Extending Individual Wall Layers

Extending Individual Wall Layers

It is often the case that various layers of walls will need to extend to different heights.  For example, you may have an interior wall where the framing needs to extend to the underside of the deck, but the gypsum board can stop 4-6" above the ceiling.  This could be handled in a detail view via 2D linework (cut profile), but the more effective way is to modify the height of individual layers of the wall.  This is particularly effective for large projects where clash detection is going to be used to avoid unnecessary conflicts and where the model will be used for estimating quantities of materials.

• Here is our wall section:

• Click the 'Edit Type' option and then click on the 'Edit' button under structure.  This will bring us to the 'Edit Assembly' window where we can see the layers of our wall.
• By default, all of the layers of your wall assembly will start and stop at the same height.  If we wanted individual layers to be capable of extending higher than others, we need to enable the extension parameter for this wall type.
• Step 1:  Edit the Wall Type:

• Step 2:  Edit the structure (for this type):

• Step 3:  Enable the preview of the wall assembly:

• Step 4:  Change the preview view type to Section:

• Step 5:  Click the Modify button under Modify Vertical Structure.

• Step 6:  Click on the top or bottom of the layer you wish to extend/trim.  You should see a lock appear.  Click on the lock to 'unlock' the layer.  Repeat for as many layers as you wish to unlock.  Once complete, click OK a few times until you are out of the edit type dialog box.

• Once you have completed the unlocking of the wall layers, we can return to the model and edit the walls where we need to.  There are two ways to modify the heights of unlocked layers, either by entering a top/base extension distance:

Note the Top/Base Extension Distance Options are no longer grayed out.

• or by dragging the layer (via grips) to the correct height (6" above the ceiling in the example below):

Note the two different grips for the top of wall height