Archicad Tutorial: Roof

By: Matthew Jourden

Brighton High School
Brighton, MI

1. Open Cabin Design or design a 30’ x 30’ square with 8’ walls and place a 36” front door on 1 of the walls
NOTE: For a new file be sure to go to pull down menu Document > Model Views > Model View Options >
a. Detail Level Door and Window
i. Floor Plan Symbol to Low
ii. uncheck Show Revile

b. Miscellaneous Settings
i. Uncheck Minimal Space of Door and Object

2. Create the following 2 layers

a. Roof: Have roof panels attached
b. Roof Outline: Lines showing overhang, ridges, valleys of the roof
3. Turn OFF all layers EXCEPT
a. Exterior Walls
b. Roof
c. Roof Outline
NOTE: Exterior Doors and Windows will show up on student plan.
 Hip Roof Design
Hip Roof will have four panels angling back towards a ridge. Since we do not know how the panels will be connected
we will draw for rectangles and connect them together. The roof will have a 1’-0 Overhang on all four sides of the
house
Ridge Line Parallel to the Front of the House

4. Draw the following lines on the ROOF OUTLINE Layer

NOTE: When Drawing and matching up

lines or walls HOLD SHIFT and Drag
cursor to the Point that is desired to
matched up to. A dotted line will appear
to show alignment
 5. Select Roof Tool from Toolbox > Select the following
a. Geometry Method Single Plane
b. Select Roof Default Settings from Info Bar

Single Plane
Roof Default Settings

Roof Tool

c. c
6. Roof Settings
a. Geometry and Position
i. Home Story = First Floor (This will show the Roof with the First Floor Features (walls, objects, etc.)
ii. From Project 0 = 7’-10” (Assuming 8’-0” Wall; 2” Accounts for the Bird’s Mouth part of the Truss)
iii. Structure Basic
iv. Roof Thickness = 6”
v. Pitch = 4”/12”
vi. Material: Roofing: Asphalt Shingles
vii. Layer = Roof

Set Home Story to First Floor Composite Type = Basic Roof Thickness: Includes

Shingles, Ext. Sheathing,

and Trusses

Roof From Project 0 Material

Pitch
Layer
 7. Roof Panels
a. Selections
1. Pivot Line: Pivot Line should always be the edge of a wall
2. Select direction of slope: Should place towards a ridge line
3. Trace Outline of Roof

Panel 1: Since we do not know where the panels will match up we will draw rectangles and connect them later. First we will
work on the left wall. Since this house it is a square it does not really matter which wall we begin with. Follow the following
directions

1. Pivot Line 2. Slope Direction 3. Panel Draw

Place the cursor towards Trace From Overhang to center

the ridge line > Left Click vertical ridge line (BLACK BOX
represents roof panel)

3D Image
Panel 2: Follow the same steps as Panel 1 for Points 3 and 4 (Back Wall)

Slope Towards Horizontal

Ridge Line

Panel 3: Follow the same steps as Panel 1 for Points 5 and 6 (Right Wall)

Slope Towards Vertical

Ridge Line

Panel 4: Follow the same steps as Panel 1 for Points 7 and 8 (Front Wall)

Slope Towards Horizontal

Ridge Line
8. Cutting away Roof Panels
a. We need to trim the excess roof away from the panels. Stay in 2D. Draw the following BLUE lines on the Roof
Outline Layer (these lines represent where the roof panels will meet)

Draw the following

lines

b. Panel 1: Select Panel 1 > Select 1 of the black Dots > Select Subtract From Polygon > Trace on the outside of the
Triangle to cut away the outside part of Panel 3
(NOTE: If having trouble selecting the desired panel; Change the Display Order: Select the wrong panel > Right
Mouse Button > Display Order > Send to Back > Deselect all objects > Try to select desired panel)

Subtract from
Polygon

Cut this area

Panel 2: Repeat the above steps; Cut the Area shown(NOTE: Area shows more than the actual panel; since we
have to make a polygon and the ridge matches up with the angled lines we need to extend the cut area into
space)

