Framing a Floor

Use the Create Joists command to create the joist and perimeter objects necessary to frame a floor. If the floor is a slab object, select the slab component to serve as a boundary for the joist area. The command creates framing member objects.

Select a rectangle, polygon, polyline, extrude, roof face, slab, or floor object.

If a stairwell hole exists in the floor, solid beam framing member objects are used for the headers.

Select the command.

The Create Joists dialog box opens.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Select whether to draw joists and/or perimeter framing members for the floor framing. Then, specify the properties of the joists and the perimeter framing. Click Set Joist Properties or click Set Framing Member Properties.

The Set Joist Properties or Set Framing Member Properties dialog box opens. The available parameters depend on the Type of joist or framing member selected.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Click OK to set the joist or perimeter framing member properties.

Specify the attributes of the joists and the perimeter framing. Click Set Joist Attributes or click Set Framing Member Attributes.

The Set Joist Attributes or Set Framing Member Attributes dialog box opens. The dialog boxes are identical whether setting joist or perimeter framing attributes, and contain a Graphic Attributes tab and Texture tab.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

If joists are to be created, click two points to indicate the desired joist orientation.

The joists and/or perimeter framing member objects are created. In addition, a Joist Take-Off worksheet is automatically created and displays in the Resource Manager.

The framing member parameters can be edited from the Object Info palette. These parameters are identical to those of a single framing member object.

Parameter	Description
Use Slab Component	If a slab is selected, its components display in the list. Select a component to serve as the boundary for the joist area; the joists are created at the same elevation as the selected slab component.
Draw Joists	Creates joist objects for floor framing
Elevation of Top of Joist	Sets the elevation relative to the layer elevation value for the top of the joist
Center-to-Center Spacing	Specifies the spacing from the center of one joist to the center of the next joist
Class	To control appearance and visibility, select a class from the list of classes present in the drawing, or create a new class.
Set Joist Properties	Opens the Set Joist Properties dialog box; proceed with step 3
Set Joist Attributes	Opens the Set Joist Attributes dialog box; proceed with step 5
Draw Perimeter Framing Members	Draws framing members around the perimeter of the floor
Elevation of Top of Framing	Sets the elevation relative to the layer elevation value for the top of the perimeter framing
Class	To control appearance and visibility, select a class from the list of classes present in the drawing, or create a new class.
Set Framing Member Properties	Opens the Set Framing Member Properties dialog box; proceed with step 3
Set Framing Member Attributes	Opens the Set Framing Member Attributes dialog box; proceed with step 5
End Condition of Joists at Perimeter	Select the type of condition for the ends of the joists where they connect to the perimeter framing: Inside Face, Centerline, or Outside Face
Corner Condition of Perimeter	Select the type of condition for the corners of the perimeter framing: lapped or mitered joints
Delete Source Geometry	Deletes the original source object after the framing is created

Parameter	Description
Width	Specifies the joist or framing member profile width
Height	Specifies the joist or framing member profile height
Type	Select the form of the joist or framing member element: rafter, solid beam, wood truss, open-web steel joist, cold-formed steel channel, steel section, or custom profile
Profile Symbol Def	For custom profiles, displays the selected profile symbol name
Choose Profile Symbol	For custom profiles, click Choose Profile Symbol to select a structural profile symbol from a library or the current file. Select a symbol from the graphical list of Symbols. The profile name displays in the Object Info palette.
2D Display	Select the 2D display method: solid, centerline, width, or width with centerline
Show Label	Displays the text entered in Label Text as a label next to the 2D representation of the joist or framing member
Label Text	Enter the text to display in 2D as a label
Vertical Reference (Rafter, Solid Beam, Wood Truss, Open-Web Steel Joist, Cold-formed Steel Channel, Steel Section)	Select whether the object’s defining line is at the top, center, or bottom
Draw 2D Hangers (Solid Beam, Wood Truss, Cold-formed Steel Channel)	Displays 2D graphics indicating framing hangers at start, end, both, or none
Flange Height (Wood Truss, Open-Web Steel Joist, Cold-formed Steel Channel)	Sets the height of the truss top and bottom chords; the chord width is set by the object width
Web Width/Height (Wood Truss, Open-Web Steel Joist, Cold-formed Steel Channel)	Specifies the size of the truss web components; if Use Solid Web is selected (wood truss only), the Web Width parameter specifies the thickness of the solid web
Gauge (Open-Web Steel Joist, Cold-formed Steel Channel)	Sets the thickness of the top and bottom chords
Panel Spacing (Wood Truss, Open-Web Steel Joist)	Indicates the spacing of the truss “panels” (subdivisions)
Draw Verticals (Wood Truss, Open-Web Steel Joist)	Displays vertical web components between each sloping web component
Bottom Bearing (Open-Web Steel Joist)	Toggles the configuration of the truss between top chord and bottom chord bearing
Use Solid Web (Wood Truss)	Toggles the web component configuration between “open-web” and solid, “I-beam” style
Section Type (Steel Section)	Select the type of structural shape for the steel section: Angle, Bulb Flat, Channel, I-beam, Rectangular Tubing, Round Tubing, Square Tubing, Tee, or Wide Flange
Section Series (Steel Section)	Select the series type for the steel section
Section Shape (Steel Section)	Select the size of the steel section

Parameter	Description
Graphic Attributes	Each graphic attribute can be set by the class style or to specific settings. If set by the class style, the attributes are controlled by the class selected in the Create Joists dialog box.
Fill	Select Class Style to use the class style for the fill attribute, choose None to apply no fill, or choose a fill style
Pen	Select Class Style to use the class style for the pen attribute, choose None to apply no pen, or choose a solid/dash or pattern style
Line Thickness	Select Class Thickness to use the class style for the line thickness attribute, choose Set Thickness to specify the line thickness, or select a line thickness
Texture	Select Class to use the class texture for the framing element (see Applying Object and Component Textures by Class), choose None to apply no texture, or choose Select to set the texture parameters
Texture	Select the texture to apply from a library or the current file
Map Type	Select the texture map type
Radius	For sphere and cylinder maps, sets the texture radius; the default radius is the same as the 3D object radius. Increasing this value reduces the size of the texture on the object.
Start/End Cap	Applies the texture to the start and end caps of the framing element
Repeat Horizontally/ Vertically	Repeats the texture in a horizontal and/or vertical direction
Scale Factor	Determines the texture size when projected onto the object
Horizontal/Vertical Offset	Sets the start location of the texture horizontally and vertically
Rotation	Sets the angle of texture rotation; enter a rotation value from 0 to 360 degrees to change the rotation angle