Help Database

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

To create a horizontal belly band

1. Click the Select Objects  button, then click just outside of an exterior wall to select the Exterior Room of the 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, 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.  In the Make Room Molding Polyline dialog: 
   
   
   
   
   
   • Select Blank Molding from the drop-down list.
     
     
   • Specify the desired Height of the belly band. 
     
     
   • Click OK to close the dialog and create a molding polyline around the structure's exterior.  Note that the Molding Polyline is already selected for you.
     
     
     
3. With the newly created Molding Polyline selected, click the Open Object  edit button to open the Molding Polyline Specification dialog.   On the Moldings tab:
   
   
   
   
   
   • Click the Add New button to display the Select Library Object dialog.
     
     
   • In the Select Library Object dialog, search or browse for a molding profile that best suits your needs, then click OK.
     
     
     
     
   • In this example, a custom-made 2x12 belly band profile is used.  To learn how to create a custom molding profile, see Article #166: How to create a custom molding profile.
      
     
     
4. On the Molding tab of the Molding Polyline Specification dialog:
   
   
   
   
   
   • Specify the desired Height and Width. In this example, they are unchanged.
     
     
   • Specify the Vertical Offset, which is how far above the default floor height of Floor 1 the molding polyline is located.  In this example, the Vertical Offset is set at 96."
     
     
   • Select either To Top or To Bottom, which is where the Vertical Offset is measured from. In this example To Bottom is used.
     
     
   • Make sure that Inside is unchecked so the molding profile faces outward.
     
     
     
5. Go the the Materials tab, click on the Molding component, and specify the material that you want for this molding.
   
   
   
6. When you have finished, click OK to close the dialog and apply your changes.
   
   
   
7. Create a 3D camera view to see the results.  
   
   
   
   
   
8. If your belly band molding goes through a door, or window, return to floor plan view.
   
   
   
9. In floor plan, select the Molding, then use the Break Line  edit tool to place a break on either side of the door, or window, opening.
   
   
   
10. Select the segment and click on the Open Object  edit tool to display the Molding Polyline Specification dialog again.
    
    
    
11. On the General tab, check No Molding on Selected Edge and click OK.
    
    
    
12. Repeat the process for any remaining openings that the belly band intersects.