Panel 3: Repeat the above steps; Cut the Area shown

Panel 4: Repeat the above steps; Cut the Area shown. (NOTE: Area shows more than the actual panel; since we
have to make a polygon and the ridge matches up with the angled lines we need to extend the cut area into
space)
 3D Image

c. Notice the Right and Left Panels do not match up with the Front and Back Panels. The Pitch on these panels
will need to be changed. Since we do not know how much to change it we will adjust the pitch in the 3D
Window
i. Open 3D Window > Select the left Roof Panel > Select the Black Point at the tip of the rectangle >
Select Roof Pitch Icon > Drag the cursor till it matches with the intersection of Front and Back Panel
(Cursor will turn to a Black Pencil > Left Click to Place

3. Roof Pitch
4. Drag to this
point

2. Select Black Point

1. Select
Panel
 d. Repeat Steps for the other side

e. One Issue when adjusting pitch the height of the roof also changes. As shown. Select one of the Black Points >
Select Move > Drag Roof to match with other panel > Once Moved the Pitch will also change > Check the peak
of the triangle to make sure it matches with the other panels

Adjust Height by Dragging

(Highlighted below) roof up to meet
the Front/Back Panel After Adjusting the height the peak
does not match > Adjust the peak to by
modifying the pitch angle (Drag as
done in the above step
 f. Repeat on the other side

Completed Hip Roof

5. Gable End Roof

a. Gable end roof will be in the front of the house to add an architectural detail to the house. User may move or
adjust the Gable End Roof based on where the front door is located on the front wall. For the tutorial the
assumption is the front door is located center on the front wall.
Gable End Roof will have two panels with a wall that will rise up to the peak of the roof

b. Draw the following two lines

NOTE: The Green Lines represent the pivot line for the roof.
c. Select the Roof Tool > Set the following for the roof
i. Project 0 = 7’=10”
ii. Pitch = 5”/12”

d. Select Point 1 to Point 2 for the Pivot Line > Set slope side to the vertical Ridge Line > Draw the rectangle as
shown

e. Repeat the process on the other side

f. 3D Image By Drawing a Rectangle the software

will find the solution for the angle of the
valley. Next Trimming will remove the
rest of excess roof.
g. Notice how the roof does not match up height with the other panel. Select both ends of the Gable End Roof and
drag it height to match up

h. Trim the Panel > Notice how the panel is underneath the Gable End Roof and it Also goes inside of the house.
Select one of the Gabel End Panels > Right Mouse Button > Select Connect > Select Trim Elements to Roof/Shell > 1st
Select is the trimming Roof > Select Front Panel 1 > 2nd Selection Select Part of the Roof to Keep: Select part that
sticks out of Panel 1

Select Panel 1 to define

trimming feature

Notice how it is trimmed

Select this part of the
on the inside
roof to keep
i. Trim the Panel 1 roof from underneath the Gable End Roof
i. Select Roof Panel 1 > Right Mouse Button > Connect > Trim Elements to Roof/Shell > Select Gable End
Roof Right Panel to Trim To > Select the Outer part of Panel 1 to Keep

Select Panel 1
Select Panel to Trim To

Trimmed Roof Underneath

Select Panel 1 on the

outside to Keep

j. Repeat the Steps Above for the other side of the Gable End Roof
Completed Roof
 k. Complete the Wall thru the Gable Ended Roof
i. Adjust the Front Wall to a Height Taller than the Roof (I.E 15’-0”)
ii. Select the Wall > Right Mouse Button > Connect > Trim Elements to Roof/Shell > Select one of the
Gable End Roof Panels

NOTE: There are multiple ways to complete this step. Sometimes designers need to be creative in completing
something as complicated as a roof.
I.E Add a second wall on top of the first one and then Crop to Single Plane Roof

OPTIONAL: Modify Location of Gable, Add other Roofs to cover other decks/patios/porches.

Update Exterior Elevations

Submission: Screenshot 3D Image > Email image to the teacher
Complete Roof for Class House