Getting started with the NEW 3D cabinet design tool

Begin by creating an account

Click here to log in or create a new account. It's free and runs in a browser (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Firefox), so you don't need to install any software. Once you have created an account, log in.

Create a new project

Once you are logged in, create a new project. For example, "Ramirez Home." You will be able to add rooms in the next step.

Create an area (room)

Click the big "+" sign to create an area and give it a name. An area is a room, like a garage or a kitchen.

Begin 3D design in an area

Click the rocket ship icon to begin designing an area.

Lay out your floor plan

Click the "2D" button at the top of the screen to enter the floor plan layout.

 

 

For rectangular rooms, just double-click the number and enter the correct dimension. Use the arrow key as "enter."

Or, select a wall and stretch the room.

drag wall

 

You can also click a corner and drag.

 

To add walls, select the "add wall" button and draw the walls.

 

When your floor plan is complete, click the "3D" button to return to your drawing.

 

Set your cabinet materials

Click the "Materials" button and choose your box (carcass) and door front materials. You can create multiple material sets. This is useful to quickly swap materials in an entire room, or to mix colors, like dark base cabinets with light upper cabinets.

Cabinet specs

Finally, make any changes to the cabinet specifications. These fields are pre-filled with our standard cabinet specs and apply to all cabinets as they are added to a room. We recommend you leave these default values as they are. You can always change individual cabinets to have unique dimensions after you have placed them in the room.

Adding cabinets to the room

Now the fun begins! Add cabinets by clicking the "cabinet" icon and opening the cabinet section you need. Select the cabinet you want and drag it onto the screen (you can always adjust the location later). The active wall will turn yellow. Hint: try starting with a corner cabinet.

Edit the cabinet

Double-click a cabinet and set dimensions, color sets, and more. Notice the tabs in the right-nav box: General, Position, Materials, Part Properties, Countertop, More.

Be sure you are double-clicking the cabinet, not the countertop. 

Double-click the cabinet to change the cabinet size, location, materials and much more.

rotate the cabinet

To rotate a cabinet, double-click and look for the green circle on the floor.

Finished ends: applied or integral

Finished ends exist where the end (side) of the cabinet is visible. There are two types of finished ends: applied or integral. This presents a choice for the designer. In most cases, we recommend applied finished ends. For two-sided materials, applied finished ends may be your only option. Read on to see why.

Applied finished end

The cabinet below shows a cabinet with an applied finished end. The applied finished end extends past the back of the door and gives a very finished look to the cabinet. In this picture, the finished end does not extend to the floor, but it could. Be aware that finished ends add .75" to the width of the cabinet.

Integral finished end

The image below shows an integral finished end. You can see that the finished end is part of the cabinet - it is not applied after the fact. The back edge of the door is visible.

 

Two-sided material and finished ends

Most TFL (thermo-fused laminate), such as Salt, Cleaf and Wilsonart, come in two-sided panels. This presents a problem for integral finished ends because the color will show on the inside of the cabinet. This is why applied finished ends are recommended when using two-sided materials.

Toe kick options

You can choose leg levelers or a standard "ladder" toe kick. Leg levelers are easy to adjust and come with a toe kick cover.

 

Add appliances

Add appliances by opening the "Appliance" button on the upper right. Once the appliance is added to the screen you can double-click it to change dimensions.

Add finished ends, fills at walls

Adding finished ends is easy. Simply double-click the cabinet and choose "Integrated finished end" or "Applied finished end" under the "General" tab of the edit window.

designer help - finished Ends

To add a fill, double-click the cabinet and select "Applied filler" under the General tab of the edit window.

Save and exit

When your design is complete (or you want to take a break), click "Save and Exit."

2D print mode

To create 2D drawings, begin by double-clicking on a wall that you want included, then clicking the "print" icon. Do this for every wall you want included in your drawings. To create a plan view (looking down on the cabinets), double-click the floor and click the print icon.

add a wall

Confirm the selected wall by clicking "Add View" for all visible products.

add view

Now enter "Print mode" by clicking the cube, then checking "Print mode."

enter print mode

Select a template on the right side of the window, then drag a drawing (wall with cabinets) into the template. Click the drawing to see blue "handles" that allow you to size the drawing. Do this for every drawing.

 

choose a template

 

Save each drawing by clicking the little, tiny black button that says "PDF." These drawings will appear on your home page when you leave the 3D tool.

save as .pdf

Finally, leave the 2D drawing area by clicking the 3D button at the top of the screen. When you are returned to your project Home page, look for the tab that says PDF. Your drawings are here for download, printing, etc.

Reviewing the Area (room)

After saving your design you will be returned to the summary page. Here you can see a list of cabinets and the cost.

Check out

Check out begins by going to an area and adding the area to your cart. Don't launch the 3D tool, just click the picture of the area. Now click "Add to Cart" and go to the cart. You know the rest.

 

Let us help you!

Before you check out, call or send us an email. We would like to review your order with you and clarify your design. 831-421-9440.