Log Home - Material alignment/direction

[05uurx]

Here are 2 questions...

1.) I'm working on a log-home for a customer, they are using D cut logs with single t & g. I created the corners is sketchup, saved the files and dragged and dropped symbol into CA and it worked good. Next i tried to apply a material to the log corners, i used a stock Knotty Pine texture from the library. I had also created a new log siding texture and i aligned the corner with the texture, but the material on the corners seem to be running perpendicular to the siding texture. So, i went in and checked to make sure i had set the Knotty-Pine texture to a horizontal alignment, and i had (see image), so...just for goofs i tried to rotate the texture (thinking possibly my symbol was causing it...) but, the texture alignment doesnt change. I've attached 4 pictures showing what i have. Does anybody have more experience with this kind of thing than i do? Any help would be appreciated.

2.) The railing on the porch, i adjusted the railing height to the rail runs right over top of one of the log courses, but how do i adjust the shoe height so it doesnt run into the side of a log course? My only idea is to change the floor height of my deck and then re-adjust the railing height, but i dont really want to do that because the deck is set to where i want it....

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help...

[sutcac]

Did you try changing the orientation of the texture in Sketchup and then re-importing? Seemed to work for me, although you'd need another texture if you really want to get the end grain of the logs. In Sketchup, I often have to make two different textures for one wood for grain direction issues like this. Easy to make your own SU material from Chief's own texture images. Just re-name them so they don't get confused with Chief's on import.

I think the railing issue is just the limitations in Chief right now. I know there have been a lot of complaints about this, try searching.

[05uurx]

I didnt apply a texture in sketchup...i didnt think it would carry through into CA. I've just been bringing in the "naked" symbol and applying material throught CA...

so you are saying that i can apply the material in SU and it will carry into CA? If so, then i didnt know that, or i've never tried. Good tip. Thanks i'll work some more on it.

[sutcac]

So far as I have seen, all of the texture mapping transfers through from Sketchup. But if you use Chief textures without changing the name you may get a little warning window on whether to use the new, existing, etc. texture on import. If you choose use existing, you may lose that grain direction, not sure.

[05uurx]

Yeah, i've always copied an existing texture and then "tweaked" it to my liking...

[05uurx]

Hey, that works pretty good...i just need to adjust the setting a bit, but otherwise looks pretty good to me...

Thanks again for the help...

[sutcac]

No worries. Yes, that is looking much better.

[Jon Scussel]

Matthew,

That is the exact look I need for my next project. Could you provide more detail on how you created this look.

Jon

[Don Randall]

For those desiring an end-log texture see attached:

[Gene Davis]

Now we're talkin', Don!

Short of end grain texture, I was going to suggest using a single shade of untextured color for the log ends, the color to match the darkest seen in the grained wood texture.

[05uurx]

Matthew,

That is the exact look I need for my next project. Could you provide more detail on how you created this look.

Jon

Jon-

I created the siding texture in sketchup, there are probably many ways to do this, but i just drew a section of 4 courses of log in SU, applied a pine texture, turned perspective OFF, applied shadows to my liking to get a feeling of "roundiness" then exported this view as an image to use in CA for a new texture (i had to crop the image from SU), then in chief i set the parameters to match the size of the log courses and it works pretty well.

for the corners, i drew them in SU and dragged them into CA.

Everything else is just standard CA stuff...oh yeah, i made a new wall type becuase i needed to dimension to the inside flat surface of the log wall, so i made a wall type with 2 layers and setting the main layer to the inside where i applied a second texture to create the "v-match" look to the inside of the wall.

[Jon Scussel]

Matthew,

I have been playing around and did something similar. Thanks for the response.

[Jack Moreck]

Matthew,

I'm rather new to CA, but I have found to move objects and adjust heights, when another object is "limiting" its movement, just hold the "control" key while making the move or adjustment.

Let me know, if that works for you. I would like to learn how to make different log profiles for a home I'm designing for myself. Maybe you can point me in the right direction ........ Is there a tutorial to do the work that you completed on the corners ? I'd like to show dovetail corners on a D-profile log. And I'd like to be able to show chinking.

If anyone else can point me in the right direction, it would be much appreciated.

Jack
Novice User

[sherpa_jones]

I would like to learn how to make different log profiles for a home I'm designing for myself. Maybe you can point me in the right direction ........

I created the following using a log profile I created in TurboCAD, but you could do a similar profile in Sketchup or Autocad. I simply created a 24" length of log in 3D for both the full and half log and imported them into CA. I centered the symbol on the walls I drew and stretched it the entire length, butting into the door from both sides. I used the multiple copy tool to build them up. This 10' x 10' room took me about 30 minutes to do, so it is not exactly efficient, but you will probably use half that time anyway doing just the corners and aligning them with your wall texture. I used a typical profile, but it would be easy to create the D-profile as well.

[ChiefCanada.com]

I created the following using a log profile I created in TurboCAD, but you could do a similar profile in Sketchup or Autocad.

Or you could draw a profile in elevation.

Then convert to p-line solid.

Then replicate to make your corners.

I see that this is an older post but there has been lots of talk about adjusting the raised shoe and customizing its profile. This is a procedure I have used.
1. In a blank plan draw 8' of railing.
2.Convert to symbol and delete posts and top rail using delete surface and save to library. If you want a custom shoe profile now is the time to do it. Also make other common lengths of panels.

3. In your plan select deck railing and select "open" and "no shoe". and place panels. I am showing an exaggerated raised shoe.