Porch and the Porch Slab

[SNestor]

Porches in CA are just way to complicated...well, for me they are.   

 

I would like a fast and easy way to construct a porch that has a ceiling and a roof over it.  It would have columns that sit on the slab.  The columns might be 12" square...or larger.  The columns and the column base need to be inset from the porch slab edge a couple of inches or so...and still align with the structural beam above.

 

I have tried a number of ways to construct this porch...and I find the simplest way seems to be to use a countertop for the slab...this way I can put an edge molding on the face of the slab that makes it look like the corners have been rounded off.  Also...I found I can manipulate this edge thickness to get the slab/countertop to extend and inch or two beyond the edge of the columns....like it would actually be constructed.  I then build the foundation and roof manually.

 

I found that if I build the porch with invisible walls...then define the space as a "porch"...the slab will only extend to the outside edge of the wall.  The roof baseline is constructed right above the outside edge of the wall...etc.  For some reason...CA will not build a foundation under an invisible wall.  I tried to "trick" Chief...built walls, then build a foundation...then defined the walls as invisible and boom...the foundation went away.  It's crazy....

 

I've attached a simple plan that shows what I mean about columns extending beyond the edge of the porch slab.  I used a deck railing to create this porch...and a column right out of the Chief catalog.  

 

Am I missing something...are there simpler ways of doing this?

 

 

Thanks guys/gals.  Be kind...I'm still learning.  

Porches and Porch Slab_2015_07_28.plan

[johnny]

I'm honestly petitioning for more non-automated ways/tools to get things done like you are saying.  The app can't possibility have a Dbx solution for every field condition.  CA is amazing at so many things other apps dont support well for residential, but then when it comes to the details I feel its lacking.

 

Dont get me wrong, there are people like Joe and Scott (and others) who can get these Dbx's to work well for them. 

[Kbird1]

hi Steve , for me at least the quickest way is to simply draw your own slab , as large as needed and then setting the slab's elevation at the same height as the Room's Floor  ie -4 " in this case ,and then use the Slab footing Tool or Foundation Wall tool to draw your own foundation underneath it. In the Room DBX that the Slab footing creates turn off /uncheck the floor and the Roof/ceiling options on the Structure Tab and you should get this :

 

 

 

your plan with the alterations:

 

Porches and Porch Slab_MH.plan

 

 

M.

[glennw]

Steve,

 

This is really easy to do with a predefined wall type that you can save to your library, or place on a tool button.

Select the wall from the tool bar and draw - couldn't be easier.

 

Johnny,

I don't understand, why would I want a more non-automated way to do this?

Why would I want to make it more complicated and take longer?

 

 

http://screencast.com/t/GrLixLW2i4ip

[rlackore]

Use Glen's railing wall method, then manually draw a foundation beneath the porch. The only remaining step is to place a molding on the slab edge.

[tommy1]

Steve, this is an excellent question and there is something you should realize. If you send me an email and I'll let you know what I'm talking about. I have gone over this before at our user group.

[SNestor]

Use Glen's railing wall method, then manually draw a foundation beneath the porch. The only remaining step is to place a molding on the slab edge.

I've done it the way you suggest. The molding for the slab edge works well...but, the molding line appears in the plan view and there appears to be two lines creating the slab edge. Is there a way to correct this?

Also - I'm just amazed that CA won't create a foundation under a porch...especially if there are load bearing walls that define the porch. Weird.

[DRAWZILLA]

Just turn off auto foundation and drag the footing wherever you want it. You can also adjust the footings to any depth or thickness individually. I tend to not have the slab generate on porches and add one manually.

[SNestor]

Just turn off auto foundation and drag the footing wherever you want it. You can also adjust the footings to any depth or thickness individually. I tend to not have the slab generate on porches and add one manually.

So...the bottom line is just build porches manually. I figured out by trial and error to just build the foundation manually. I think it's probably just easier to build the slab using the countertop tool...adding an edge is easy. Then just pull in columns I've created or from the library and manually build a roof.

