Custom Walls

I’m using the EPS on Framing wall type but need an additional component in the assembly. For wind and seismic in my area (Alaska) I need a layer of 1/2" structural wood panel between the framing and the EPS. Is there a way to add this and still have the walls work for window and door insertion. On my first attempt, I drilled down into the wall assembly and moved the EPS out 1/2" then grabbed some floor sheathing off a floor assembly, stood it on edge and put it in the space. This solution just created a lot of other issues with layers, layout views, window insertion, etc. Any other ideas about how I can get this type of wall in my project and stay with BIM and material takeoffs?

Hi Archiserv,

In our upcoming releases we will be vastly improving and releasing composite wall types. In the meantime, you can create a custom material, but also include the thickness of the layer of 1/2" structural wood panel. This means that you will have the finish material thickness, plus the structural wood panel thickness. You will not be able to visually separate/distinguish the layers - but the overall thickness will be correct - and everything will remain parametric. When you do a 2D/3D detail/section - you simply need to add the required lines to indicate the different materials. You will have to manually pick it up in your take-off though.

The other way to do it, is to create a wall that is the thickness of the frame, plus the structural wood panel. You then need to create a wall finish material in your wall tool, and then put on the final EPS layer. However, this will not be linked to the parametric wall - and you will have to cut the windows out. It can be more easily picked up in your take-off though.

The composite wall features that we will be releasing progressively over the coming months will eventually solve this issue though.