Archicad Tutorial: Roof

By: Matthew Jourden

Brighton High School

Brighton, MI

1. Open Cabin Design

2. Create the following 2 layers

a. Roof: Have roof panels attached

b. Roof Outline: Lines showing overhang, ridges, valleys of the roof

3. Turn OFF all layers EXCEPT

a. Exterior Walls

b. Roof

c. Roof Outline

NOTE: Exterior Doors and Windows will show up on student plan.

Hip Roof Design

Hip Roof will have four panels angling back towards a ridge. Since we do not know how the panels will be connected

we will draw for rectangles and connect them together. The roof will have a 1’-0 Overhang on all four sides of the

house

Ridge Line Parallel to the Front of the House

4. Draw the following lines on the ROOF OUTLINE Layer

5. Select Roof Tool from Toolbox > Select the following

a. Geometry Method Single Plane

b. Select Roof Default Settings from Info Bar

c. c

NOTE: When Drawing and matching up

lines or walls HOLD SHIFT and Drag

cursor to the Point that is desired to

matched up to. A dotted line will appear

to show alignment

Roof Tool

Roof Default Settings Single Plane

6. Roof Settings

a. From Project 0 = 7’-10” (Assuming 8’-0” Wall; 2” Accounts for the Bird’s Mouth part of the Truss)

b. Structure Basic

c. Roof Thickness = 6 ¾”

d. Pitch = 4”/12”

e. Material: Roofing: Asphalt Shingles

f. Layer = Roof

Roof From Project 0

Composite Type

Roof Thickness: Includes

Shingles, Ext. Sheathing,

and Trusses

Material

Pitch

Layer

7. Roof Panels

a. Selections

1. Pivot Line: Pivot Line should always be the edge of a wall

2. Select direction of slope: Should place towards a ridge line

3. Trace Outline of Roof

Panel 1: Since we do not know where the panels will match up we will draw rectangles and connect them later. First we will

work on the left wall. Since this house it is a square it does not really matter which wall we begin with. Follow the following

directions

1. Pivot Line 2. Slope Direction

Place the cursor towards

the ridge line > Left Click

3. Panel Draw

Trace From Overhang to center

vertical ridge line (BLACK BOX

represents roof panel)

3D Image

Panel 2: Follow the same steps as Panel 1 for Points 3 and 4 (Back Wall)

Panel 3: Follow the same steps as Panel 1 for Points 5 and 6 (Right Wall)

Panel 4: Follow the same steps as Panel 1 for Points 7 and 8 (Front Wall)

Slope Towards Horizontal

Ridge Line

Slope Towards Vertical

Ridge Line

Slope Towards Horizontal

Ridge Line

8. Cutting away Roof Panels

a. We need to trim the excess roof away from the panels. Stay in 2D. Draw the following BLUE lines on the Roof

Outline Layer (these lines represent where the roof panels will meet)

b. Panel 1: Select Panel 1 > Select 1 of the black Dots > Select Subtract From Polygon > Trace on the outside of the

Triangle to cut away the outside part of Panel 3

(NOTE: If having trouble selecting the desired panel; Change the Display Order: Select the wrong panel > Right

Mouse Button > Display Order > Send to Back > Deselect all objects > Try to select desired panel)

Draw the following

lines

Cut this area

Subtract from

Polygon

Panel 2: Repeat the above steps; Cut the Area shown(NOTE: Area shows more than the actual panel; since we

have to make a polygon and the ridge matches up with the angled lines we need to extend the cut area into

space)

Panel 3: Repeat the above steps; Cut the Area shown

Panel 4: Repeat the above steps; Cut the Area shown. (NOTE: Area shows more than the actual panel; since we

have to make a polygon and the ridge matches up with the angled lines we need to extend the cut area into

space)

3D Image

c. Notice the Right and Left Panels do not match up with the Front and Back Panels. The Pitch on these panels

will need to be changed. Since we do not know how much to change it we will adjust the pitch in the 3D

Window

i. Open 3D Window > Select the left Roof Panel > Select the Black Point at the tip of the rectangle >

Select Roof Pitch Icon > Drag the cursor till it matches with the intersection of Front and Back Panel

(Cursor will turn to a Black Pencil > Left Click to Place

1. Select

Panel

2. Select Black Point

3. Roof Pitch 4. Drag to this

point

d. Repeat Steps for the other side

e. One Issue when adjusting pitch the height of the roof also changes. As shown. Select one of the Black Points >

Select Move > Drag Roof to match with other panel > Once Moved the Pitch will also change > Check the peak

of the triangle to make sure it matches with the other panels

f. Repeat on the other side

Adjust Height by Dragging

(Highlighted below) roof up to meet

the Front/Back Panel

After Adjusting the height the peak

does not match > Adjust the peak to by

modifying the pitch angle (Drag as

done in the above step

Completed Hip Roof

5. Gable End Roof

a. Gable end roof will be in the front of the house to add an architectural detail to the house. User may move or

adjust the Gable End Roof based on where the front door is located on the front wall. For the tutorial the

assumption is the front door is located center on the front wall.

Gable End Roof will have two panels with a wall that will rise up to the peak of the roof

b. Draw the following two lines

NOTE: The Green Lines represent the pivot line for the roof.

c. Select the Roof Tool > Set the following for the roof

i. Project 0 = 7’=10”

ii. Pitch = 5”/12”

d. Select Point 1 to Point 2 for the Pivot Line > Set slope side to the vertical Ridge Line > Draw the rectangle as

shown

e. Repeat the process on the other side

f. 3D Image

By Drawing a Rectangle the software

will find the solution for the angle of the

valley. Next Trimming will remove the

rest of excess roof.

g. Notice how the roof does not match up height with the other panel. Select both ends of the Gable End Roof and

drag it height to match up

h. Trim the Panel > Notice how the panel is underneath the Gable End Roof and it Also goes inside of the house.

Select one of the Gabel End Panels > Right Mouse Button > Select Connect > Select Trim Elements to Roof/Shell > 1st

Select is the trimming Roof > Select Front Panel 1 > 2nd Selection Select Part of the Roof to Keep: Select part that

sticks out of Panel 1

Select Panel 1 to define

trimming feature

Select this part of the

roof to keep

Notice how it is trimmed

on the inside

i. Trim the Panel 1 roof from underneath the Gable End Roof

i. Select Roof Panel 1 > Right Mouse Button > Connect > Trim Elements to Roof/Shell > Select Gable End

Roof Right Panel to Trim To > Select the Outer part of Panel 1 to Keep

j. Repeat the Steps Above for the other side of the Gable End Roof

Completed Roof

Select Panel 1 Select Panel to Trim To

Select Panel 1 on the

outside to Keep

Trimmed Roof Underneath

k. Complete the Wall thru the Gable Ended Roof

i. Adjust the Front Wall to a Height Taller than the Roof (I.E 15’-0”)

ii. Select the Wall > Right Mouse Button > Connect > Trim Elements to Roof/Shell > Select one of the

Gable End Roof Panels

NOTE: There are multiple ways to complete this step. Sometimes designers need to be creative in completing

something as complicated as a roof.

I.E Add a second wall on top of the first one and then Crop to Single Plane Roof

OPTIONAL: Modify Location of Gable, Add other Roofs to cover other decks/patios/porches.

Update Exterior Elevations

Complete Roof for Class House