for faces (one record per face, holes kept) and PolyLineZ for loose edges, one file set per type, created only when there is data; no points. A vertical face (a wall) has zero area seen from above, so some GIS software draws it as a line and may not tell its holes from its outer boundary. |
| Curves and arcs | SketchUp stores arcs and circles as straight segments; the tool exports exactly those segments and does not smooth them further. |
| Text and components | Components and groups are flattened; the name of the component or group holding a face is in the obj field. Text, dimensions, section planes, scenes and styles are not exported. |
| Attributes | Three fields: layer, material (the SketchUp material name, or the colour code when it has none), obj (the component or group name; "model" when the face sits at the model's top level). SketchUp's custom attributes are not carried. |
| Colours and styles | Colours and textures are not carried; the material name is in the material field so you can style by it in GIS. |
| Z / elevation | Z is kept (PolygonZ, PolyLineZ): metres above the model origin, not elevation above sea level. |
| CRS and location | Coordinates are written in WGS84 (EPSG:4326) with a .prj file. A SketchUp model has no coordinate system. The location comes from the Add Location data stored in the file, or from the latitude and longitude you enter for the model origin; the north angle rotates the model. Choose "Ignore the file's north angle" to skip the angle stored in the file. |
| Format specifics | DBF field names are limited to 10 characters (layer, material and obj all fit); one geometry type per file; UTF-8 is declared in the .cpg so GIS software can read Vietnamese accents. |
Why is my model in the wrong place?
- A SketchUp model has no coordinate system. It only lands in the right place when it has an anchor: the Add Location (Google Earth) position stored in the file, or the latitude and longitude you enter.
- The anchor is where the model's origin (the point 0,0,0) sits, not the centre or a corner of the building. A building drawn some distance from the origin lands that distance from the anchor.
- A model made from a default template carries a template location that is not a real one; the tool ignores it and asks you for the latitude and longitude.
- Orientation: the model's green axis (Y) points north only when the north angle is 0. The file's north angle is applied as "the bearing of the Y axis, measured clockwise from true north"; if the model looks rotated, try "Ignore the file's north angle" or enter the north angle.
- Height: Z is measured from the model origin (metres). In Google Earth the model stands on the ground at its anchor, so anything below the origin (negative Z) is under the ground.
What's in the download
- One .zip. It holds a <name>_polygons set (faces) and a <name>_lines set (loose edges) when the model has that geometry.
- Each set holds .shp, .shx, .dbf, .prj (WGS84) and .cpg (UTF-8).
- The page shows a summary when it finishes: counts of polygons (faces), lines and materials, the layer list, the model size (metres), the location used and the layers that were left out.
- One .skp file at a time; ZIP batches are not available for SketchUp.
Security and retention
- Your file is uploaded to our server over HTTPS and processed on the server.
- The model and results of a finished conversion are deleted automatically after 7 days. A file rejected for a problem you can fix (old version, missing location) is also deleted after 7 days.
- The download link is a long random ID; no account is needed, but anyone with the link can download for 7 days, so do not post it publicly if the model is sensitive.
- The model is read in a separate process with limits on memory and processing time (at most 120 seconds for reading the file) and network access blocked.
- If a conversion fails unexpectedly we keep the file so we can fix the cause and run it again.
- Each IP address runs one conversion at a time.
- Email is optional and is used to send the download link when the conversion finishes (and to tell you if processing fails unexpectedly). For problems you can fix yourself, such as an old version or a missing location, the message appears on the page.
- Limits: 100 MB per upload; at most 2,000,000 triangles, 500,000 faces and 1,000,000 loose-edge segments.
FAQ
Is SKP to SHP free?
Yes, convert SketchUp to SHP online without installing SketchUp.
Where does the model's location come from?
From the Add Location (Google Earth) data stored in the .skp. If the file has no real location you enter the latitude and longitude of the model origin; those fields can also place the model somewhere else.
Which SketchUp versions work?
SketchUp 2021 or newer; verified on files saved by SketchUp 2021 and 2026. Files from SketchUp 2020 or older are rejected with a message: re-save them in SketchUp 2021 or newer.
Why is the Location Terrain layer left out?
Location Snapshot and Location Terrain are the Google Earth terrain and satellite imagery created by Add Location, not your model; the tool always leaves these two layers out and reports it in the summary.
What are the limits?
Up to 100 MB per upload, 2,000,000 triangles, 500,000 faces, 1,000,000 loose-edge segments and 120 seconds of reading the file; one .skp at a time; one conversion at a time per IP address; files are deleted automatically after 7 days.
Are textures carried over?
No, textures are not carried; each face takes its material's colour.
Why do walls not show in QGIS?
A Shapefile is 2D with Z: a vertical face has zero area seen from above and may only show as a line. Horizontal faces (roofs, floors) show normally.