New to Archicad - use or not use composites?

[Anonymous]

First, I have probably about 20yrs cad exp, about half of it with Autocad, also have a good 3D foundation with FormZ. We do residential architecture.

I have just made the decision to switch to Archicad having purchased 2 licenses. Starting my first project after a very helpful training session w/Josh at Design Integrations in Atlanta.

The wall composites are very tempting to use, especially in regard to interior wall finishes being applied which then allows you to set a 5' tub in a 5' actual space, the same applies to cabinets, etc. (The other obvious advantage is in the Sections, and there probably are other advantages as well, but those two are most obvious at this point). However, the use of composites does complicate matters immediately. Although it works fine if the whole exterior is one plane, with let's say stucco applied, but as soon as let's say a 36" high wood framed (exterior) "wainscot" is applied (see attached drawing), that does not work right "out of the box" at this time, although I was told that with v10 I would be able to do that.

Another challenge is how to handle interior and exterior double-wall soffits. The best way I've found to do them in conjunction with composite walls is to use the slab tool and have one rectangular profile which is inclusive of the finish material. The only place that probably is an issue is in the Sections, where each soffit would require add'l 2D geometry to define the finish material and framing members that make up the soffit. So although adding all the finishes with the composites is very tempting, I'm wondering (for the sake of productivity which was my main reason for selecting Archicad), that if it would not be better to just use 3 1/2" and 5 1/2" (standard wood framing lumber dimensions) and apply the materials to the faces of those, or should I "bite the bullet" and go for the composites and add with workarounds etc whatever does not work right "out of the box"?

[TomWaltz]

There are some ways you can get pretty close to what you are showing,

The column tool will attach itself to a wall, making a projection in plan and a gap in the non-core skins in elevation. It can be incredibly useful for leaving a gap in the drywall, at the top, middle, or bottom of the wall.

With this, you could leave a gap at the bottom of the wall, then you will end up drawing in the top return of the wainscot in 2D.

I've found composite to be incredibly useful in plan views. They can work in sections as well, but you need to be comfortable with columns, beams, and SEOs as well to make them really shine.

[Anonymous]

I'll try your suggestion.

What are SEO's ???

[TomWaltz]

SEO: Solid Element Operations. They allow you to use elements to subtract from other elements. Sometimes they are placed on separate layers or sometimes they are relations between visible elements.

For example, have a composite exterior wall that has plywood, stud, and drywall skins. You can run that wall from 1st finished floor to second finished floor. You can run your second floor composite slab (3/4" plywood on an 18" empty fill representing the truss space) to the inside edge of the plywood skin on the wall. Since you want the stud and drywall to stop at the bottom of the truss, you make the slab subtract out from the wall.

Below is a slide from one of my training classes that illustrates this condition.

You can do similar tasks with small slabs that cut reveals into a masonry wall or to make walls and roofs better interact with one another.

[Anonymous]

OK, I tried the SEO...took a while to figure out how to make the Boolean operand to disappear...a bit unconventional but it works.

I"ll keep your method of cutting a second floor slab into the wall in mind (my first project is a one story building).

Thx for your quick help.