As per the last post, we are uploading over 1300 timber windows, into a new folder “_QARC 2016”.

If you are a financial user of ours, you will be receiving a Dropbox invite.

These windows have adopted the very best worldwide practice, after a year of research, and much testing.  Kaylene has dedicated a lot of hours to them and we hope you like what is now available.

They are coming to you in two ways, as farms and individual families.  We are thinking the farms will suit a lot of users, as you can simply copy & paste.  The only downside is that farms are big files, and can take a little while to load into Revit.

One of the farms:   Timber Windows – Framed

We have deduced that timber windows need to be in three formats:

• Framed
• Modern
• Traditional

These reflect the construction methodologies common to timber framed windows.

Framed is essentially a window that comes to site in a frame and has no dependence on wall thickness.  Quite similar to aluminium windows.  The windows are sized as outside the frame because that is how a builder would order them, and how the schedule should report.  Framed windows are used in masonry walls (including brick veneer), as the framed window creates the form for laying the masonry.  You should use Framed windows for existing masonry buildings too.  Essentially the ‘hole’ in the wall is the same as the frame.  Framed windows normally are built with significant frames of 30mm or greater thickness.  Please note in the window families, that the sill is included in the frame, as that is how they are supplied by the fabricator.  This is different to Traditional.  So be aware of this as you ‘size’ your windows.

Modern versions reflect how most windows come to site for new timber framed buildings, sized as outside its ‘frame’, or reveal, and the depth set to match wall thickness.  The builder is expecting to order the window in a ‘frame’, as that is how fabricators must supply it to fulfill performance requirements,  In other words, the ‘hole’ in the wall, just like Framed, except the frame on modern versions will be ordered to match total wall thickness (including claddings). Modern windows are built with narrow ‘frames’ reflecting a reveal use, of say 20mm.  Please note, just like Framed windows, the sill is included in the frame, as that is how they are usually supplied by the fabricator.

Traditional windows are supplied for you to model existing timber framed buildings.  The families are measured to the inside of their ‘frame’, or in reality, the outside of the panels (sashes).  This is how the old style windows were built, with sashes brought to site and hung in a ‘hole’ built by carpenters. That ‘hole’ has a closing frame of timbers and is in the family.  If you schedule these Traditional windows, they report Height and Width as the size of the panels, not the frame, reflecting common methodology when describing existing old style windows.  The families have a frame default thickness of 10mm and it is called a Reveal.

Each file has a description in it, as model text amongst the farm.  The Companion will catch up in due course, describing all this.

The names of the families follow the protocol introduced some time ago, and described in the Companion.  Here is an example:

ARC_Tb_Dh02_Mod_P02Vt.rfa

ARC_Tb_Dh02_Mod_P02Vt.rfa

This is a Timber Double-Hung Modern Window from the ARC library with each panel having 2 lights in a vertical layout.

ARC = the library

Tb = the frame structure, ie Timber

Dh02 = DoubleHung style with 2 ‘sets’ of panels

Mod = Modern Construction (as described above)

Po2 = 2 light Panels (light is the name for pieces of glazing)

Vt = Vertical layout of the lights (+ any other description)

All the new ARC windows come with our usual level of sophistication.  We have modeled sufficiently to suit most 3D views.  All symbolic lines in plan are simplistic as required to suit floor plans.  There are switches to turn on or off elevation swing or arrows.  Sills are switchable too on Traditional.  And all windows have some form of “InteriorInset” parameter so you can move the window in or out within the wall thickness, dependent on that wall.  All material except glass is set to By Category, so you have greater control.

We are continuing to use “ARC” as the prefix of all families and elements, even though the company is becoming QARC.  ARC named items will then still appear at top of file trees.

Happy Reviteering!

The team from QARC.