Extrude, Build, and Dig — 3D Shape Operations
Turn any drawn shape into a 3D solid, then stack shapes together to build steps, sunken pits, and raised planters.
Extrude, Build, and Dig — 3D Shape OperationsThe Extrude tool and the Stack operations work together as the core 3D modeling workflow:
- Extrude (X) — select a 2D shape then press X or click the Extrude button in the toolbar. The shape immediately gains a default height and a top surface. Drag the blue handle up or down to change the height, or type an exact value in the Inspector sidebar.
- Surface presets — the flyout toolbar offers nine presets that define the shape of the top surface: Flat, Dome, Ridge, Pyramid, Open Box, Beveled Plateau, Single Slope, Height Points, and Sculpt. Press 1–9 to quick-select a preset.
- Build (S) — stacks a child shape on top of a parent additively. The child sits on the parent's top face.
- Dig (S) — subtracts a child shape's volume from a parent, creating a void or pocket.
- Wrap (S) — conforms a child shape to the parent's top surface.
All operations support undo/redo. The Stack shortcut S cycles through Build, Dig, and Wrap depending on which is active in the toolbar flyout.
Extruding a 2D shape
Select a 2D plan shape in the 3D view (click it once so the selection outline appears). Then either:
- Press X on the keyboard, or
- Click the Extrude button in the left toolbar
The shape immediately receives a default height and becomes a 3D solid. A blue vertical handle appears above the shape.
Setting the height:
- Drag the blue handle up to increase height, down to decrease. Hold Shift while dragging for fine-grained increments — useful when you need to match a precise dimension.
- Type an exact value in the Height field in the Inspector sidebar on the right.
The shape's footprint remains unchanged — only the height dimension is added.
Click a shape that is already extruded to re-select it and adjust its height at any time. The blue handle is always available when the shape is selected in the 3D view.
Choosing a surface preset
With the shape selected (before or after extruding), open the Surface Preset flyout in the left toolbar. Nine presets are available — press the corresponding number key 1–9 for instant selection, or click the preset thumbnail in the flyout:
| Key | Preset | Description | |-----|--------|-------------| | 1 | Flat | Horizontal flat top — for patios, terraces, decks | | 2 | Dome | Smoothly curved raised top — for planting mounds, topiary forms | | 3 | Ridge | Central raised ridge running along the long axis — for berm ridges | | 4 | Pyramid | Four-sided tapering point — for specimen topiaries, obelisks | | 5 | Open Box | Hollow extrusion, open at the top — for planters, raised bed walls | | 6 | Beveled Plateau | Flat top with chamfered (angled) upper edges — for formal structures | | 7 | Single Slope | One side slopes downward, the other is vertical — for ramps, sloped copings | | 8 | Height Points | Individual vertex handles at corners/midpoints for manual top shaping | | 9 | Sculpt | Enters the sculpt workspace for freeform surface painting |
The preset takes effect immediately. You can switch presets at any time without losing the shape's footprint or height.
For most hardscape elements — patios, steps, walls — the Flat preset is the right choice. Dome and Ridge are better suited to planted mounds and earthworks.
Build — stacking shapes additively
The Build operation places a child shape on top of a parent, adding its volume to the composition.
How to use Build: 1. Press S to activate the Stack tool (ensure Build mode is selected in the toolbar flyout — it is the default) 2. Click the parent shape — the shape you want to build on top of. It highlights with a dashed blue outline. 3. Click the child shape — the shape to stack on the parent.
The child shape is positioned so its base aligns with the parent's top face. The combined form renders as a unified 3D object.
Common uses:
- Adding a raised lip around a patio edge
- Stacking step treads on a staircase riser
- Placing a coping stone profile on top of a wall
The child shape's material can be set independently — useful when the top face of a step uses a different material to the riser.
To build a multi-level staircase, draw each tread as a separate 2D shape, extrude each to the correct riser height, then use Build to stack tread 2 onto tread 1, tread 3 onto tread 2, and so on.
Dig — subtracting a child shape's volume
The Dig operation subtracts a child shape's volume from a parent, creating a void, pocket, or step-down.
How to use Dig: 1. Press S and switch to Dig mode in the toolbar flyout 2. Click the parent shape — the shape to subtract from. It highlights with a dashed blue outline. 3. Click the child shape — the shape whose volume will be removed.
