Mixed Wall ICF + 2x4

[cgrafx]

I am working with Home Designer Pro 2026

 

I have 2 story house. The bottom half is ICF block and the upper half is 2x6 engineered.

 

The front doorway of the house is a 2x4 wall built inside an 8ft x 8ft opening in the ICF block.

 

I have not found a way to represent this combined ICF + 2x4 wall. 

 

I have tried creating the primary ICF wall  with a passthrough hole in it, but there isn't a way to build a wall inside a wall. I've also tried a pony wall with the 2x4 wall on the bottom and ICF on the top, but Home Designer insists on putting in a stucco drip edge at the split between the two wall sections. 

 

Looking for best option to create this composite wall section.

[y-g-m-n]

So they framed inside an opening for the door?

I am guessing the outside stucco material lines up.

Does the inside sheetrock or is the door framed opening inset?

 

When it is all finished what will be different there?

I mean if nothing then just stick your door in the main wall and forget about this framing.

[cgrafx]

Yes, I framed inside the opening for the door (I'm the owner/builder). Trying to create a complete set of as-built plans to go with the custom build. The original architectural plans were done a long time ago and are hand drawn. I have a hybrid set of plans currently that was started in a different CAD program and then dropped into Adobe Illustrator, but I'd really like to have a proper set of CAD files to go with the house.

 

The door framing is inset a couple of inches on the inside of the house leaving a much larger inset at the front which has a 2nd curved relief over the door to bring it flush with the ICF wall.

 

I'd really like to understand how to create these sorts of models in Home Designer. I do understand that it may not be possible to get exactly what was built, but I'd like to get as close as possible.

 

The difference for me is just dropping a door into the ICF wall will not really come close to matching what was built.

 

32 minutes ago, y-g-m-n said:

When it is all finished what will be different there?

I mean if nothing then just stick your door in the main wall and forget about this framing.

 

[y-g-m-n]

maybe try Play & adjusting variables in the:

JAMB, CASING, LINTEL, ROUGH OPENING and FRAMING

sections in the door edit screen until you get what you want - lots of ways to cheat here knowing what each does.

 

under framing you set header size or go to default and how it is built along with side framing of jack and king studs sies and qty etc,

 

As always have the help scree open so it can help you - very powerful tool the help screen

 

Then use a stock door so you can set width and all the other variables like the arch at the top.

 

 

If all that does not work - maybe first set in a door opening to dims of cutout and turn off all the trim (casing, jamb & lintal.)

Turn off framing etc.

Then see if you can add door inside?

Never done this so I would just have to play with the tools ya got.

[cgrafx]

Thanks..

 

I have played with pretty much all of the options and can't get the flashing between the ICF and the framed wall to turn off.

 

I don't have a problem getting the door to cut in, just need the flashing not to show up.

 

Guess I can play with this more, but it seems like this should be simple to accomplish. But maybe its not doable in the home designer product.

 

You can see the actual finished entry with the stacked relief over the door in the attached photo.

 

[y-g-m-n]

me I would not worry about framing around the door and just stick in a door into your ICF wall...

 

MAke it look pretty in 3d.... for the wife or whoever you are making this for.

 

IF you need site detailed drawing - well then I would use something else...

 

HD is not perfect nor can do everything - for that you need the pricey CA.

[cgrafx]

I don't need pretty pictures, although those are nice to have. I need a finished set of house plans. HD works extremely well for most of that, and has produced perfectly acceptable finished plans for submittal to multiple city planning depts. It just seems to not be able to handle the specifics I'm looking for in this instance, I don't actually need the 3D models, just the 2D flat layouts, but those don't layup properly when there are stacked walls of different thicknesses, I have other issues between the 1st and 2nd floors. Bottom floor is ICF. Top floor is framed 2x6.

 

Really seams like HD should be capable of doing this, even down to the specific framing studs.

 

Was hoping somebody here had more experience, or that someone from chief architect would chime in.

 

I'm not unwilling to spend the money to upgrade, but CA is a subscription only product and I don't rent tools (software or otherwise). All companies that started as or have moved to a subscription only model really need to go away. The entire subscription software industry is nothing more than a drain and leach on society that effectively holds their customers work as ransom. Want to make changes or continue being in business, pay us your monthly extortion fee or you lose access to all of your work.