Drawing takeoffs

How to perform a steel takeoff

Measure structural steel on a PDF drawing and transfer it into a steel calculator.

1. 1

   Upload the drawing

   Open Takeoffs → Steel and select Upload PDFs. The first document opens automatically.

2. 2

   Set the scale

   Accept the detected scale, choose a preset or calibrate a known distance in metres. Use a viewport for details drawn at a different scale.

3. 3

   Trace members

   Choose Trace length and click along the member. Double-click or press Enter to finish.

4. 4

   Or count members

   Use Count steel lengths to click each member and enter its length. Reuse the length for further counts if they match.

5. 5

   Describe each item

   Enter the member mark, level, member type, steel section, fire period, exposure, product and quantity. For board, add the exposed sides and critical temperature.

6. 6

   Add rises and drops

   Right-click a control point, choose Insert Rise / Drop and enter the length in millimetres.

7. 7

   Confirm

   Review the item in the register, edit if needed, then confirm it.

8. 8

   Transfer to a calculator

   Choose Steel spray, board or intumescent, check the preview and transfer to the schedule.

9. 9

   Mark up and save

   Turn on Markups and the legend to colour members by thickness, download the marked drawing or register, then save the project.