The child's footprint is cut out of the parent. The resulting void is visible in 3D — the parent's top and sides are recessed wherever the child overlapped.
Common uses:
- Creating a sunken seating pit within a raised patio
- Cutting a drain channel into a paved surface
- Creating a step-down recess in a wall
The child shape must overlap the parent in plan. Shapes that do not overlap produce no visible effect.
Use Dig together with the Open Box preset to carve a planter pocket into a raised platform — draw the planter shape, extrude it with Open Box, then Dig it into the platform.
Wrap — conforming a shape to the parent surface
The Wrap operation conforms a child shape to the top surface of a parent, so the child follows the parent's contour rather than sitting at a fixed height.
How to use Wrap: 1. Press S and switch to Wrap mode in the toolbar flyout 2. Click the parent shape 3. Click the child shape
The child's base is projected onto the parent's top surface. If the parent has a sloped, domed, or irregular top (from Height Points or Sculpt preset), the child conforms to that curvature.
Common uses:
- Placing a pathway material strip that follows a sloped lawn
- Adding a low border edging that conforms to a mounded planting bed
- Laying coping that follows a curved or sloped wall top
Combine Open Box and Dig for an efficient planter pocket: extrude a planting shape with the Open Box preset to create hollow walls, then Dig it into a raised platform. The result is a flush-set planter with exposed wall depth.
Wrap — conform a child to the parent's surface contour
Press S and switch to Wrap mode. Click the child shape, then click the parent shape. Instead of sitting at a fixed elevation, the child's base is projected onto the parent's top surface — following any slope, dome curvature, or sculpted irregularity. Wrap is most useful when the parent uses the Height Points or Sculpt preset, producing a non-flat top. For flat-topped parents, Wrap and Build produce visually identical results.
Use Wrap to lay a paving strip or border edging over a sloped lawn or mounded bed — the strip's base will contour precisely to the terrain surface rather than floating above or clipping through it.
Review and manage the stacking hierarchy
When a stacked shape is selected, the Stacking panel in the Inspector sidebar shows the full parent–child hierarchy: parent shapes below, the selected shape in the middle, and any child shapes above. Click any row to navigate to that shape. To change the operation mode after the fact, use the Build / Dig / Wrap toggle buttons on the row — the composition updates immediately. To remove a shape from the stack without deleting it, open the row's context menu (three-dot icon) and choose Detach — both shapes become independent entities again.
You can apply multiple Build and Dig operations to the same parent in any order. For example: build a step platform, dig a drain channel into it, then build a raised edging strip around its perimeter. The Stacking panel shows all relationships in one place.
Deleting a parent shape that has stacked children will also remove its children from the composition. Use Detach in the Stacking panel to free child shapes before deleting a parent if you want to keep them.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| X | Activate Extrude tool |
| S | Activate Stack tool (Build / Dig / Wrap) |
| Escape | Exit extrude mode |
| Cmd/Ctrl+Z | Undo last operation |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the surface preset after I have already extruded and stacked a shape?
Yes. Select the extruded shape at any time and choose a different preset in the Top Surface picker. The footprint, height, and any stacking relationships are all preserved — only the top surface form changes.
What happens if a Dig child shape only partially overlaps the parent?
Only the overlapping area is subtracted. The non-overlapping portion of the child has no effect on the parent. The resulting void follows the exact plan footprint of the child where it intersects the parent — no more, no less.
Can I stack more than two shapes together?
Yes. A parent can have multiple children — each added via a separate Build or Dig operation. Children can also themselves be parents to further children, creating a multi-level stacking tree. The Stacking panel in the Inspector shows the full hierarchy and lets you navigate up and down the chain.
How do I undo a Build or Dig without deleting either shape?
Select the child shape, open the Inspector, find the Stacking panel, and click the three-dot context menu on the relationship row, then choose Detach. Both shapes return to being independent entities. You can then re-apply a different stack operation if needed.
Do stacked shapes share a material, or can each face have its own?
Each shape in a stack keeps its own material independently. This means a step tread can use a rough stone surface while the riser below uses a smooth rendered concrete — assign materials separately via the Style inspector on each shape.