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Introduction.
Ceiling planes are drawn to enable project mode to create ceiling panels, or to create a plane on which a
Truss Layout can be placed.
Each ceiling plane has a Set file attached, that will determine the layout of the panels internal structure.
When ceiling planes are drawn, they will adopt the Default Set file.
The Default may be changed at any stage, and any new plane drawn will adopt the new Default.
Individual planes can be selected and have their set files modified.
If a ceiling plane is altered, it must be rebuilt. Only the information contained in the set file will be re
constructed. If the project has been taken to Project, and, Joists moved, nogs inserted or deleted these
modifications will be lost.

Drawing Ceiling planes.

Ceiling planes will be created at the default stud height for the particular level set in Wall Designer
Settings, Floor Levels.

To create ceiling planes, click on the Draw ceiling plane tool and then click where one corner of the
ceiling plane will start.

Start here

Draw the cursor diagonally across the area where the plane is to be created, and click again to complete
the panel.

Sizing Ceiling Planes.

Ceiling planes can be sized to fit walls, by selecting the ceiling plane, and clicking on the Snap Ceiling
Plane to Plan Lines tool.

When the edge of a ceiling plane is selected, measurements appear that dimension the selected edge to
the parallel walls, and the parallel edges of other ceiling planes.

Select the appropriate measurement by clicking on it.

A text box will appear where a new measurement can be entered.

Click OK and the selected edge will move to the new size.

Negative measurements can be entered.

Ceiling plane edges can also be moved, by selecting them near their centres, and while holding down the
left mouse button, dragging the edge to its new position.

Shaped Ceiling Planes.

Ceiling planes are initially drawn as horizontal rectangles. To make a ceiling plane fit irregular or angled
walls, the edges of planes are adjusted, and if required additional plane points are added, or plane points
are deleted.

Angled edges.

To adjust the ceiling plane to fit the above example, the plane edges mist be moved to 45 deg.
Selecting an edge near to its end enables that end of the edge to be extended or retracted.
To adjust the edge, click on the edge to be extended or retracted, then click and hold down the left mouse
button.

Draw the edge back until it is close to 45 deg.

Then select the diagonal edge near the centre and draw it to just outside the wall.

Repeat the process for the other 3 edges.

Now click on the Snap ceiling plane to plan lines tool to snap the edges to the wall.

Another method to adjust the above example is to create new ceiling plane points where the corners will
lie, and delete the unnecessary points that are left.

To create new ceiling plane points, select the ceiling plane, and click on the Create new ceiling plane
point tool.
Click just inside the ceiling plane edge where the new plane point is to be inserted.

The plane edge will bend at the new plane point.

The Create new ceiling plane point tool must be clicked for each plane point inserted.
Create new ceiling plane points where the new corners will be.

Delete the redundant plane points.

Click on the Erase a ceiling plane point tool, and click on a ceiling plane point to be erased.
The Erase a ceiling plane point tool must be clicked before erasing each ceiling plane point.

Now the Snap ceiling plane to plan lines tool can be used.

Internal corners.

Internal corners are formed in Ceiling planes by adding new ceiling plane points where the new corners
will be. (Previously described)

The external corner can now be dragged to form the internal point.

To drag the corner, click on the Select and edit a ceiling plane tool, Hold down the Ctrl key, and click
the plane point to be moved.
The plane point can now be moved to its new position.
Click the left mouse button again to release the plane point when its position is reached.

Snap the plane edges to the walls.

Raising or lowering ceiling planes.

By default, ceiling planes are built at the default stud height for that level.
Ceiling planes can be drawn at different heights, by altering the default wall height before drawing each
plane.
Note. Altering the stud height, without checking Lock base heights will cause the default heights of the
levels above to alter.

The height of a ceiling plane above the 0 baseline is displayed in the plane properties.
Ceiling Planes on level 1

Ceiling Planes on level 2.

The ceiling planes can be raised or lowered after the plane has been created, by altering the value in the
Line Height box in their properties, and clicking Rebuild to rebuild the plane and panel at the new
height.
Note To alter the height of a ceiling plane, the plane MUST be selected near an edge. If the plane is
selected away from an edge, the plane height will not alter.
If plane is selected too far from the edge the line pitch will be greyed out.
In Project, a perimeter item must be selected to enable the panel height to be altered.

Pitch greyed out if edge

not selected.

Sloping ceiling planes.

By default, ceiling planes are built level. (0 pitch)
Ceiling planes can be sloped by altering the pitch in their properties.
The ceiling plane must be selected next to the edge that the plane will be pitched from. (Hinge line.)

Pitch Value

The pitch can be altered, by entering a new value

Negative pitches can also be entered.

Coved Ceilings. (Height of centre section known)

Coved ceilings are built by creating sloping ceiling planes on the appropriate walls, a flat ceiling plane at
the required height, and joining the planes using the Join Ceiling Planes tool.
To create a coved ceiling, place ceiling planes on the appropriate walls and snap them to the wall.

Pitch the planes as previously described.

Then drag and join the planes at the corners.

Create another ceiling plane in the middle of the room, and raise it to the required height.

Join the centre plane to the pitched edge planes.

Coved Ceilings. (Width of slope section known)

Create the sloped edge section as before.

Pitch the planes as previously described.

Then drag and join the planes at the corners.

Select one ceiling plane at its inside edge. (The edge to be adjusted)
Select the plane width measurement.

Alter the measurement to the required distance and click OK.

Select the inside edge of the plane. (The high edge towards the centre of the room)
The new height of the high plane edge will display.

Create another ceiling plane in the middle of the room, and raise it to the required height, which will be
the height if the inside high edge of the previously selected plane.

Join the centre plane to the pitched edge planes.

Cutting Ceiling Planes.

To cut a ceiling plane, select the plane, and click on the Cut Selected Plane tool.
The cursor will become

The tip of the arrow is the cursor position.

Click the left mouse button with the cursor outside the plane opposite the point where the cut is to start.

Click
Here

Draw the cursor across the panel to outside the plane on the other side.

A dotted line will follow the cursor where the cut is to be made.
Click the left mouse button again, and the plane will be cut along the dotted line.

To make a cut from a plane point, start the cut within the snap distance of the plane point. The cut will
snap to the plane point.

Start here

Angled cuts will snap according to the Standard snap settings set.

Planes can have their heights adjusted, and be pitched off cut edges.

If other angles are required, the planes can be manually adjusted.