Thickened Structural Condition for Spiral Strairs

[chiefhandle]

Hello Fellow Chief Users,

 

I have attached an image of a stair construction assembly that a client would like me to replicate for viewing in 3D.  Please note how the spiral stair begins its ascent by being tied to what could almost be called a "pony wall" on the left hand side.  Note too, how the iron railing sits atop this wide, thick "pony wall" assembly.  However very quickly this "pony wall" looses any association with such a name, and becomes merely the vertically-thickened drywalled or plastered "wrap" of the open stringers of the spiral stair as it ascends.

 

Can anyone suggest how to replicate this in Chief?  I have put a curved wall underneath the left side of the stair, but I do not believe there is a way to get the bottom of a wall to follow the upward curve of the stairs.  I have tried to tweak the stair tools themselves to replicate such a look, but have been unseccessful.  I have thought about using a polyline solid - but once again, cannot figure out how I could adjust the top and bottom of such a solid to be able to accurately follow the angled curve of the ascent.  And I'll still need the iron railing assembly to sit atop this mass.

 

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.  Thank You.

 

Gary Prentice

Using Chief Architect Premeir X7

[DRAWZILLA]

no image

[glennw]

You should be able to use the stair tool to build the stair OK.

I would then have a play with the Ramp tool to build the stringer wall and railing.

Then join the 2 together.

[johnny]

You should star by drawing a 2d plan view you want for the stairs, and then use that as guidelines and as a sketch of what you are trying to do.

[johnny]

OK, I have a better solution for you after thinking about it.

 

1. Create your curved stair as you would any other stair - expect with no handrails and open under.

2. Create a "ramp" the size of the stringers you want and set your rail style, and again "open" under.  Set each "ramp" flanking your stairs in the middle and it worked great.

 

I still would suggest drawing some guide lines to establish your diameters etc. as this will make input faster IMO.

 

(ADDED - i just noticed Glenns comment above being the same - I had my window open)

[Bill_Emery]

Here I've used a curved wall adjusted in elevation for the base of the balustrade. I had to bring up a wall from the floor below so the stairway would not eclipse the wall.

Glenn's (and Johnny's) suggested method is the easiest and most predictable.

another method would be to use a 3D molding polyline.

spiral stair w wall.plan

[johnny]

I was just futzing around but I think this is actually a clean solution.  Obviously you would need to get your settings correct - my example is just conceptualizing the process. 

 

So again this is using a ramp for the outside stringers and then set a custom rail however you want.  What I will note about the ramp option is that you can actually very effectively set the "base" and "bottom" heights which give you control over how the edge at the first tread works....pretty cool actually.

 

Bill's option looks like it would work too, but the ramp option almost lets you size the stringer like a solid piece of material.

[chiefhandle]

Glenn, Johnny & Bill,

 

Thanks you guys.  I'll play with your suggestions.  Appreciate you taking the time to think this through with me.  You're the best!

 

Gary