[SNestor]

Steve,

 

This is really easy to do with a predefined wall type that you can save to your library, or place on a tool button.

Select the wall from the tool bar and draw - couldn't be easier.

 

Johnny,

I don't understand, why would I want a more non-automated way to do this?

Why would I want to make it more complicated and take longer?

 

 

http://screencast.com/t/GrLixLW2i4ip

 

Glen...yes, that does look easy.  Can you elaborate on how you created the wall definition?  I believe you used a railing wall...but how do you get the column bases to be inside the edge of the slab?  

 

Thanks for taking the time...that video shows the power of CA once you know how to harness it. 

[dshall]

Glenn is the best,  He knows more than me,  he knows more than the CA Staff,  in fact he knows more stuff than my wife, ...........  but you must take into consideration how this will appear in plan view.

 

 Do you need to dimension the columns?  How will the columns appear in plan view?  Are your going to have half columns at the exterior wall of the house?  How often are you going to use that particular setback of column from the edge of porch slab?  How often are you going to use that style of column?  Is the height of the column base going to change from project to project?  How is the beam supporting the room going to appear in plan view.

 

Bottom line,  I advocate a less auto approach for the reasons I just referenced.

[Kbird1]

Steve,

 

This is really easy to do with a predefined wall type that you can save to your library, or place on a tool button.

Select the wall from the tool bar and draw - couldn't be easier.

 

 

 

http://screencast.com/t/GrLixLW2i4ip

 

Interesting Video Glenn , would you mind posting that Wall (Definition) , I'd like to see how it is setup, looks like a good technique,though Scott made some good point too I think.

[SNestor]

Glenn is the best, He knows more than me, he knows more than the CA Staff, in fact he knows more stuff than my wife, ........... but you must take into consideration how this will appear in plan view.

Do you need to dimension the columns? How will the columns appear in plan view? Are your going to have half columns at the exterior wall of the house? How often are you going to use that particular setback of column from the edge of porch slab? How often are you going to use that style of column? Is the height of the column base going to change from project to project? How is the beam supporting the room going to appear in plan view.

Bottom line, I advocate a less auto approach for the reasons I just referenced.

Scott - yes, all great points. Most everything I do is custom. However...the porch slab will typically hang past the face of the foundation wall 1.5".

Some items change all the time...like the size/shape and the number of columns...also the height of the columns.

Building the porch manually probably works best for me.

[SNestor]

In my search for the perfect Porch building solution I came across a thread about how to build columns. The consensus was to use the cabinet tool to make columns. I'm using p-solids...or a moulding. Never considered the cabinet tool.

Is there any possibility I could get one of the experts to do a video on this. I'd love to learn how this is done.

Thanks.

[dshall]

I already did a vid. on this somewhere.

If you can't find it, maybe someone will do a new fresh video.

[SNestor]

Scott - is this the video. If so...you didn't make a column with the cabinet tool. Great video...learned something new.

[glennw]

Interesting Video Glenn , would you mind posting that Wall (Definition) , I'd like to see how it is setup, looks like a good technique,though Scott made some good point too I think.

Here you go Mick.

Because it is a railing wall, it can contain all sorts of information like spacing, beam size, height, setback, roof pitch, roof o/hang, column size, materials, etc.

All these can be saved as the default settings with the wall or edited in the wall dbx after placement,

Porch Rail.plan

[dshall]

Steve, I think that is the vid I was thinking of. I thought I did a vid using cabs also, maybe not.

[Kbird1]

Thanks Glenn , I haven't ever seen this technique before , might still be the quickest way to get something in place and then modify settings as needed.

 

You should probably add it to the Tips Section , another one of your hidden gems , that's not in the Manual and likely won't be found by many in this thread. 

 

Thanks again.

 

M.

[Kbird1]

@Scott   I do seem to remember a Thread on Cabinets as Columns but perhaps the Vids are on the old Forum ? as I don't remember them on your youtube/CExperts pages