Non-rectangular soffits?

[FlightDeck]

Hi, how can I make non-rectangular soffits (in top-down plan view)? 

 

For example if a soffit is representing a duct bulkhead running across a ceiling and it meets an angled wall, I want the soffit to terminate neatly at the same angle as the wall.  So in top-view it needs a triangular end. 

 

I can't seem to adjust soffits to anything other than rectangles.  And none of the wedges are oriented correctly to provide angled sides in *top view*. 

 

Do I use a slab for this and shape it?

 

Thanks 

 

 

[jeffreybianchi]

My suggestion is to simply use the CAD line drawing tool for the plan view.  (See attached.)  Of course you'll still have the rectangular line showing (end of the non-angled soffit).  Hope this helps.

 

 

[jeffreybianchi]

Just realized something...use the CAD line tool to draw the lines for your soffit and then highlight the line to open the menu and specify the line type (solid, broken, etc.).

[FlightDeck]

Sorry, Jeffrey, I should have said I need this in the 3-D model, not just on the 2-D plans.  (I mentioned "top down view" only to specify from which viewing direction I need the soffit to be angled.  You got the angle situation right but I need it in 3D in the model.)

[jeffreybianchi]

Ahhh...in that case, if I'm understanding you correctly, see attached thumbnails.

 

By holding down the CTRL key as you elongate the soffit, you can "punch" through the wall.  (In fact, by holding down the CTRL key you can move anything anywhere.)  

 

Of course, this doesn't make for a great plan view, but frankly I find that I always end up with two sets of drawings for any project anyway...one that shows a cleaned-up top view (for the client), and one (for my own use) that incorporates all of the gimmicks I need to use (like this one) in order to make the perspective views come out right.

 

I hope this makes the remotest bit of sense...I'm usually seeking rather than dispensing advice on here!

[FlightDeck]

Thanks, Jeffrey.  That's what I've been doing until now but it doesn't suffice in my current model.  I need the soffits to terminate at the angled wall so they don't protrude out the other side of the wall.

[solver]

Use something you can shape -- custom countertop or slab. If you need a molding, place a thin soffit against the side.

[FlightDeck]

Thanks, Eric.  So it is slabs then.  (Dunno why we can't shape soffits or have rotated wedges.)  Slabs are a bit annoying as they use absolute reference for a height whereas soffits are relative to floors.  Just makes it more cumbersome to get them all in place and update after modications.

 

I wonder if I could just take a wedge into Sketchup and rotate it so the angled side is in top view and then reimport it?

[raymond_neeves]

you can create triangular soffits if you build it in a corner first, then move it to where its needed.  dont try and make it one big soffit, just create some smaller triangular ones and butt them up against your rectangular ones.

 

other than that you dont have much control over the shape and the triangular ones tend to turn back into a rectangle if you stretch them the wrong way.

[FlightDeck]

you can create triangular soffits if you build it in a corner first, then move it to where its needed.

 

How do you do this?  When I try to place a soffit it a triangular wall corner it is always rectangular.

 

I am currently using custom countertops as Eric also suggested.  Seems to be better behaved for indoor use than slabs.

[raymond_neeves]

How do you do this?

 

click on the soffit tool and move the mouse right into the corner of two walls, you need to get fairly close to the corner but once you do it will change shape - at first it may look like a rectangle with a corner missing, but you can adjust it inwards to become a triangle, adjust it too far the other way and it will turn back into a rectangle.

[katalyst777]

There's already a bunch of "Shapes" in the Library Browser that might work, or you can import from SketchUp like you've suggested, or you can upgrade to the Premier version that has Polyline Solids and Molding Polylines to make doing HVAC work like that much easier.

This article does NOT apply to any of the Home Designer programs, but gives an idea of what you could do if you upgraded to Premier.
https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-02840/drawing-hvac-ductwork.html

[solver]

@raymond_neeves

 

I've tried and cannot get the soffit to change shape.

 

Could you post a simple plan with a soffit shaped into a corner so I can see how it works.

[katalyst777]

@raymond_neeves

I've tried and cannot get the soffit to change shape.

Could you post a simple plan with a soffit shaped into a corner so I can see how it works.

Soffits are cabinets, so if you move your mouse in to a corner and click to place a soffit, the preview shows what looks like a corner cabinet. Once placed, you can select the corner soffit and use the front edit handle to drag it back, basically making a triangular shaped soffit.

[solver]

Am I correct in saying you place the soffit into a 90 degree corner, and you can then reshape it.

 

Placing one into a corner that is not 90 degrees does not seem to work.

 

And that you must place a soffit specifically in a corner via a click, and cannot simply slide an existing soffit into a corner.

[raymond_neeves]

Am I correct in saying you place the soffit into a 90 degree corner, and you can then reshape it.

 

yep

 

Placing one into a corner that is not 90 degrees does not seem to work.

 

it doesnt does it.  sorry, it appears that they can only be right angled triangles.  i only have 90 degree walls so never noticed the limitation

 

 

And that you must place a soffit specifically in a corner via a click, and cannot simply slide an existing soffit into a corner.

 

correct

[solver]

I learned something today, thanks to Kat and raymond.

 

Place a soffit via a click into a 90 degree corner. You may then reshape it -- in this case into a triangle that fills the gap between a soffit and off angle wall.

 

A bit of math will tell you how long to make the sides of the soffit via its DBX.

 

[FlightDeck]

click on the soffit tool and move the mouse right into the corner of two walls, you need to get fairly close to the corner but once you do it will change shape - at first it may look like a rectangle with a corner missing, but you can adjust it inwards to become a triangle, adjust it too far the other way and it will turn back into a rectangle.

 

Ah cool, it worked, thanks!!!    There was a catch though:  the wall corner needs to be 90 degrees first.  When I tried doing it with an angled wall corner, it wouldn't make the angled soffit.  So instead I used a 90 corner to get the angled soffit, and then moved it over to the angled wall corner to fit.

 

Thanks! 

[FlightDeck]

There's already a bunch of "Shapes" in the Library Browser that might work, or you can import from SketchUp like you've suggested, or you can upgrade to the Premier version that has Polyline Solids and Molding Polylines to make doing HVAC work like that much easier.

 

Thanks, I did try the sketchup import before using the custom countertop instead, but of course it comes in as an object rather than a soffit geometry so it doesn't behave the same way in the model, and it's resize options are limited.  Raymond's solution above is the best so far as it does exactly what was needed.  It's a shame it's such a non-intuitive way to access though, as it's a useful feature a lot of users probably don't know exists.

[FlightDeck]

A bit of math will tell you how long to make the sides of the soffit via its DBX.

 

 

I found that once it's a triangle it can be resized and snapped to other geometry just like a rectangular soffit, so didn't need to do any math at all to have things line up.