Draw and edit countertops

1Draw the run

Click and hold on empty canvas, drag along the first run, and change direction while still holding the mouse button to draw an orthogonal return. Release to finish. Start a separate drag for another counter. Sketch the arrangement first, then type your measured dimensions.

2Enter exact dimensions

Click a dimension label, enter the intended length or depth, and press Enter or Save. Save & Next continues through dimensions. Whole numbers and fabricator fractions are accepted. Check connected sides after an edit, especially on L and U shapes.

Each run can have its own depth. Use the displayed internal depth dimension where a connecting run has no exposed end; changing one depth does not make every run the same depth.

3Apply edge types and backsplash

In Draw & Apply Edges, click a boundary to choose Finished, Unfinished, Appliance, Backsplash, Mitered Edge or Waterfall. Walk the perimeter and check each assignment. Backsplash opens a height dialog: enter the required height and save, then verify the label on the intended edge.

A physical edge treatment and the price-list profile or rate are separate choices. Review materials and pricing later in the quote. Right-click an edge for segmentation when different parts need different types.

4Round or modify a corner

Open Corners & Curves and click the corner itself. Choose Radius, Clip, Bump Out or Notch as appropriate; inside corners have their own available treatments. Enter the dimensions, inspect the dialog preview and save. Check the resulting outline and nearby dimensions.

5Add a bump-out along an edge

Stay in Corners & Curves and click the middle of the target edge. Choose Add Bump-Out. Set the projection depth and width along the edge, then choose Centered or Left/Right with an offset. Set the left and right side angles and review the live outline before saving.

For example, a 4-inch depth and 30-inch width creates a 30-inch-wide projection extending 4 inches from that edge. The same edge menu offers bump-ins, curved bump-outs and full-radius treatments. These change the actual outline and area; use Undo if the result is not what you intended.

6Place a quick shape

In Draw & Apply Edges, open Quick Shapes and choose a preset. Click empty canvas to place it, then press Escape to stop placing copies. The preset adds a counter and retains existing pieces. Click its dimensions to enter the measured size. Your shop may have additional configured presets.

7Add and arrange text

Choose Text, click its position on the canvas, and enter a room name, instruction or note. Use the formatting controls, then press Enter to save. Alt+Enter inserts another line. Drag the annotation to reposition it; Shift+scroll over text resizes it, and holding text while scrolling rotates it. Keep text clear of dimensions and check its printed size.

8Add miter strips and waterfalls

Click the relevant counter edge in Draw & Apply Edges. Choose Mitered Edge and enter the miter height, or choose Waterfall and enter its height. Save and check the marked boundary and height label. These strip dimensions are separate from the dimensions of the countertop deck.

9Show and inspect strip pieces

Where available, click Show Strip Pieces to unfold the backsplash, miter and waterfall pieces beside their parent edges. Review each piece's dimensions and connection lines. Gap from parent changes the spacing between pieces on the canvas; it does not change their heights. Hide Strip Pieces returns to the compact view while retaining the assignments.

10Add miter bands and overhang returns

With strip pieces visible, click a strip's exposed edge and choose Mitered (adds return band). Enter the depth shown in the Miter band dialog, inspect the section diagram and apply it. This adds a band attached to that piece, such as the side of a waterfall.

Click the new band's exposed edge and choose Mitered again to open Return band. Set Return depth, or use Match Miter to copy the parent band's height. Review the core, miter and return in the section diagram, then Apply. You can also add a return at the exposed edge of the island's front miter strip. Follow the unfolded pieces and dimensions to confirm which band belongs to which parent.

11Multi-select and move objects

Start in empty canvas and hold the right mouse button while dragging a selection box around the counters and text you want. Release and check the blue dashed outlines and selection count. Left-drag inside a selected counter to move the selection together.

The selection controls offer Duplicate, Rotate, Delete and Clear. Check the highlighted objects before using them. Drag inside an unselected counter to move one piece. Attached cutouts and strip assignments follow their parent counter.

12Add page breaks for printing

Leave a gap between the groups you want on separate pages. Choose Page Break and click in that gap to add a horizontal divider. Drag a break to reposition it; clicking it offers a delete control. The adjacent vertical-break tool and Define Pages provide other page-layout options.

Turn on Print Preview and accept its first-use explanation to see the drawing's printed-page boxes. Check how each group fills its box and whether its labels are readable. Reposition pieces or breaks if necessary. After saving, use the quote document's Preview to inspect the complete PDF in the selected template.

13Import a DXF

Use the DXF control to choose the file. Review Drawing units and the Import preview before importing. Translate each layer to an edge type, Cutout or Ignore. Cabinet and reference layers default to Ignore; closed openings inside countertops become cutouts.

Curved outlines and transformed blocks use the same reader as CAD. Turn off Fold separate miter / waterfall / backsplash strips if you want to keep those pieces separate. Unmatched strips remain separate and display a warning. Resolve open-outline warnings in the source drawing or layer mapping.

Import adds the pieces to the quote and preserves their relative positions. Existing pieces are retained. For complex outline changes, edit the source DXF and replace the old pieces with a revised import.

14Use the available shortcuts

The canvas toolbar shows shortcuts for the active step. Common controls include Ctrl+Z for undo, Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V for copying and pasting selected objects, and Delete for the selection. Check the selection before deleting.

15Save and review

Use Refocus to fit the drawing back into view. Open Save and choose Save & Continue or Save & Exit. Add a revision note when useful, or skip the note and save. Reopen Drawing & Pricing and verify the saved dimensions, outline and text. Complete the cutout, material and pricing steps before reviewing a customer-ready quote.