Adding a Belly Band to a Structure


Reference Number: KB-00070
Last Modified: July 15, 2021

The information in this article applies to:

Chief Architect Premier or Chief Architect Interiors



QUESTION

I want to create a belly band around a structure that I am designing. How can I do that?

Chief Architect's home design software makes adding decorative cladding to the exterior of the model easy.


ANSWER

Creating a belly band, sometimes referred to as a mid-section trim, is easy using the Make Room Molding Polyline edit tool. 


Creating a belly band automatically

  1. Click the Select Objects button, then click just outside of an exterior wall to select the Exterior Room of the structure.

    Selecting the exterior room for a structure

    • When the Exterior Room is selected, its name appears on the left side of the Status Bar and the exterior of the structure is highlighted.

    • If you select the wall or other object on accident, click the Select Next Object edit button or press the Tab key on your keyboard until the exterior of the structure becomes highlighted. 


  2. With the Exterior Room selected, click the Make Room Molding Polyline edit button to display the Make Room Molding Polyline dialog.

    Choose Blank Molding and specify how high you want the molding to be off the floor in the Make Room Molding Polyline dialog

    • Select Blank Molding from the Convert Molding drop-down list.

    • Set a Height value, which specifies how high you want the molding to be off the floor.

    • Click OK to close the dialog and create a molding polyline around the structure's exterior.


  3. With the newly created Molding Polyline selected, click the Open Object edit button to open the Molding Polyline Specification dialog.

    Molding added on the Moldings panel of the Molding Polyline Specification dialog

    • On the Moldings panel, click the Add New button to display the Select Library Object dialog and browse for a molding profile of your choice.

    • Specify the desired Width, Height, and Offsets as desired, and make sure that Extrude Inside Polyline is unchecked so the molding profile faces outward.

    • Select the Materials panel, click on the Molding polyline component, and specify the material that you want for this molding.

    • When you have finished, click OK to close the dialog and apply your changes.


  4. Create a Perspective Full Overview to see the results.

    Note: In rare situations, the belly band molding may generate through an opening, such as a door or window. In these instances, you can select the molding, and use the Break Line edit tool to place a break on either side of the opening. You can then select the segment that was separated, open it up to specification, and check the No Molding on Selected Edge box to remove the molding from this edge of the molding polyline.

    This process can then be repeated for any other openings in which the molding is generating through. 


Creating a belly band manually

  1. Create a Cross Section/Elevation Cross Section Elevation tool icon of the side of the structure where you want the belly band to appear.


  2. Navigate to Build> Trim> 3D Molding Line 3D Molding Line tool icon, then click and drag a line where the belly band should be.


  3. Using the Select Objects  tool, click to select the 3D molding line.

    3D Molding Line is selected in a cross section elevation view

    • When the 3D molding line/polyline is selected, its name appears on the left side of the Status Bar and the line will have edit handles.

    • If you select the wall or other object on accident, click the Select Next Object  edit button or press the Tab key on your keyboard until the 3D molding line/polyline is selected. 


  4. With the newly created 3D molding line selected, click the Open Object  edit button to open the 3D Molding Polyline Specification dialog.

    Make modifications to the 3D Molding Line to fit the needs of your plan

    • On the Moldings panel, click the Replace button to display the Select Library Object dialog and browse for a molding profile of your choice.

    • Specify the desired Width, Height, and Offsets, and make sure that Extrude Inside Polyline is unchecked so the molding profile faces outward.

    • Select the Materials panel, click on the Molding component, and specify the material that you want to apply to this molding.

    • When all desired changes have been made, click OK to close the dialog.