Use Gaussian Splats in SketchUp via V-Ray 7 rendering, Scan Essentials point clouds, and the Trimble Labs beta extension

SketchUp Integration

As of early 2026, Gaussian Splats and SketchUp are largely incompatible for real-time viewport workflows — but meaningful pathways exist today, and native support is in active development.

Current Integration Options

Option	What It Does	Status
V-Ray 7 for SketchUp	Render Gaussian Splats photorealistically alongside SketchUp geometry	✅ Available
Scan Essentials (SketchUp Studio)	Import as a degraded point cloud for positional reference	⚠️ Lossy
Trimble Labs Beta Extension	Native Gaussian Splat import and manipulation inside SketchUp	🔬 Alpha (NDA, Windows only)

V-Ray 7 for SketchUp — True Gaussian Splat Rendering

V-Ray 7 (released March 2025) is the best integration option available today. It introduced native Gaussian Splat support — the first ray tracer to do so.

Import Gaussian Splat .PLY files directly into a V-Ray Gaussian Splat object
Splats render photorealistically in V-Ray renders
Composited with SketchUp geometry — architectural models, design elements, and backgrounds
Splats are visible only during rendering, not in the SketchUp viewport in real time

Workflow:

Export your Gaussian Splat as a true .PLY (with proper Gaussian fields in the header)
In V-Ray 7 for SketchUp, add a Gaussian Splat asset object
Load the .PLY file
Build your SketchUp model alongside it
Render — the splat and your SketchUp geometry are combined in the final output

Only true Gaussian Splat PLY files (with scale_0, rot_0, opacity, f_dc_0 fields in the header) work correctly with V-Ray. Converted point cloud PLY files or repurposed PLY files may produce errors or unexpected results.

Scan Essentials — Degraded Point Cloud Reference

SketchUp Studio includes Scan Essentials for point cloud data. You can convert a Gaussian Splat PLY to a point cloud format and import it via Scan Essentials — but this is a lossy conversion. All Gaussian rendering parameters (scale, rotation, opacity, spherical harmonics) are discarded. The result looks like a basic point cloud, not a photorealistic splat.

Use this only if you need positional reference geometry inside SketchUp and don't require photorealistic appearance.

Workflow:

Open the Gaussian Splat .PLY in CloudCompare (free) or MeshLab (free)
Export as .LAS or .LAZ point cloud
Import into SketchUp Studio via Scan Essentials
Use as reference for modeling

Trimble Labs Beta Extension — Coming

As of June 2025, Trimble announced a Gaussian Splat Beta Extension through their Trimble Labs program:

Create splats from images or video (cloud processing, no local GPU required)
Import splats directly into SketchUp
Manipulate using standard and purpose-built SketchUp tools
Currently Windows only and under NDA

Workflow Summary

Workflow 1: Gaussian Splat → Point Cloud → Scan Essentials

Best for: Positional reference geometry (not visual fidelity)

Splat PLY → CloudCompare → LAS export → Scan Essentials import

Workflow 2: Gaussian Splat → Baked Mesh → SketchUp

Best for: Editable geometry with baked texture

Splat PLY → Postshot/Polycam/Luma AI (bake to GLB/OBJ) → MeshLab cleanup → SketchUp import

Baked meshes are less photorealistic but are fully editable geometry with collision and UV maps.

Workflow 3: Gaussian Splat → V-Ray Render

Best for: Photorealistic renders of SketchUp designs in real-world context

True Gaussian Splat PLY → V-Ray 7 Gaussian Splat asset → render alongside SketchUp model

Workflow 4: Trimble Labs Beta

Best for: Full native integration (when available)

Upload images/video → cloud processing → splat returned to SketchUp for native manipulation

Capability Reference

Capability	Status
Render photorealistically in V-Ray	✅ V-Ray 7 and above
Import as editable SketchUp geometry	❌ No
Use as modeling reference	⚠️ Degraded point cloud only
Take measurements from the splat	❌ No
View in SketchUp viewport in real time	❌ Visible only during V-Ray renders
Native import (Trimble Labs)	🔬 Alpha — Windows only, NDA

Recommendation

For rendering and client presentations: V-Ray 7 for SketchUp is the best option today
For positional reference: Convert to point cloud via CloudCompare → Scan Essentials
For future-proofing: Sign up for the Trimble Labs Beta to adopt native integration when it ships

The fundamental challenge is that Gaussian Splats are a rendering primitive, not geometry — they have no faces, edges, UV maps, or physical properties. True integration with a CAD/BIM tool like SketchUp requires purpose-built rendering infrastructure, which is what Trimble is now building.

SketchUp

On this page