Tutorial videos

Learn how to use the software easily with our tutorial videos listed below. You can also watch webinars posted on each section or on our Youtube channel.

For the full user manuals please see below links:

3D Architect Getting started

3D Architect Reference Manual

For help with using Arcon Evo Software please see our Video Tutorials

Collapsible content

The Interface

There are 9 main sections in the Interface as follows:

Display and Interface Overview

1.Tool Menu Bar

2.Tool Placement Context Bar

3.Standard Menu Bar

4.Horizontal Icon Bar

5.Tool Options / Objects Catalogue

6.Main Worksheet

7.Status Bar

8.Numeric Input

9.Tool Options Header Bar

Here's a video showing the main toolbars that you need in designing

Starting a Project

Ready to design your home? Let's start!

1. Run the program.

2. A start assistant dialogue box will appear. Tick 'Create a new project using assistant' and click next.

Note: You can also choose 'start a blank project' with default settings.

3. Choose measurement unit in the drop down menu. You can choose either metric or imperial system. Then click Next.

3. Select sheet size to use. Standard print sizes from A0 to A6, or User define size. Click Next.

4. Choose drawing scale. You can edit scale later on if needed.

5. The next step is to select grid size. Default grid size is 3.281 feet x 3.281 feet or 1 metre by 1 metre. If you need smaller grid size, edit this. Then click Next.

6. The next window allow you to add borders and title block. You can just click next and leave border ticked by default. You can add title block later on.

7. The last step is to add drawing data. You can leave this blank if not needed. Then click finish.

See our video for a quick guide.

Drawing Walls

The first thing to do when creating floor plans is to draw walls.

1. To start, click the walls icon on the left toolbar.

2. A catalogue where you can choose wall types and insertion method will open on the right bar.

3. Select wall type by clicking the wall to use.

4. Select insertion method from this section:

Methods include:

Single wall (select this if you are just drawing a single wall)

Polygonal wall (select this if you are drawing multiple connected walls to form a room)

Angled wall (You need to specify angle value)

Others: Wall at right angle (90 degrees), Parallel walls, midway walls (Wall at midpoint of 2 points) and round off walls (for curved corners/walls)

5. Start drawing by clicking at any point. drag the wall to the intended direction.

5. To draw walls accurately, enter measurement values at the bottom bar. While dragging the wall, type in the length and press enter (or click apply)

Here are two video showing how to draw walls:

Using polygonal walls method

Using other wall input methods

Using Room Tool

Room tool is a shortcut to draw wall enclosed spaces instead of using wall tool manually.

1. Select rooms tool from the toolbar.

2. Room Catalogue will open on the right bar. Select the type of room to create.

3. Choose room input:

Room (Input room measurements manually - typically used)

Room Rotated (Input measurements manually - you can rotate the room at an angle.

Default Room (Insert room with default/fixed measurements)

4.  Click to start input. Drag the room to the preferred room direction.

5. Input first the room horizontal width. Press enter. Then, drag the room again to its vertical direction. Type in the vertical width and press enter again.

Note: You can change the insertion axis. (For example, you want the length to start from the exterior of the wall, on center of the wall thickness or start from the interior wall)

Click room tool icon at the top bar. A dialogue box will appear. From the drop down menu, choose the preferred axis.

Here's the video tutorial

Placing Doors & Windows

After creating walls and rooms, add doors and windows.

1. Select Doors or Windows Tool from the left toolbar.

2. Doors and Windows Catalogue will be shown on the right. Select Door type or Window type/design. Double click to open folder and single click to select.

3. After selecting the type/design, you can now choose how to insert the door/window. On the left section of the catalogue, you may choose either of the following:

Door/Window Free Positioning (Freely position without exact distance from any reference edge)

Door/Window at a Set Distance (Insertion with a set distance from a reference edge - Left edge, Right edge or center.)

You can set the distance through the tool options located at the top bar:

Door/Window Midway (Insert at the midpoint of the set 2 reference points)

4. After selecting insertion method, you can now add doors/windows. Click at the door/window location. Next, hover mouse up and down to set door/window opening to inward or outward. Then, hover mouse again left or right to set opening direction left or right.

Note: You can edit door/window settings. Select the door or window to edit and options will appear at the top bar.Click component button and a pop-up window will open.

Video for adding windows.

Video for adding doors.

Ceiling & Cutouts

To add a ceiling:

1. Select Ceiling and Cutouts icon from the toolbar.

2. Select if ceiling or cutout. After selecting, choose insertion method at the left of the catalogue. (Either rectangular, rotated rectangle-angled, polygonal). Choose polygonal if

a. To create a ceiling, click on a first edge then drag the rectangle to set the size of the ceiling and another click on the opposite edge. (Using rectangle insertion)

Note: Polygonal ceiling

b. To create cutout on a ceiling, select ceiling cutout then choos insertion method. In this example, we will do a rectangular cutout. Click on the first point and drag the rectangle to set the size of the cutout. Another left click to fix the cutout.

