Create Beams & Columns

Video Transcript:

 Welcome! In this video we will cover placing beams and columns using imported work lines as a reference.

 Be sure to review the video Importing DXF Work Lines available on youtube and the Paragon training site.

Here we will add the beam across the fireplace opening. And then we will put in our front porch beams and columns as well as the rear porch.

 Let's get started. First we are going to start by putting in our Fireplace beam.

Let's right click and select bearing envelope. This is going to be a structural beam, so make sure to select structural from the settings. This beam will have a depth of one foot.

So, let's add the settings for the top to be at nine foot, one and an eighth.

Tab over to the bottom and set this to be at eight foot, one and an eighth. Select point selection and let's begin.

Let's add the beam to the fireplace. Click to insert the beam by selecting the back most point. Press and hold the alt key, we will move along to the front edge of the fireplace and click. Finish this out by pressing escape.

Now let's pan and zoom over to the front porch. Here we actually have a different plate height for this one. Right click and select Bearing. Here we will set our beam at 10 foot, one and an eighth for the top. And the bottom will be at 9 foot, one and an eighth. Select point selection, Let's go ahead and start with the left top side and click to Snap your bearing point here.

Next, while pressing and holding down the alt key click to place the bottom left side. Finish placing the remaining beams by adding the point to the right, then move up and click. Press escape.

Next we will add the two columns on the outside. These aren't necessarily required for the program to function, but will make the model look better.

Right click to select bearing. Set the properties for the columns to have a top at 9 foot, one and an eighth. Then tab over and set the bottom bearing to be set at 0 inches.

Move down in the properties panel and select Point selection method. Next we will go over to the front porch and Click to place the left side of the column. And while pressing the alt key, we will click to add the right side. Press escape.

Right click to select bearing once again. Make sure to select the point selection mode, then we will click to place the left side, alt click to place the right side. Press escape to end this column. That will do it for the front porch.

Let's take a look at the 3D view to see what we've just created on the front of the house.

And there we have it. We've got our beams for the fireplace and porch and our columns under the porch. All looking good.

Let's go back to the 2D view. Next we will finish off these bearings at the back of the house.

Pan over to the rear porch and then right click to create a bearing envelope.

Here we will set the properties for these beams to be at 9 feet, one, and an eighth as well. We'll set the bottom so it is at 8 feet, one, and an eighth. Giving us a 1 foot height.

Again, using point selection. So far we have been Inputting the bearings in a counterclockwise fashion. I'll demonstrate putting them in a clockwise fashion. Because of that, we're going to need to change our justification. As shown here, click to define the start point, and you can see the bearing is on the wrong side.

So here we will need to change that justification setting to be back. Click the end of the back side, to input bearings in sequence, press the alt key to place the upper right end. Followed by the lower right side. And there we have it. Press escape to end this bearing session. That should do it for these porch beams.

The next thing we're going to do here is put in our columns for the rear porch.

Right click and select bearing.

We will set the top of the column to be at 8 foot, one and an  eighth. And the bottom to be set to zero. We will use point selection mode to add these columns.

We're going to click that point on the left side and then move over to the other side and Alt click. Next click escape.

To add the last column we're gonna repeat these steps. Right click to Create bearing. Click to start the left side, move over to Select the point selection method, press alt and click on the right side to end this column. Press escape.

Now we will take a look at this in 3D to see our newly added beams and columns.

From here we can see we're looking pretty good for all of our bearings for the fireplace, the front porch and the back porch.

All right, that's gonna do it for this instructional demo. We hope this video will help streamline beam and column input on your next project.

Thanks for watching.