Log House Design
Log House Design is an add-on option of the Vertex BD software. When the add-on option is enabled, you can select a wall from the log wall library.
Design settings
You can define the settings to be used in the log house design in the building parameters and in the LOGHOUSE file.
- For example, in the building parameters:
- System parameters (DEFAULT): Set the default height position of the bottom edge of the log wall and the default height of the log wall in the building parameters.
- 1. floor parameters (FLOOR1): Set the horizontal and vertical tolerances of openings to zero in the building parameters when designing a log house. The installation spaces of openings in a log house are read from the LOGHOUSE setup file. With the opening tolerances set to zero, modify the window's default positioning height by subtracting the original tolerance value from it.
- If the model also has framed walls, you can set the tolerances for the openings to be added to these walls in the window or door library, or you can set the tolerances in the model by editing the properties of the openings.
- For example, in the LOGHOUSE file:
- Set the installation spaces for openings with the opening_extension keyword.
- Define the cutting of the logs on a gable wall with the roof with the keywords roof_clip_offset and wedge_height.
- Set the length distributions of the logs with the rec_log_distribution or cyl_log_distribution keyword.
Designing
Add log walls just like other walls by using the Modeling | Wall Layout | 
Wall function.
When you design a two-story building, add the log walls to the drawing-model pair of the first floor in full height. When you design the second floor, reflect the walls to the drawing-model pair of the second floor where you will add the windows, doors and other components. This way the components are placed at the correct height. When you change the type of a log wall, the change will also be refreshed in the log wall's reflected geometry (this concerns only log walls).
Reflecting Geometry to Another Floor
Working with the model is faster, when you select the wall height so that there are not more than 2 extra logs above the roof.
You can select log wall functions from the contextual Log Wall tab when a log wall is selected, or from the Log Wall Layout tab when a log work drawing is open.
Before you add a roof to a log house, read the following: Setting a Roof on Top of Log Walls.
You can still enhance the Log House Design add-on option with the Log House Work Drawings add-on option.