Fences and Gates

[y-g-m-n]

Why is it there are some standard Fence panels but no matching gates?

 

Where is the proverbial American WHITE PICKET FENCE and matching gate Opie can walk thru?

 

they have only one with some funky top detail; but it is a panel so it is what it is an you cannot TWEAK it.

Also the included rails are some funky size lumber and cannot be adjusted or moved.

For landscape design a powerful fence tool would be handy to calc a lumber buy list if the dayum thing was accurate and let me design the fence I want to build.

 

Maybe 6ft privacy with overlap fence boards or spaced with 1/4" gap or 3.5" gaps.

Maybe I want 3 rails, bottom 12 inch from terrain, top is 5ft above highest ground point & middle rail 36"

Or maybe I want rail on front or back or between posts.

Maybe top rail is a 2x4 on side and with another on top on flat for Tee section or ELL section with 1x4 on back.

 

Create a new setup screen Manu box thingy for fences.

Base it off of wall menu thingy but include where we can define a custom fence in lieu of using library "PANELS"

Let me have some choices for Balusters but call it PICKETS. then have library of them.

Rails are like you allow now but make it easier to manipulate them and include the middle rail - Which I still have not figured out how.

Define offsets better by adding the FROM box with vert options like others, from terrain or floor or Absolute etc.

Horizontal offset should be from Post exterior surface maybe. with option for centered.

Post spacing you have but add picket spacing by defining the gap between and gap to terrain and elevation of top or board length so one has choice for crazy ground with many undulations.

 

Just a little tweaking and landscape designing became way easier and better.

 

I mean it would be nice to be able to draw proper fence and then dimension details for fence contractor so they know what to build.

 

Next up would be hardscape, pavers and block/stone/boulder fences.

 

I see where Site says use it for landscape design but really, not a lot of tools for landscape design more just to make a pretty rendering.

 

OK Rant off.

 

[Rookie65]

Did you check the bonus catalogs?

[DavidJPotter]

They are to be found in the Library Browser - Architeectural - Fences and Railings - Gates, have a look please.

 

DJP

[y-g-m-n]

I have looked in library 

I am using CAMPAGNE panels:

But I increased height to 48" to match what I have

 

Closest to a Gothic Picket we used:

 

 

 

Where is matching gate in the main gate library?

I looked in bonus library and lots of NON Matching Gates - Heck no matching panels for these gates either.

 

 

The PICKET gate is probably best choice but looks like crap since boards are different and picket spacing is different.

Notice how wide the pickets are on the gate versus fence - just looks bad.

I have tried to make it look better with other gates and cheats and well, what you see is where I am at.

Issue is gate is wide and those in the library do not take kindly to being made skinny or wide as program just stretches and squeezes the gate to suit width listed.

Wrong pickets and spacing when I have it drawn to width they have for it.

Wish program was smart enough to figure out how many pickets were required based on picket width and desired gap between boards.

So the library gates only look good when you use them at their drawn width - which you do not know and may not suit the plan.

 

Just seems the landscape design portion of Home Designer was an after thought even though they market it for landscape design.

Decks are similarly clumsy to design unless very basic,

 

Would be cool if you could make a Door/gate that used the wall/fence material if you did not select anything.

 

I think hidden doors (think Oval office) that are mase to look like walls would be interesting and then would work for gates on fences too.

only thing I notice is picket spacing as program just squeezes or stretches pickets to suit width of panel between posts so never looks right unless you guess what they drew it for.

 

Again a way to make my own fence with individual boards would be great especially for estimating since it would give me a good picket count.

 

So now I am having to use other 3d software, autocad/Solidworks/Sketchup etc to design my stuff and then import as library items I need - Real PIA.