Partially Covered Deck

[WeebleSue]

HDArch 2015. 

 

I am trying to design a partially covered deck. It is a U-shaped deck, and only the ends near the home are covered. I can't seem to get the definition right for the covered ends. 

 

A room defined as Deck will not allow a Roof over it. So I created a room called Porch with invisible walls, which let me put a roof over it. But then I lose all the Deck settings - no deck floor, no railings. I tried making the Porch a little smaller but was unable to place any railings around the edge of it. 

 

How do I make a Porch room look like a Deck with proper flooring and railings, and keep the roof? 

 

Do I use Interior Railings and then copy the materials from the external railings to them? I'm pretty sure I can figure out the floor, but the railings are confusing me.

 

Please see attached drawing that I'm trying to replicate in HDA. 

Thanks

Susan

 

 

 

 

[Jo_Ann]

The HD website has a huge knowledge database.

http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00790/225/Home-Designer/Decks/Creating-a-Deck.html

 

You should also download and read the user guide, and the reference guide.

[Kbird1]

The HD website has a huge knowledge database.

http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00790/225/Home-Designer/Decks/Creating-a-Deck.html

 

You should also download and read the user guide, and the reference guide.

 

excellent advice..... read ...read...read....

 

a deck room by default has no roof or ceiling but they can be turned on ...at least they can in Pro in the deck room's dbx.

 

[RobynKS]

I am not sure where your confusion is but here try this

After you have completed the house and its roof styles of the main house then and only then select the deck with rail tool

Draw a deck

Select build roof

Select Build roof plane

Draw a roof over  your deck

Be sure you have turned build roof auto off. but if you don't the program will ask you do you want to turn auto off and  do it for you.

You will then need to change the rails to the type you want.

You may have to select the roof and lower it.

Then in plan view click on the rail and open it

then you can tell the rail to be a post and beam style.

Then if you want an extra deck section without a roof just select the deck and make it larger. 

If  your new to this program this will all be as clear as mud.

Save your plan with a different name and play with the plan and take camera views to have a look at what you have done.

if it is not right do several Ctrl Zs and try again. by the time you have played a bit someone smarter than I will have answered your question.

Mind you Jo-ann and Kbird usually give amazingly helpful answers.

Give it a go Susan and re ask the question. 

Try not to be in a hurry play and read and watch lots of videos and have the program open and try things as you stop and start the video. 

My heart goes out to you because it is a hard program to learn.

 But every time you lean how to achieve something you feel like a kid with a new toy.

Good luck.

[Kbird1]

Unfortunately Robyn,  Susan is using HDA not Pro so She does not have the ability to do manual Roof planes as far as I know ( don't think that changed in 2015 version) ,

however the roof will build no issues usually just by checking the options in the pic of the Room DBX above.  Set the Roof's parameters ,like highshed,pitch etc before doing this for each of the 3 walls as needed.

 

M.

[DavidJPotter]

Here is a You Tube video of me fumbling around with your problem:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rug9VThzVaE

 

DJP

[WeebleSue]

Guys, I have the Reference Manual. I have the User's Guide. I have viewed the help videos on this site about how to build roofs and special things about roofs (like the gable lines). I have searched not only this forum but the general internet about this issue. 

 

I don't post questions here lightly. If I post a question it is because I have exhausted all search possibilities and cannot find my answer. I learn best by finding things out for myself, and it is not easy for me to ask for help at all. 

 

If there is a specific page in the Reference Manual or User's Guide where I missed something vital that answers this question, then by all means please direct me to it. But I have already read them and they do not contain the information I need. 

 

I'll view the video when I'm a little less tired. Drawing topo lines for an 11-acre property is tiring. 

Thanks

Susan

[Kbird1]

Hi ,  well it is kind of hard to answer since you haven't posted your plan for us to look at or any useful pics for us to see what you have attempted/what is wrong ,just one very small (poor) example pic of want you want to do...

 

A deck WILL allow a roof so I am at a lose to explain why you cant get it once you check the box in the Deck Room's DBX on the Structure tab as I pointed out above.

 

here is a quick 10 min plan with what "I think" you are after but it's a guess , has a look at the settings etc and see if it helps...

 

The Porch/deck Roof is essentially a Shed Roof ,so use those settings from the basic roof tutorial in the KB.

http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00359/52/Home-Designer/Roofs/Automatically-Building-the-Basic-Roof-Styles.html

 

Mick

 

Weebles Deck.plan

 

[Jo_Ann]

I am also at a loss as to exactly what you are trying to do, because (as Mick said) you have not provided enough info or even a jpeg of your floor plan.

My guess, is that you need to draw invisible walls to separate your deck into 'rooms',  then choose which 'room' has a roof and which does not.

[WeebleSue]

The problem is that if I put a roof over the deck, then the whole U-shaped deck gets the roof. Not just the 2 bits at the end near the house. 

 

I was able to solve it by making 3 separate decks, and hiding the railings in between. So I have covered deck - uncovered deck - covered deck. 

 

Jo_Ann, that's exactly what I did. Thanks for your suggestion! 

 

Here are images of my solution, showing the three decks.

Pic2 shows how I still can't get the flat-ish "shed" roof that I want for the covered parts. I have set the slope at 2". But I can live with this as this is not a final product by any means. Maybe I'll figure it out some day. I'm not in a hurry!

 

LOVE this forum by the way. 

 

[Kbird1]

Well now I understand what you meant about a U-shaped deck

 

the 2nd photo tells me you haven't set the Wall's Roof parameter correctly ( per the Shed roof Tutorial ) better you reread it than I tell you so you "get it" ...hint fill the right checkbox on the Roof tab.

[WeebleSue]

Hey y'all! I finally found the perfect solution to get my flat roofs on my porches!! It was buried in this solution: 

http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-01086/

 

Although the solution is for a one-story building and porch, the procedure worked perfectly for my building. My main roof is on the 2nd floor, but my porches are on the 1st. There is a disconnect between the roofs. But the procedure still works! I'm thriled. 

 

I had to "build roof" to get it to work so it messed up my 2nd story roof - it should be lower. But I know how to fix it, no worries. 

Add to wish list: A MUCH easier way to have an adjustable height "cape cod" roof!! 

It's going to take several steps to fix it. There has to be an easier way.