The Sims 4 Building Tutorials:
Platforms and Their Many Uses for Builds
by Playalot
Today's free patch update to The Sims 4's Base Game brought us Platforms. These are versatile and have many uses and possibilities, only really limited by your imagination. Let's look at several ways you can use platforms and how to get a nice look for your build.

The location of the new Platform Tool in Build Mode.
Platforms have small arrow controls to lower and raise them.

Raise and lower platforms using the arrow controls.
Sims can step up one height of a platform so making platform 'stairs' is possible. A higher level of platform needs a proper stair to allow the sim to access it.

Platforms can be used to make stairs.
You don't need to place an actual platform to use the "Platform Arrows". This means any room can be slightly lowered or raised within the platform's limitations.

Walls get destroyed when you place a platform inside an existing room, but they are easily re-drawn with the wall tool and then the room is once again complete. This would be annoying if you have already decorated the wall with shelves or paintings, so place platforms and decide levels before decorating.

Walls and half-walls all place from the ground level. So, if you want a half-wall in the middle of a larger platform or along its edge, you will need to use a taller half-wall so it 'pops' out above the top of the platform.
Fences place from the floor level, so therefore can be placed along the top of a platform but can't be used at the same place as a half wall.

An example of how fences work with platforms.
Half walls can be used along the face/edge of a platform, then painted with a matching wall swatch. This lets your platform match the rest of the room's decor. The platforms also have trims, so you can paint the visible edges. The platform trims function like foundation paint.

Using half-walls with platforms allows you to make a trim.
Platforms can be used to recreate the terrible decoration fads of the 70's with sunken lounges of debatable attraction, or your bright and airy modern take. Either way, they are fun to play around with.

A sunken lounge using the platform tool.
Rooms can be made that only children or toddlers can enter due to raising the platforms to such a degree that teens and older can not enter due to ceiling height restrictions.
Sims can also chat and watch TV over different platform heights, as long as they are close enough.

Platforms can be used to make a Child-only room.
Platforms can be used for interesting modern style roofs.

You can use platforms to make a nice green roof!
Other Building Guides
Sims 4 House Building
Building Cheats
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Comments (3)
Thank you that was super helpful!
Great work, as always; but in this case, I've noticed I'm not able to add stairs at platforms in basements. Do you know any way to do it? Thanks
Platforms are a bit glitchy so sometimes you just have to use a combination of stairs and lower platforms etc to get the functionality you want. If stairs wont place, try using another platform at a different level.
So now how do we raise only the foundation and not the platform? For example in sulani over the water.