Home Design Software by SoftPlan

Cross Section Groups Floor Joists Together in Joist Sections

Floor Joists in a generated cross section are grouped together into a Joist Section. This will make it easier to modify the Cross Section.

On a Floor Plan draw a joist section.
Add a section line that will cut through the joist section.
Generate a Cross Section the floor plan and save it as a drawing.
Load the Cross Section and edit the Joist Section.

Note: Individual Floor Joists will remain as separate items in the cross section. Only Floor Joists from a Joist Poly or Joist Set will be grouped in a Cross Section

Insulation on Floor Systems

SoftPlan Version 12 has added the ability to edit and assign insulation to a floor system through the subfloor. This new feature will eliminate the need to have to draw the insulation in after the cross section is generated, as SoftPlan will now also save the insulation texture out to a saved drawing.

Additionally, SoftList will also accurately count the square footage of insulation further simplifying the estimating process.

From an existing floor plan drawing select Floor System Mode.
Add the floor system as needed
Select Edit > Edit Item and pick the floor system
Place a checkmark next to Insulation and input a thickness.

Default insulation depths can be set up by selecting the following: Draw > System / Drawing Options > Material Dimensions > Floor System Options

Framed Openings Improved

Framed Openings which straddle multiple floor joist sections have been improved. SoftPlan Version 12 treats the opening which is straddling 2 different joist sets as one opening rather than two, allowing for ease of movement or adjusting of the opening. The following example displays 3 different joist sets converging together, and how a framed opening could be cut through them:

Select Draw > Hole Rectangle.
Click to indicate the start point of the hole (framed opening).
Sketch an expanding box around the area to frame out.
Click the button, and SoftPlan will double the joists and cripples around the opening as it spans across the multiple sets of joist.

If, for example, this hole were to be resized at this point:

Select Move > Adjust Item
Select the edge of the hole.
Move the edge of the framed opening.
The joists will re-frame on both sets as the opening affects both.

Curved Slab Edge

SoftPlan Version 12 has added the ability to now place curved slabs on a floor plan. In previous versions this was not available. There are a few different methods which may be employed to achieve a curved slab edge. The first is to simply have the slab placed in accordance with the layout of the floor plan including any curved exterior walls. This can be achieved through SoftPlan’s intuitive Auto Trace command.
Select Draw > Slab > Auto Trace. Position the cursor within the area the slab is to be placed and click. · SoftPlan will use the perimeter walls of the plan to place the slab. In the event that a curved wall is found, the slab will use the radius of the wall to generate accordingly. Images 1,2, & 3.
In the event that a curved wall is added to a drawing already containing a slab, SoftPlan’s flexible adjust option will allow for a straight edge of a slab to be quickly adjusted to match the radius of a curved wall.
Select Move > Adjust Item Select the reference circle on the slab edge to adjust. Drag the cursor the curved wall and click to reference that wall. · SoftPlan will fasten the slab to the wall, and calculate the radius for the slab edge to match.

Auto Trace Added

SoftPlan Version 12 has added the ability to now automatically trace a polygon area for use within the various drawing modes, and their respective features. Using this feature eliminates the need to “manually” trace the perimeter of an area to apply items in the various drawing modes. This feature was previously unavailable in Softplan.

This feature is demonstrated using the tools in the Floor System mode. Within Softplan open a plan drawing which does not contain a Floor System.

While in Floor System mode select Draw > Slab.
Once you have selected the type of floor system, the Draw Polygon menu will appear allowing you to select either a Manual Trace, or an Auto Trace. Select Auto Trace.
Position the cursor within the area the slab is to be placed and click.

· SoftPlan will use the perimeter walls of the plan to place the slab.

Wood I Joist added to Section Details

The new Wood I-Joist section detail has been added to Version 12. This detail can be drawn on saved Cross-sections.

In Drawing mode select Draw > Detail > Section Detail > Joist > Wood I.
Select the FROM button to start the drawing action.
The expanding box can be drawn lengthwise or widthwise. Keep in mind that the box should be drawn lengthwise to ensure the proper orientation of this detail. The dimensions will appear in the status bar.
Press the TO button to end the drawing action.
The detail can be edited using Edit > Edit Item to change the dimensions and print pen settings.

Floor Truss Added to Section Detail

A Floor Truss Section Detail has been added to SoftPlan Version 12.

Go to Draw > Detail > Section Detail > Joist > Floor Truss.
This will draw the Floor Truss in sectional view across the end of the Floor Truss.

