Drawing your room
This section will explain how to draw in the 'Walls' layer of your design.
Select the 'Walls' layer of your design by clicking on the 'Walls' button in the top-left of the ArtiCAD design screen.
In the bottom-left corner of the planning area you will see a blue cross. This is your starting point. Your design will always start at this point and will always be drawn
clockwise around the design screen unit you return to your starting point.
You add doors, windows, etc to the layout of the room by pressing the relevant toolbar button from the left-handside.
The Measurement Marker
The blue cross in the bottom left is actually a red cross and a blue cross on top of each other. The red cross will stay at your starting position and the blue cross is your current position on the plan. At the bottom of the design screen it shows the distance between the red and the blue cross, broken down into a horizontal and vertical measurement. Distance is the direct distance between the two crosses.
In this example the horizontal distance is 3000, vertical is 1000 and the direct distance is 3162.28.
When the values are at 0, you have returned to your starting point.
ArtiCAD Basics
Measurements: All measurements (widths, depths heights etc) are in whole millimeters. Angles are measured in whole degrees.
Edit: This applies to all items in your design, not just Wall items. Highlight the item you wish to edit by left-clicking on it, then press the 'F1' key on your keyboard. This will bring up the properties of the selected item which you can then change. Click 'OK' to confirm your changes, or 'Cancel' to revert it to the previous settings. (Some keyboards have multiple functions for the function keys. If the F1 doesn't work for you, you may need to hold the 'Fn' button at the same time)
Undo: You can undo the last change you made to your design by clicking 'Edit' - 'Undo' or pressing CTRL and Z on your keyboard.
Edit: This applies to all items in your design, not just Wall items. Highlight the item you wish to edit by left-clicking on it, then press the 'F1' key on your keyboard. This will bring up the properties of the selected item which you can then change. Click 'OK' to confirm your changes, or 'Cancel' to revert it to the previous settings. (Some keyboards have multiple functions for the function keys. If the F1 doesn't work for you, you may need to hold the 'Fn' button at the same time)
Undo: You can undo the last change you made to your design by clicking 'Edit' - 'Undo' or pressing CTRL and Z on your keyboard.
NOTE - you can keep undoing changes back to when you loaded your ArtiCAD session.
In and Out: In means the item will open or move into the room. Out means the item will open or move out of the room.
Default Sizes: Certain properties will have an Asterix (*) either side e.g. *2400* or *600*. This shows a default size has been used, usually defined under 'This Design' - 'Room Settings'. If you wish to alter a default value make sure you delete both of the Asterix. The change will only affect the current item. For the change to affect the entire design, change it under 'This Design' - 'Room Settings'. If you wish to return a value to its default, enter a single Asterix in the box.
External: Select this option for external walls. The wall section will be drawn thicker e.g. in the kitchen room system external walls are drawn 300mm thick, with regular walls 100mm.
Wall
Creates a straight section of wall in the current direction.
Join
Creates a special section of wall that runs from your current position on the plan, back to your starting point.
This should be the last item added to your walls layer. Only one 'join' is required.
Example 1
Bottom-left corner of a design without a join and with a join.
Door
Creates a single doorway. Two doors can be entered side-by-side to create a double/french door.
Width: The total width of the doorway, including architrave
Height: Total height of the doorway, including architrave. If the ceiling height is higher than the door height, a lintel will be drawn in above the door, along with coving (if specified)
Height Off Ground: Distance from the bottom of the doorway to the floor level. Used when creating a step-down into a room. See Cubes and Wedges for details
Width of Architrave: Width of architrave around the door. Can be set to 0 if no architrave is required.
Style: The type of door
Hinged and Opening: The side the door is hinged and the direction it will open
View: The view seen through glazed doors. For details on specifying the view, See Changing materials in your design for details
Tiled: If selected, tiling will be applied to the doorway (if the tiling is high enough to be seen)
To select a door that is on your design, left-click between the door jams (the green area on the image above).
Arch
Creates an archway.
