Porch beams

[mkennedy2000]

and how to get the ends of the beams to project past the post?

I use a railing, set to diplay as posts to beam above, but the terminal post is always flush with the end of the beam, a condition I rarely, if ever want to see or build.

[dshall]

and how to get the ends of the beams to project past the post?

I use a railing, set to diplay as posts to beam above, but the terminal post is always flush with the end of the beam, a condition I rarely, if ever want to see or build.

 

I never use the post to beam.  It is difficult to control post locations and end of beam locations.  My posts and beams are manually built. It is probably a faster way to get what you want.

 

And the real advantage is,  it now displays correctly in plan view.

[mkennedy2000]

TY Scott, not what I wanted to hear but not a total surprise. Wish CA automation worked better.

[country]

I only use the post to beam for quick design visuals, after that I do it the same as Scott. If there are revisions, which there always are, you don't have to rebuild the decks and fix their supports every time. Just select and move the structural elements as a group or individually to suit. Deck framing the way Chief does it is not the way it's done anywhere I have designed but it may suit some areas. Automation can only suit so many areas/design situations.

[DRAWZILLA]

I use post to beam all the time when I don't need the beam to extend past the posts. If you do need the posts in any other place ,just use the post to beam tool with no posts ( newels set to "0" ) and place the post using the post tool. There may be times when you need to do it manually. Any patio covers I do, I use the deck (no railing)tool from the second floor , set the decking to lattice 2x2's etc., Then you can adjust the post to beam however you want, it also places the conc pads automatically. Solid cover or lattice, you can also place the height to whatever works. At least I like it for patio covers.

[country]

As I said, Chief probably works well for many people using auto deck framing. I have never done a patio cover. My decks either have a full roof or none and these require different supports because of frost and snow loads. Piles vaying from 12' to 16' deep and various diameters make auto impossible. The lower posts in Chief never line up with the uppers (which is necessary for load transfer) and I just find it easier/more accurate to do it manually. Copy and paste in place and multiple copy are auto enough for me.

Just different needs not a criticism.

[DRAWZILLA]

Using the deck tool, you can move all of that stuff as you like including footing depth. I like it just b/c it's faster for me.. Of course you do have to set the defaults to what you are doing. I also have to deal with loads every day.

[mkennedy2000]

I'll hve to revisit the whole auto decj framing issue - I've struggled with a bit in the past, just glossed over it and forged ahead. Sounds like it might have some use though.

[country]

I have tried to take the time and read up and watch videos to set all the defaults but after trying numerous times I have had to go back to my manual ways. This is partially because of time constraints. When you have multiple projects on the go and in the future it is hard to do more experimentation without cutting into my precious family time. I try my best to learn something new every week but I guess this is one of the items I find put to the back because it is fairly fast and labels exactly how I want in my templates.

Maybe one day I can catch up to you P but I seem to have a few stumbling blocks:-(

(See, I've even learnt how to use an acronym, lol.)

[DRAWZILLA]

No video's on what I'm doing. I'll do a video

[DRAWZILLA]

here is a video

 

http://screencast.com/t/YK369GYZ

[country]

Good video for a patio cover. This will probably help the OP. My issues are a bit different and if I get some time in the next while I will post a plan in a new thread that shows why I feel I need to do my decks manually.

[Dennis_Gavin]

Nice video Perry!

[DRAWZILLA]

Good video for a patio cover. This will probably help the OP. My issues are a bit different and if I get some time in the next while I will post a plan in a new thread that shows why I feel I need to do my decks manually.

of course any custom p.c. would require manually done, but this is good for a quick p.c.

[tommy1]

I never use the post to beam.  It is difficult to control post locations and end of beam locations.  My posts and beams are manually built. It is probably a faster way to get what you want.

 

And the real advantage is,  it now displays correctly in plan view.

Yea! I agree 100%. That's the only way I do it for construction drawings and as mentioned by Scott, you can have total control. It's not hard and it really doesn't take that long. In the time spent here talking about it, I could of had it done faster.

[mkennedy2000]

TY for the vid Perry, nice approach.

I agree with various that it's quicker to draw post and beam manually in most cases, thus submit that the automation is sub par. 

I guess its a low priority item, I'd rather see improvements to the auto roof since every house has a roof lol, tho I guess almost all of them have a covered porch also.

[SNestor]

I'm a bit confused by the wall type "divider wall".  This is an OOB default wall type.  It is defined as 1" thick.  However, when I use the wall to define a porch wall...it automatically changes to a 3 1/2" interior wall type.

 

Why does it change?

 

Test plan attached...

 

divider wall question.plan

[DRAWZILLA]

TY for the vid Perry, nice approach.

I agree with various that it's quicker to draw post and beam manually in most cases, thus submit that the automation is sub par. 

I guess its a low priority item, I'd rather see improvements to the auto roof since every house has a roof lol, tho I guess almost all of them have a covered porch also.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME, IT TOOK ME 3 MINUTES INCLUDING THE LATTICE, MUCH FASTER THAN MANUALLY USING P-SOLIDS. Also what about when your client wants to move something for me it would be automatic for you , you would have to adjust every piece of lattice.

[DRAWZILLA]

I'm a bit confused by the wall type "divider wall".  This is an OOB default wall type.  It is defined as 1" thick.  However, when I use the wall to define a porch wall...it automatically changes to a 3 1/2" interior wall type.

 

Why does it change?

 

Test plan attached...

Room divider wall will automatically turn into a framed wall when you have different levels floor or ceiling.

[mkennedy2000]

LOL Perry, but i want a sloped roof over the post and beam. Still and all, it looks like a really nice way to get a patio cover and I suppose its possible to tinker with a zero height  or attic room as the deck room then a roof over that? I'm always a little leary of odd rooms with non default floor and ceiling heights - they sometimes cause me trouble later on in the plan.

And I still think the porch railing tool ought to have a setting to extend the beam past the post.

[SNestor]

Yea! I agree 100%. That's the only way I do it for construction drawings and as mentioned by Scott, you can have total control. It's not hard and it really doesn't take that long. In the time spent here talking about it, I could of had it done faster.

 

Can you elaborate?  If you use PS to create beams....do you also create the ceiling of the porch with a PS?  What about the porch slab?  

 

I gather you do not define the space as a room?

[DRAWZILLA]

With a porch with roof , I would just make it a porch room and define it however you want using post to beam. Very fast.

[mkennedy2000]

But the beams at the end are incorrect, which was my original question - I'm not challenged by drawing things quickly and wrong, I do that all the time. I'm trying to learn to draw things quickly and right

[DRAWZILLA]

ok then p-solid it is. sometimes you just have to punt.

[mkennedy2000]

But I love the deck above for the worlds fastest patio cover below, a real gem of a technique.