Control Z-Plane fighting?

SketchUp Pro
1

I frequently have the situation where walls of a building sit on the floor (I guess that almost always happens). So the bottom of the wall is at the same Z elevation as the top of the floor. To show a floor plan, I will cut a section. I will color the bottom of the wall so it shows in a different color from the floor. However, sometimes the bottom of the wall shows, and other times the top of the floor shows. I’m wondering if: 1) there is a way to control which plane shows (both planes occupy the same space, but pushing them apart to control creates lots of problems), 2) anyone have another solution to this?

SketchUpPerspcSect
SketchUpPerspcSect1686×1091 234 KB
SketchUpPlan
SketchUpPlan1042×1170 67.9 KB

2

In styles - edit/modelling settings you can assign a color to the section cut fill which might help get around that issue?
while it doesn’t fix the z fighting, it is a way to cover it up with the section cut fill.

3

That works great in SU2018 but from the screenshot he’s using some earlier version.

There’s nothing you can do about the Z-fighting besides eliminating one of the faces or putting some distance between them. Section fill in SU2018 as wr said or you could use Section Cut Face by TIG to add a face at the section cut.

4

Given your walls and floor are Components…
• Simply eliminate the bottom face of the walls.
• Intersect the face of the floor ‘With Model’
• With that, the under-wall floor area is a separate face you can paint to suit your needs.

16%20PM
16%20PM1037×880 18.8 KB

5

You can raise the top surface by an unnoticeable amount (1/64"-1/8") to control which texture you want on top.

6

Here’s one way to make poche for a section.
• Intersect a plane with the model and group it (or make a slice form section plane)
• Make surfaces where you want it solid, and erase everything else
• Move the plane a tiny distance (1/32") into the model from your section plane or it won’t show

Section%20Poche%2020180701-2
Section%20Poche%2020180701-2900×720 1.45 MB

7

off-the-bat I can think of 4 extensions (there may be more) that will help you with section cuts:

  • Skalp (I use this one), be sure to get the version compatible with the version of SketchUp you’re using.
  • TIG’s section cut face available over at SketchUcation
  • Dibac
  • Curic SectionPlane Tool available on the Extension Warehouse

Workflows between these may differ.

8

Thanks all for those very helpful suggestions.
I am using SU Pro 2016.
I think I will upgrade to 2018. The fill cuts option seems pretty nice.
I can use your suggestions until I get it.

9

this shows the plugin possibility

On upgrade to 2018 it is part of the program.
link shows it on sketchup site.

section%20cuts