Making walls in ARCHICAD is one of the most basic functions, and one of the first things we all learn how to do. And yet…there are some hidden techniques that are worth discussion.
Recently a fellow ARCHICAD expert was venting about all the different thickness walls in an old house he was modeling. He was frustrated that he had to create unique composites for each thickness. It’s an experience we’ve all had with measuring existing projects. Most walls are one dimension but others are slightly fatter and for some random reason there’s one or two oddballs that might be super skinny or unreasonably fat. Often these dimensions expose the history of the house: a 2×4’s dimensions have changed over time, so if you know when a house was built you can assume that the studs are 3 1/2″ or 3 7/8″ or even 4″ thick. Likewise, an old enough house might have 5/8″ or 3/4″ of plaster rather than 1/2″ gyp bd on the walls. But of course old houses always defy logic. While we might use those standard material thicknesses to determine the typical construction of a wall, there are always secrets. Maybe a previous owner added drywall on top of old plaster. Or perhaps there’s just wacky framing. Whatever the reasons, after some rationalizing of the dimensions, there are always unique conditions.
And of course this happens on new construction too. We occasionally need a wall that’s 1/2″ or 1″ thicker than the other walls. We sometimes need to furr out or frame around to get the alignments we want. There are always reasons. And solutions. One solution is to create custom Composites for each condition. Another is to create a Complex Profile with vertical and horizontal stretch turned on. Both solutions have their plusses and minuses—which we can maybe discuss in the comments. My favorite solution for these conditions is using the Trapezoid Wall Tool Construction Method. The following video covers the why and how (along with some other Wall Tool Construction Method techniques and caveats). Enjoy: