Page 365 - Chief Architect Reference Manual

Measuring Walls

With the exception of wallboard, windows thermal envelope wall area per floor. See
and doors are taken into account in the “Conditioned Area” on page 1281.
calculation of these totals.
A wall type’s Main Layer plays a central role
Additional wall-related information is listed in determining how wall materials are
in the General category, including the total calculated. For this and other reasons, correct
linear feet of each wall type per floor and the Main Layer assignment is very important.
See “The Main Layer” on page 383.

Measuring Walls

Accurate wall measurements are an essential dimensions will locate the edge of the wall
aspect of any drawing, and can be achieved facing the room where the floor is lower.
by following two basic rules:
Be aware, too, that the wall length dimension
• Be aware of what part of a wall assembly that displays when a wall is selected as well
dimensions are locating; as the Length specification in the Wall
• Position walls using dimensions rather Specification dialog do not inherit their
than edit handles or edit tools. settings from the Dimension Defaults.
Instead, they follow the Resize About line.
These rules can easily be met when you keep See “Resize About” on page 373.
the following recommendations in mind.

For information about changing the value Edit Dimension Lines
reported in a dimension line label, see Once a dimension line has been drawn, its
“Using Dimensions” on page 368.
extension lines can be edited to locate a
number of locations on a wall assembly:
Use Dimension Defaults
• The exterior surface
Manually-drawn, automatic, and temporary • The Wall Dimension Layer’s exterior
dimensions can all be set to locate walls at
their Dimension Layers or at their surfaces. • The center line of the wall assembly
Before drawing dimensions - and • The Main Layer’s center line
particularly, before using them to move your • The Main Layer’s interior
walls into position - make sure that all of
your Dimension Defaults are set up to meet • The interior surface
your needs. See “Dimension Preferences and See “Editing Extension Lines” on page 476.
Defaults” on page 446.

If a wall is specified as Invisible, dimensions Moving Walls Using
will locate it at its centerline regardless of its Dimensions
Wall Type Definition or your Dimension
Defaults settings. If the Invisible wall divides By far, the most precise method of
rooms with different floor heights, positioning walls is using dimension lines.

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