Multiple ways to do shower bench & shower tile

[JamesR]

Hi everyone,

Relative new user here and I was wondering what were some of the pros/cons, or maybe just a best way, of the approaches for the two items below? All of them seem to get to the same final result, and if its just a matter of preference, I'm sure I'll find one I like. However, if there are actual differences in the methods, I'd love to hear about them.

 

To draw a shower bench, it seems like you can use the soffit, slab, or polyline solid tools. I've seen a few of the training videos use polyline solid (x7 version), but the other two seem just as easy.

 

For moderately complex shower tile job, where you have maybe two different wall tiles in addition to a accent tile, what would the differences be between using the custom backsplash tool, the wall coverings specification, or the wall material region tool?

 

Thanks

--Jamie

[JamesR]

So I did some experimenting with the different approaches to modeling a tile job.

 

The main different I see between the custom backsplash and wall material region tools are: 1) the wall material region automatically creates a stackup assembly, in my case it was tile>thinset>backer board, and sets the "Cut finish layers of parent object" box while 2) the custom backsplash creates only one layer, the tile, and sets it on top of the wall object (no Cuts Finish Layers selected).

 

Other than that, they seem to accomplish the same thing. And I can make each of them behave the same as the other, by Editing the materials layers of the backsplash tool and inserting the extra layers, and by checking or unchecking the Cut Finish Layers box.

 

Seems like the wall material region would be slightly better if you were intending to do a detail section view of the wall, but other than that, is it 6 of one, half a dozen of the other?

 

I haven't tried the wall coverings approach yet, mainly because it seems like I need to break the shower walls so I don't put the tile across the entire wall.

 

Thanks,

--Jamie

[MarkMc]

I mostly use material regions so I can set them to cut the finish layer or not and they don't cover over windows etc which makes life easier. Seats with closed face I make with a cabinet that has the face changed to Blank and separations of 0" (unless I need framing for the drawings) Countertop can be tile thickness OR when stone is involved I can get overhang and different material. It's a matter of both preference and need for a situation.

[tommy1]

James, good to see that you're trying different ways. This is how you learn what's good for you and pro's and con's to different ways. I usually use solids from an elevation or material regions. I don't ever use a wall covering for this but that's just me. I usually use slabs for benches but use whatever you want.

 

 

[JamesR]

Mark - I've seen the use of a cabinet for things like a window bench, replacing the counter top with a fabric materiel to mimic a cushion. Do you use this method for shower benches/seats?

 

Nice bathroom Tommy. So you used Wall Material Regions for the wall tile (lower squares, accent mosaic, and upper diamond pattern)?

 

Thanks,

--Jamie

[tommy1]

Actually I used polyline solids for that bathroom.

[Alaskan_Son]

One other method that can be handy to have in your back pocket is using multiple walls sandwiched together.  Give a lot more control over where the tile starts and stops and can be used to wrap around the ends of walls.