Just wondering if anyone knows of any extension that will create board and batten texture quickly from face? I have not found any yet. Please help… Thanks.
I don’t know of an extension specifically designed for that and probably wouldn’t consider using one for something that simple. That said, I don’t know why you couldn’t set up something in Profile Builder 3 to do it.
I don’t think I understand your question. Do you want a suite of components that make up the pieces of a board and batten wall arrayed over a face? Or do you actually want a SketchUp “texture”, that is, a material with an associated image that looks like board and batten?
For a texture you just need to find a suitable image and import it as a texture, scaling it appropriately as you do so.
For components, I’d probably draw a board component and a batten component, arrange them adjacent to each other, and then use the move tool’s array copy to replicate them across the face. Just as with real boards and battens, you would have to make the widths so that they evenly subdivide the width of the face or else trim at one or both sides of the face.
I suspect it would take at least as long to set up Profile Builder as to do what I described. If you need to do a lot of these it might be worth the effort but for just a few maybe not…
I have already constructed four buildings for a development. I have applied a b and b texture to it and scaled it properly. It looks good by adding some relief but just wondered if there is an extension out there yet that will generate them from face. Without having to manually construct them by hand and copy and paste. I just dont want to do all the trimming and extending on my gables.
Thank you for the responses.
As @DaveR mentioned, Profile Builder3 can help. You can create trim by choosing a profile and then follow along a path.
I use profile builder a lot but it will not help when wrapping a gable wall since the height varies throughout the run. So I am wondering if there is an extension that would apply the 3d texture to a face. I am sensing that there is none out there.
Could be a great extension if created.
Thinking out loud here, not from trying it yet, but it occurs to me you could easily make a “mold” of sorts for board and batten that is bigger than any wall in question, and then use solid tools to subtract the profile from any shape wall surface to get the effect. You would first have to use push-pull or multi-push pull to make your wall thickness include the full depth with battens.
Edit: Just gave it a try.
Oh Yeah this would work. I like it. I could 3d texture all the walls of a building pretty quickly using solid tools. I will try it out. Thank you RTCool. You rock.
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As to modelling economy, using a material texture does not slow down SketchUp in the way actually modelling boards or bricks does. The amount of faces and edges in a model is multiplied many times as compared to flat wall surfaces. It might work out for a small single building, like a garden shed.
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@Anssi is right. This is the sort of fine detail modeling (relative to the whole) that one must use carefully else severe model bloat and poor performance will result. You really have to ask yourself how much the increment in realism is worth, particularly whether any scenes will zoom close enough to the wall to really see it.
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Trevor you need to checkout Vali architects instant cladding plugin. Cheers
You should also try the S4U slice tool and multi slice, this tool is UNREAL in time savings. Honestly please checkout those extensions. You can set your camera to parallel projection and cut anything perfectly, amazing for cutting roof assemblies with ijoists and insulation etc. Cut through anything selected and assign it a face when it cuts if you want. I use those plugins all the time. Fredo tools is also a must have. There are so many insanely awesome plugins now a days, it’s great. Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions.
I believe 1001Bits tools has something like this. I used to use it. I find that modeling by hand is the best result because the battens are not too good if not placed correctly in relation to openings and corners. and a Otherwise I just duplicate components across the wall then position the whole and trim. A plugin has a no way of knowing just where to place them.
If you’re rendering, there’s nothing like 3d battens. Doesn’t cause bloat. Unless you’re doing a whole ski resort (then if SU can’t do it right, it is probably not the tool to use anyway).
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@medeek has a series of very complex plugins that automatically generate framed walls, roof trusses, foundations, electrical wiring diagrams, and structural building components for traditional US wooden framed houses. Search this forum for his name (medeek) and you will see quickly if that is something that you would find answers your needs. Not free, but if you use his plugins commercially they will rapidly pay for themselves in time saving.
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In my wall plugin and truss plugin I’ve avoided trying to model the 3D nature of some of these claddings. The problem is that the number of polygons created by such a realistic model will quickly bog down a fairly complex residential project. Most homes these days are not just a simple box, we are talking at least 25 separate wall panels on average.
My solution is to simply utilize carefully constructed materials which simulate the 3D texture of these various claddings. All of these cladding examples are just textures/materials, they are not 3D.
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The board and batten texture shown above is now included by default in the wall and truss plugins.
I’ve also included two metal claddings and a number of lap siding claddings, as shown.
In addition to the issues created by a high polycount in your model there is also the issue of cutting windows and doors into complex 3D sidings. I’m not saying it can’t be done it just involves rather complex boolean subtraction operations which also slow down the performance of the model (and the plugins).
Given the issues with complex 3D claddings it only makes sense to try and avoid the issue all together and just simulate them with carefully crafted textures.
I’ve applied this same rationale with the fluting of classical columns in my recent post module. Rather than trying to create the complex fluting it makes more sense to represent that level of detail with a simple texture image. If you watched @TheOnlyAaron 's latest live modeling of classical columns you will have seen that the boolean subtraction to create the fluting was no trivial matter, in fact it crashed his computer at one point.
It’s always a balancing act between providing the right amount of detail and trying to preserve the light weight but dimensionally accurate model. I’ve worked very hard within my plugins to try and balance these trade offs, I think I’ve succeeded for the most part.
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Really great work on the Medeek plugins!
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