Width: Width of the arch
Height: Height of the arch. If the ceiling height is higher than the arch height, a lintel will be drawn in above the door, along with coving (if specified)
Arch Option: 'Open' will allow you to see through the arch to whatever is behind it. 'Screened' will fill the archway
Arch Style: 'Square' will draw a square arch, the top of the arch being the arch height. 'Curved' will draw a curved arch, with the 'peak' of the curve being the arch height. Lowest point of the curve will be the arch height minus the curved arch height
Curved Arch Height: Height of the curved section of a curved arch. Not used if 'square' arch selected
Tiled: If selected, tiling will be applied to the arch (if the tiling is high enough to be seen)
Height: Height of the arch. If the ceiling height is higher than the arch height, a lintel will be drawn in above the door, along with coving (if specified)
Arch Option: 'Open' will allow you to see through the arch to whatever is behind it. 'Screened' will fill the archway
Arch Style: 'Square' will draw a square arch, the top of the arch being the arch height. 'Curved' will draw a curved arch, with the 'peak' of the curve being the arch height. Lowest point of the curve will be the arch height minus the curved arch height
Curved Arch Height: Height of the curved section of a curved arch. Not used if 'square' arch selected
Tiled: If selected, tiling will be applied to the arch (if the tiling is high enough to be seen)
Window
Selecting Window will bring up the traditional windows built into ArtiCAD. In the menu, the options are listed on the left hand side.
Additional windows will display more options for windows. Click 'Select' to browse through the options.
Make a selection by clicking the name of the item.
Width: Width of the window, including frame
Height: Height of the window opening
Height Off Ground: Distance from the floor to the bottom of the window opening
Style: The type of window
View: The view seen through the window. See Changing colours in your design for details
Mullions: How many mullions across and down the window.
Height: Height of the window opening
Height Off Ground: Distance from the floor to the bottom of the window opening
Style: The type of window
View: The view seen through the window. See Changing colours in your design for details
Mullions: How many mullions across and down the window.
NOTE - you must select 'Add Mullions' for them to appear
Depth of Reveal: The depth the window is set into the wall
Tiled: If selected tiling will be applied above, below and on the reveal of the window
Hatch
Creates a serving hatch.
Width: Width of the hatchway
Height: Height of the hatchway
Height Off Ground: Distance from the floor to the bottom of the hatchway
Tiled: If selected tiling will be applied above and below the hatch (if the tiling is high enough to be seen)
Height: Height of the hatchway
Height Off Ground: Distance from the floor to the bottom of the hatchway
Tiled: If selected tiling will be applied above and below the hatch (if the tiling is high enough to be seen)
Turn/Back
Changes the direction of your run of wall items by 90 degrees. A turn/back can be proceeded or followed by any other wall item.
Turn: Changes direction 90 degrees to the right, or clockwise
Back: Changes direction 90 degrees to the left, or anti-clockswise
Back: Changes direction 90 degrees to the left, or anti-clockswise
Rotate
Changes the direction of your run of wall items by a specific angle.
Rotation: The angle through which you wish to turn. Positive values turn clockwise, negative values turn anti-clockwise.
To create a bay window, use the 'Bay Window Wizard' - this can be found by going to Utilities > Tools > Useful Wizards.
Point
A Point allows you to draw a wall, door, arch or window by specifying the distance along and out of the room. This can be useful if working from scale drawings.
In/Out
Creates a projection into or out of the current run of wall e.g. a stud wall, pipe boxing, chimney breast.
Space
Creates a gap in the run of wall. Different to an arch in that there is no lintel or coving drawn across the top to the space.
Round Wall
Creates a curved section of wall.
Radius: The radius of the curve
Steps: The number of sections of wall that will make up the curve. The more steps, the smoother the curve will look
Angle: The number of degrees the curved section will arc through. Positive values curve clockwise, negative values curve anti-clockwise
Steps: The number of sections of wall that will make up the curve. The more steps, the smoother the curve will look
Angle: The number of degrees the curved section will arc through. Positive values curve clockwise, negative values curve anti-clockwise
Flag-style Door and Window - Kitchens Only
Add a flag window to your design in the same way as you would add any other wall component.
The majority of the options will be familiar from either the Wall or Window components. However there are a few extra options
Window: Specifies which side of the door the window will appear
Door and Window Width: The total width will be the sum of the door and window width
Top Window & Top Window Height: If Top Window is selected, a window will be drawn across the top of the window and the door using the height specified (see the example image above).
Door and Window Width: The total width will be the sum of the door and window width
Top Window & Top Window Height: If Top Window is selected, a window will be drawn across the top of the window and the door using the height specified (see the example image above).
The flag window is only available as a wall component within the Walls layer, not as an internal wall.
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