Framing a Single Room Ceiling

[mrscott]

Guys,

 

I am finishing up a plan and was doing some manual framing and thus turned off Auto build for all but Walls. I noticed a small room and an exterior entry deck had no ceiling framing. When I selected to room to and Build Ceiling framing from the Build Framing DBX nothing happens. Never noticed this before but it this normal? Similarly, I wanted to change the DECK Planking on a number of decks, both covered and uncovered as well as the exterior stairs. When I select the room and attempt to change the material of the Floor it does not change in the Material DBX. It will change fine on the stairs, but not the decks. I have gone all the way back to the ROOM TYPE DECK Defaults and made sure the new material was there too and yet nothing changes in the plan. The only way I could change to a new deck material was to create a standalone deck with the planking I wanted and use the eye dropper on the plan Decks. This is not the way to do it as it does not affect the actual material in the plan or the Schedules I have to show the floor materials. It material looks great in the model but is not reflected in the plan data. Also worth noting. When using the eye dropper to change the material, some decks would change completely while others would require a board by board change. 

 

Any thoughts before I a report this to Chief? I'm really hoping I just missed something obvious and this is not a bug.

 

Thanks,

 

BTW, I will post a video but not the plan so if you need to see more please PM me. Thx

[Joe_Carrick]

Scott,

 

If you are trying to change the deck planking direction I think you need to change the deck joist direction.  Typically Chief makes the planking 90 degrees to the Joists.

[mrscott]

Not touching the structure only the planking material

 

[javatom]

Be careful with this.  You can easily end up with it looking right in standard view and wrong in vector view.  I believe the decking is handled within chief as part of the framing.

[Joe_Carrick]

Scott,

1. Open the Deck Room dbx.
2. Click on the Deck Tag
3. Set the Deck Planking Material & Direction.
4. Set the Joist Direction (not within 30 degrees of the Planking)

 

[mrscott]

My main concern is the Material data reported in the Schedule is PINE 3. Who names material like this! I created my own and called it. Deck Board, PT SYP#2 (Size is 5/4 x 6)

 

[mrscott]

Joe,

 

The structure is fine. I have it all set and looking just the way it will be built so, please don't take this the wrong way. What does you Structure settings have to do with Material selection?

[Joe_Carrick]

Nothing, Decks are just different.  The Deck Planks are treated as individual pieces, not as just a material like other rooms.

[mrscott]

I see. I don't want to rebuild the deck framing because I have already manually re-framed two of them where the Covered Portion (room Divider) places framing breaks in the floor structure. If this is something I have to deal with the future all framing will have to wait until file material selection are complete and just prior to creating CONDOCS. Hopefully this is not the case.

 

Thanks again for your thoughtful insight. 

[Joe_Carrick]

Decks are defined in Chief similarly to Wall Types.  If you set them up in the Room Defaults for each "Deck Room Type" they will conform to the materials defined in the "Floor Structure Definition" for each Layer of the assembly.  You can edit the individual Deck Rooms in the same way, but if the materials are set to "Use Default" then it it will pick up what you have in that default.

[DRAWZILLA]

I also use the deck tools to create lattice patio covers, works great, you have to do it from the 2nd floor even if you don't have one

[javatom]

Perry, are you talking about using the deck auto build function to do this?

[DRAWZILLA]

YES, with a few adjustments for the lattice, floor height, beam sizes.

[mrscott]

Guys,

 

Thanks for all the help. There are several items I would like to see Chief allow us more freedom but for now I will deal with it. 

The video below points out why I don't like the way Chief puts Deck Joist (Framing) on the level below. Watch the video and it will make sense.

Thanks again,

 

 

[DRAWZILLA]

Sometimes I will call a deck a balcony in some situations, this gives me a floor finish and give a little more control

[Chopsaw]

Scott, I think I saw in your deck room DBX that you had both the ceiling and use soffit for ceiling selected. Try turning off the ceiling and it may resolve the soffit conflict in the corner.  You may even have to delete the ceiling finish like you did for the deck.