Chief Architect Help Database - Article Number:  495

How to Create Walls with a Block and Tie Beam

The information in this article applies to:
  • Chief Architect X5
  • Chief Architect X4
  • Chief Architect X3
  • Chief Architect X2
  • Chief Architect X1
QUESTION

I live in the Southeastern United States and regularly build CBS structures. How do I model a CBS wall that is block on the bottom and has a tie beam on top?

ANSWER

A CBS, or concrete, block and stucco wall is actually two wall types placed on top of one another. The bottom section typically has a stucco exterior, then a layer of eight inch concrete block, next a one-inch stud and finally a layer of half-inch sheetrock. Along the top of this block wall is tie beam composed of a continuous pour of concrete all the way around the top of the structure.

A pony wall can be used to model both of these walls in the same wall section.


To create a CBS wall

  1. First, open the Chief Architect plan in which you would like to add a CBS wall.


  2. From the menu choose Build> Wall> Define Wall Types  to open the Wall Type Definitions dialog.

    • Create two new custom wall types - one for the lower block wall and one for the tie beam.

    • Typically, these two wall types will have the same total thickness, indicated in the TOTAL field at the bottom left of the dialog.


  3. Select Edit> Default Settings  from the menu. In the Default Settings dialog:

    • Click the [+] beside Walls to expand the category.

    • Click on Pony Wall in the list to select it, then click the Edit button.


  4. In the Pony Wall Defaults dialog:

    • Click the Wall Type for Upper Wall drop-down arrow and choose your CBS tie beam wall type from the list.

    • Click the Wall Type for Lower Wall drop-down arrow and choose your CBS block wall type from the list.

    • Specify the desired Height of Lower Wall.

    • Click the OK button to close the Pony Wall Defaults dialog.

    • Click the Done button in the Default Settings dialog to close this dialog as well.


  5. Select Build> Wall> Pony Wall  from the menu, then click and drag to create a custom CBS wall.
MORE INFORMATION

To learn more about creating custom wall types, see article #716 in this database How to create a new wall type.

For additional information, see the Walls chapter of the Chief Architect Reference Manual.

Last updated on: Mar 29, 2013


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