Single Joist Cleanup Improved

SoftPlan Version 12 has improved the cleanup of single joists. Upon cleaning up the floor plan, single joists will locate the inside edges of ring joists drawn and align to them. Single joists are often drawn under partition walls running parallel to the joist direction. This feature also allows the cleanup of ring joist for Landings and Decks.

Subfloor Can Have a Framed Opening

SoftPlan Version 12 has improved the Floor System mode by allowing subfloors to contain Framed Openings (holes). Previous versions required Framed Openings to only be drawn on Joists Sets or Joist Polys. But if the Joist Set or Joist Poly need to be exploded to allow specific placement of individual (single) Joists, the Framed Opening was lost. This meant that the subfloor would no longer display a hole in SoftView where the Framed Opening was originally placed. Now the Framed Opening will be maintained if the joists are exploded into single joists, allowing for the hole in the subfloor to remain visible in SoftView.
In an existing floor plan, choose Floor System from the Mode Selector in the top right of the Status bar. Select Draw > Floor System > Auto Trace and place a floor system (including Subfloor and Joists) around the existing floor plan. Use Draw > Hole Rectangle and trace an expanding box around an existing stairway to create a framed opening for the joists and a hole in the subfloor. Select Misc > Explode and click on one of the joists to explode the joist set into single joists. If the existing floor plan was to be viewed in SoftView, the subfloor will still display its hole.
Please Note: The Framed Opening and Framed Opening Poly commands have been renamed to Hole Rectangle and Hole Polygon respectively in Version 12.

Floor Systems Locate Symmetrical Walls Accurately

SoftPlan Version 12 has improved the way Floor Systems are placed on symmetrical walls. When a floor system edge is drawn along a symmetrical wall, such as a garage partition between the house and the garage, the floor system components (Subfloor, Ring Joist, Sill Plate, and Joists) will automatically locate the appropriate side of the wall. This ensures proper alignment of the wall and the floor system. This feature improves the placement of the floor system along symmetrical walls compared to previous versions. Often, the individual components would have located different sides of these walls because the logical ‘outside’ of these walls could not be easily determined. Version 12 now uses improved logic to determine the correct side of symmetrical walls.

In an existing drawing, select Floor System mode from the Mode Selector in the top right of the Status bar.
Select Draw > Floor System > Manual Trace.
Trace a floor system around the perimeter of the house.
If the floor system was traced along an interior partition (symmetrical wall), the floor system components will automatically align to the appropriate side of the symmetrical wall.

Floor System Options Menu Added

SoftPlan Version 12 has added a new menu under Material Dimensions to allow the properties of floor systems to be specified. Previous versions held the default floor system properties under the Material Options menu. Separating the floor system option into it’s own menu allows for easier location of these properties; Joist Depth, Width and Spacing, Ring Joist Width, Subfloor Thickness, Floor Insulation Thickness, Sill Plate Width and Thickness, and Slab dimensions.

Select File > System Options or Drawing Options > Material Dimensions > Floor System Options.
The values and selection made here will be used as the default values when drawing a floor system.

Reference Point "X" Replaced with Directional Triangles and Circles

SoftPlan Version 12 has replaced the reference point X on floor, ceiling, and deck joists. There are two basic reference points, a triangle and a circle, which can be displayed, filled, or hollow.

Filled circle: Indicates that the joist edge is referenced to a wall. In the case of floor joists this would be to the exterior of the bearing component of the wall above such as the stud. For decks, the default is to the surface material of an exterior wall.

Hollow circle: Indicates that the joist edge has not been referenced to a wall and has simply been placed as drawn.

Filled triangle: Indicates that the edge of the joist is referenced and that this is the referenced side for the joist. The joist spacing will begin from this edge.

Hollow Triangle: Indicates that this is the joist reference side, however that this edge of the joist set has not been referenced to a wall.

Note: Decks will have 2 reference triangles, one for joists, and one for the decking.

Sill Plate Type Added

Within Floor System mode, a sill plate can now be modified between pressure treated and regular lumber, allowing for a simple, yet accurate count each in SoftList. Simply draw the sill plate to suit, and edit to modify the type.

To set the sill plate defaults Select File > Drawing Options > Material Dimensions > Floor System Options.
Next to the Pressure Treated option, add or remove the checkmark depending on the desired default.
Within the drawing Select Floor System Mode.
Select Draw > Plate.
Sketch the perimeter of the plate.
Select Edit > Edit Item and pick the plate.
The plate will display whatever the default option was within the Drawing Options, and can be changed at this point.