Don't want two adjacent beams to merge into one

[Brockway]

Hello. There is probably and answer to this somewhere here, but I haven't been able to find it. I am using the beam tool to represent 2x10 floor joists in a residential project. When I have 2 or three beams right next to each other, such as when two 2x10's are combined to make a window header, or three combined for a built-up beam, in the model view they look like one large beam, not three combined joists. So if for example there are three 2x10s right next to each other, in the model view look like a beam that is 4 1/2" x 9 1/4". I want the beams to look like separate 2x10's in all views. How can I do this? I assume it has to do with some settings about intersection priorities that I need to get right. (Here is an example image from framing for a deck. (If anyone has a suggestion for a better texture to represent pressure treated southern yellow pine lumber, I am open to ideas)).

 

Thanks in advance.

Operating system used: Mac Intel-based Catalina

[cuba · Accepted solution]

Duplicate the wood surface and assign two different surfaces to the two different beams.   

You might want offset one of the textures: document/creative imaging/align 3d texture/set origin.

Another possibility is to make a very small space between different objects with the same material

[Patrick M]

either use 2 different surfaces, or 2 different layers (with separate layer groups)

[cuba]

Apparently beams seam to merge their surface even when they are in 2 different layer of seperate layer groups, but they don't connect..

  

[Deep]

Hi @Brockway 

You could keep all three in one single layer and then assign this new particular layer a 0 intersection order in layer settings ... This might help as it worked for me in a similar case. Do let me know if it solves your issue! Cheers!

[Kamelite]

In similar cases I have made the beams from complex profiles. I make the profile with a little rounded-off corner in all four corners, more or less like real life. Either as an arch or just cut the corner straight off, bouth vill do the trick.

Although makin a straight cut in each corner makes the model easier to work with, due to lower polycount...

.Kamelite