Chimney Breast - Doh!!!

[barrie.sharp]

FYI

Ever since I started using Revit, I wondered how to model chimney breasts. Should I use a wall or a generic wall based componant. The OOTB library gave few clues but the later seemed to be the method of choice.

I created my own wall based family with a core and a finish to join to my walls. Works well but needs cleaning up across phases. Very pleased with my little creation but kept forgetting to surround it with room bounding lines.

Long story short, I realised that I have been wasting my time!!! What is black, white and does all of the above.....Answer: An architectural column! It inherits a walls structure, is room bounding, and cleans up after demolishion. I never put two and two together but now I have seen the light.

Changing the dims to instance can be done without a work round. The only drawback I have encountered is that the wall layers wrap around every reveal. That means that if you use a void to make a fireplace, it gets plastered all around. It doesn't behave well in section either. The wall layers goe straight through the column despite wraping in plan. Nothing a mask can't fix.

[SkiSouth]

Good tip.....

[ws]

What a good idea - nice bit of lateral thinking.

I've tended to use a piece of wall with a void cut out of it but chimney stacks and breasts are always tricky, particularly in old stone buildings where the wall is 2' thick and the chimney breast extends into the room another 10" or so but above roof level the chimney stack sits astride the combined thickness - and the breast width tapers as it rises :)

There are full height chimneys and brick stacks provided in the UK content under Q Families/Roof Elements and a 'Masonry Chimney' under Generic Model/Domestic Features along with a traditional Mantel and surround.

While on the subject I seem to have picked up a couple of 'baronial' fireplace families if you ever have a need for them.

[barrie.sharp]

What a good idea - nice bit of lateral thinking.

I've tended to use a piece of wall with a void cut out of it but chimney stacks and breasts are always tricky, particularly in old stone buildings where the wall is 2' thick and the chimney breast extends into the room another 10" or so but above roof level the chimney stack sits astride the combined thickness - and the breast width tapers as it rises :)

There are full height chimneys and brick stacks provided in the UK content under Q Families/Roof Elements and a 'Masonry Chimney' under Generic Model/Domestic Features along with a traditional Mantel and surround.

While on the subject I seem to have picked up a couple of 'baronial' fireplace families if you ever have a need for them.
Those content families are useful but they never addressed the internal conditions.

What does Q family mean anyway :?:

The baronial fireplace sounds interesting though. Would certainly like to see them.

I'm looking for a work round for the finish wrapping around all openings. You can't seem to cut a column in the project, just the family and I'm not having much luck with masking regions. It may be an answer to cut the opening but use a face based componant to plug it in.

[ws]

If they are any use I've attached two fireplaces in 2010 format - I usually change the default materials.

Can't remember where I picked them up.

Some clients like this sort of thing until you tell them that there has to be a maximum 1:7 ratio of flue to fireplace opening or the chimney will not 'draw'.

No idea what 'Q' families are (James Bond? ;-))

[barrie.sharp]

If they are any use I've attached two fireplaces in 2010 format - I usually change the default materials.

Can't remember where I picked them up.

Some clients like this sort of thing until you tell them that there has to be a maximum 1:7 ratio of flue to fireplace opening or the chimney will not 'draw'.

No idea what 'Q' families are (James Bond? ;-))
Very nice. I was able to use them as an example. Masking regions in the family tidy up the column. It even wraps at its foot...mmm....brick supported on plaster:shock:

See what you think. It would be nice to put our heads together to get a definitive answer; which method for which circumstances. I'll try this one in a few projects and see if it behaves well enough.