BIM Coordinator Program (INT) April 22, 2024
Find the next step in your career as a Graphisoft Certified BIM Coordinator!
Modeling
About Archicad's design tools, element connections, modeling concepts, etc.

Custom Curved Stairwell

Anonymous
Not applicable
I'm trying to curve a stair so it will be flush with a wall, but I'm having trouble figuring out how you can change the bend of the stair.

I've seen a few forums on this using the OBJECTIVE tool, but I really haven't found anything actually describing the motions of how to do it.

Help is very much appreciated!!

Thank you in advance

Anthony
15 REPLIES 15
Anonymous
Not applicable
Not sure this is what you are looking for, but
try typing in:
"Custom Stair Based on Manually Drawn Elements"
minus the quote marks of course,
in the search box of the help menu.
lec
Ralph Wessel
Mentor
allegronea wrote:
I'm trying to curve a stair so it will be flush with a wall, but I'm having trouble figuring out how you can change the bend of the stair.
I've seen a few forums on this using the OBJECTIVE tool, but I really haven't found anything actually describing the motions of how to do it.
You can use OBJECTiVE to do the following (refer to the attached image):
  • 1. Draw a cross-section through the stair with the fill tool;

    2. Select the fill and make a profiled object from it with OBJECTiVE > Component > New Profile. Note that you want to make an Elevation profile. The tool will prompt for an anchor point and bending axis when you create it - the bending axis in this case is horizontal;

    3. The New Profile tool places an object over the original fill - use OBJECTiVE > Tools > Rotate to rotate it into the correct orientation;

    4. The object has a hotspot at the centre to bend it to the required radius. Note that you can control the profile proportions in the object settings - if you set it to Keep proportions, the object profile won't be stretched as it bends (refer to the 2 examples).

    5. The results in 3D
I'll follow this up with a method to add a handrail.
Curved-stair.jpg
Ralph Wessel BArch
Ralph Wessel
Mentor
allegronea wrote:
I've seen a few forums on this using the OBJECTIVE tool, but I really haven't found anything actually describing the motions of how to do it.
You can similarly add a handrail. Referring to the attached image:
  • 1. Draw a cross-section through the handrail with the fill tool;

    2. Create a new profile object using OBJECTiVE > Component > New Profile. Make it a Section profile this time, and set the anchor to the point that you would set out the handrail from (probably the centre base);

    3. Stretch the profile object from the handrail start to end;

    4. Use OBJECTiVE > Tools > Bend to bend the handrail to the stair perimeter;

    5. Set the overall handrail rise in the object settings (or use OBJECTiVE > Tools > Offset in an elevation view);

    6. You can place other instances of the profile where it levels out, and use OBJECTiVE > Tools > Split to cut the objects at the junction (in plan or elevation);

    7. The finished result in 3D.
Hope this helps.
Curved rail.jpg
Ralph Wessel BArch
Anonymous
Not applicable
Hi Ralph
Well, guess I'm confused here.
And sorry about the dumb question, but:
Is the stair you show made and manipulated in Objective or is Objective being used to modify an Archicad stair?
lec
Ralph Wessel
Mentor
lec1212 wrote:
Is the stair you show made and manipulated in Objective or is Objective being used to modify an Archicad stair?
It's made and manipulated with OBJECTiVE (see steps 1 & 2 of my first reply). OBJECTiVE can cut or rotate a StairMaker object, but not bend it.
Ralph Wessel BArch
Anonymous
Not applicable
Thanks Ralph.
Doesn't look like it will give me the kiss of death like Archicad stair tool does when I create a code legal stair and Archicad tells me it's illegal.
I just want to through a wrench at the screen when it does that.
And I'm not even the violent type.
But unfortunately I paid too much for the screen so that's not a real option.
Looks like Objective is.
lec
Gerald Hoffman
Booster
lec1212 wrote:
Thanks Ralph.
Doesn't look like it will give me the kiss of death like Archicad stair tool does
lec
Lec, You know that you can change the settings for the (2*Riser) + Run > or < windows to different values to get rid of that pesky kiss of death right?

Cheers
Gerald
"The simplification of anything is always sensational" GKC
AC 25-4013 USA, CadImage Tools
2019 MacBook Pro 16" w/ AMD Radeon Pro 5600M GPU
OS X 11.6
2.4 Ghz 8 core i9, 64 GB RAM
27" LG 5K Monitor
Anonymous
Not applicable
Hi Gerald
No I did not know that.
Thank you, but now,
I've just got so use to building my stairs with roofs and slabs, stairmaker is just a part of the program I don't want to visit anymore.
Well maybe if there was ever to be a REAL major upgrade I'd reconsider.
Bye the way, if I did not mention how totally awesome the pdf's of plans were that you posted a little while ago, many hats off to you.

lec

One of my adventures on Vancouver Island.
As a totally unrelated to forum side note; My son and I got stuck in somebodies sloped gravel driveway as I was trying to turn around 1/2way on the way back from Port Renfrew B.C. to Victoria.
Nobody was home, no cell with me, out a ways from anywhere it seems.
Gate was locked so I unbolted the gate to the rest of the driveway, drove down the rest of the way, turned around and gunned it to get out.
Tried to put gate back in condition I found it, however.....
Lost one of the bolts in the bushes and had to leave a note with some compensation on the porch.
Hope that wasn't your place:-))
Or if it was, hope I left enough!
Or did I already mention this to you once before a while ago?
lec
Anonymous
Not applicable
And here's an example of why I hand built stairs.
Can't imagine Stairmaker doing this anytime soon.
Hope I'm wrong.
lec
Learn and get certified!