Open Below on Attic floor

[rfcomm2k]

Have a walk up attic and want to model the existing staircase. Software lets me set railings on the attic floor but I am unable to select the stairwell then to designate it as Open Below. Am I missing something here or is this just how the software works?

FYI I tried creating a second floor to accomplish this, but that only complicates matters as the stairwell STILL does not penetrate the attic space as desired.

[DavidJPotter]

Home Designer software is programmed to not allow any "rooms" on the "Attic Lever or <A>". If you need a room above the first floor <1> you create the attic by creating a new <2> blank floor, then on  that new level draw you walls and then it will let you designate an Open Below or other type room. When you generate a floor two you automatically relocate the attic space <A> by creating a second floor. That is how they programmed it to work.

 

DJP

[rfcomm2k]

Perhaps you could explain how to have railings around the stairwell but STILL maintain the integrity of the existing roofline. If I add a second floor of a default height of around 8', the roof will ALSO be raised 8'. If I set the floor to a height of just a couple inches, the roofline is raised only a couple inches, but now there is no room to add a 36" high railing.

[Rookie65]

Try making it a 2nd floor with a rough ceiling height of 1-1/2". That will allow for a perimeter nailer for the rafters. Turn off auto rebuild roof, raise the ceiling to what you need. Then you should be able to build your auto stairwell. That will put railings around the opening. 

[y-g-m-n]

option when you add a floor to make it BLANK. Choose this and it has no walls just turns attic into a floor add walls if you want stairs can be added etc.

 

PS when the dialog opens up for building this new floor I always click the HELP button as they have 3 options and I forget what they do and the help explains it all.