Automatically Creating a Saltbox Roof


Reference Number: KB-00119
Last Modified: March 16, 2022

The information in this article applies to:

Chief Architect Premier or Chief Architect Interiors



QUESTION

I need to create a Saltbox style roof in my Chief Architect plan where I have a long pitch roof that slopes down, which creates a single story on one side, and two stories on the other. How can I create this?

Real time ray traced perspective overview of a saltbox roof


ANSWER

A saltbox style roof can be created automatically by generating an additional floor level and utilizing the Knee Wall setting located on the Roof panel of the Wall Specification dialog.


To create a basic salt box style of roof, follow these instructions

  1. First, launch your Chief Architect software program and create a New Plan .


  2. Navigate to Build> Wall> Straight Exterior Wall  and click and drag out 4 walls to create a basic 30' x 40' structure.   

    Floor plan view of the basic structure


  3. Use the Select Objects  tool to click on the left 30' wall and select the Open Object  edit tool.


  4. On the Roof panel of the Wall Specification dialog that opens, select the Full Gable Wall option under the Roof Options section, then click OK.

    Wall Specification dialog on the Roof panel setting the wall to Full Gable Wall

    Note: You can also use the Change to Gable Wall(s) edit tool to convert hip walls to gable walls without having to open the Wall Specification dialog.

  5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 to make the opposite wall a Full Gable Wall as well.


  6. Select Build> Floor> Build New Floor , and in the New Floor dialog that opens, choose to Derive new 2nd floor plan from the 1st floor plan, then click OK.

    New Floor dialog deriving a 2nd floor plan from the 1st floor plan


  7. On the newly created 2nd floor, Move  the top horizontal 40' wall inwards so that its distance from the bottom horizontal wall changes from 30' to 20'   

    2nd floor with the wall moved in to 20 feet


  8. With this wall still selected, click the Open Object  edit tool.


  9. On the Roof panel of the Wall Specification dialog that opens, select the Knee Wall option under the Roof Options section, then click OK.    

    Setting the moved wall to a Knee Wall in the Wall Specification Roof panel

    A knee wall's height is defined by the roof above, not the ceiling height.


  10. If you are not using a template that has the Auto Rebuild Roofs functionality enabled, navigate to Build> Roof> Build Roof  from the menu, check the Build Roof Planes box, then click OK to see the changes reflect in your plan. 


  11. Lastly, take a Camera  view to see the results.