Supports & Chimney

Supports and chimney tools include supports, pillar and different types of chimneys.

1. Select supports and chimney icon from the toolbar. It will open the database for supports, pillars and chimney stacks in the Tool Options Catalogue.

Supports

Supports are structural elements such as columns or posts. Pillars can also be inserted through these steps.

1. To add supports, click on the supports icon.

2. Change dimensions of supports from the top bar. After selecting supports, click on the dimensions button. A pop-up window will appear where you can change the dimensions of the support. Leave 'to ceiling' ticked if the support is extending to the ceiling.

3. Insert by drag and drop to your plan.

Chimneys

There are several types of chimneys that you may use. Just drag and drop to the plan. To set the height of the chimney, select the chimney from the plan and open the dimensions window at the top bar. (Or set dimensions before inserting to plan)

Adding New Floor

With the ground floor plan created, we can now construct extra floors. Adding a first storey is very simple.

1. There are 2 ways to add new floor:

a. First way is to go to the main menu and find 'Floors'. Clicking it will open a drop-down menu. Find 'New Upper Floor' if you want to add new floor above, 'New Lower Floor' to add lower floor, or 'New Basement Floor'

b. Second way is to go to Floor selection dropdown located at the topbar with a home icon. From the drop down, select add floor. A pop up window will show you options where to add the new floor (above, below, in another building).

2. In the dialogue box that appears, various properties of current floor can be changed either before or after you create a new floor. There are different tabs for the following settings:

a. You can copy walls, doors and windows of the lower floor.

b. Add name and description to the new floor.

c. Set the floor height, ceiling thickness and floor thickness.

d. Assign materials to the ceiling and floor base. Which can also be carried out in 3D mode.

3. After changing the floor properties, click ok  to perform additional floor.

Watch the tutorial video to see how.

Stairs

After creating the first story, you may need to add a staircase to your plan. There is a large selection of stair types available in the catalogue.

1. Select Stairs Tool from the toolbar.

Note: Hovering mouse to the icon will open a fly-out menu of stair types. Alternatively, you can open the right catalogue bar by left clicking on the icon.

2. Select stair type to use from the flyout menu or catalogue bar.  

3. To insert staircase, you just need to do a series of clicks depending on the stair type:

Straight staircase - 2 points/2 clicks (Start-End) + 1 click after setting the stair width

L Shaped (Quarter Landing or Winder) - 3 points/3 clicks  (Start-Landing-End) + 1 click after setting the stair width

U-Shaped (Half landing or Winder) - 4 points/4 clicks (Start-1st Landing Edge-2nd Landing edge-End) + 1 click after setting the stair width

Polygonal Winder/Landing, General Staircase - Points/Clicks depend on the preferred shape. + 1 click after setting the stair width

Curved Staircase - 2 points/2 clicks (Start-End) + 1 click after setting the stair width + 1 click to set the curve/radius.

Spiral Staircase - 1st click to set the centre of the staircase + 1 click to set width + 1 click to set number of steps

Adding Balcony, Verandas, Platforms, Carport

Select Balcony, Verandas, Platform icon from the toolbar.

You can either add balcony, veranda, platform, terrace or a carport.

Balcony

1. Select Balcony icon from the catalogue bar.

2.  Choose input method: Rectangle (for straight rectangular shape), Rotated Rectangle (for angled rectangular shape), Polygon at fixed width, Polygon (for irregular polygon) and spline (for curves).

3. In this example, we will use polygon as we need to input length and width. First, click on the first corner of the balcony. Enter the measurement (Either you draw the length or width first ) and press enter (or hit apply button). Continue until you've created the final shape of the balcony.

2. Add Border Object - Insert handrail as the border object. To do this, select the created balcony then, find border object option at the top bar. Tick show border object box, open the drop down menu and click 'load object'. Find handrail and choose handrail type. After choosing, click 'ok'.

Verandas

1. To insert a veranda, select veranda from the catalogue.

2.  Choose input method: Rectangle (for straight rectangular shape), Rotated Rectangle (for angled rectangular shape), Polygon at fixed width, Polygon (for irregular polygon) and spline (for curves).

3. In this example, we are inserting the veranda on an angled location. We'll select rotated rectangle. Click on the first end corner and another click on the opposite end corner. Then, drag the rectangle to the preferred width or input width at the bottom bar and press apply/enter key.

Carport

1. To insert a carport, select carport icon.

2. Using the rectangle insertion method, click on the carport location and drag the rectangle to set the size of the carport. Another click to close and complete the rectangle. You can also choose rotated rectangle insertion if your carport will be on an angled location.

Note: You can set the length of rectangle more accurately by typing the number in on your keyboard. The Distance field in the Numeric input bar at bottom of screen will highlight. To confirm settings, press Enter key or click the Apply button.

Drawing Roof

In the software, you can create different roof types and styles. Also, depending on the complexity and style of roof, there are a number of different ways for adding the roof to the building.

1. Click on the roof icon from the toolbar.

2. You can choose from many roof design types:

3. After selecting the roof type, choose insertion method.

4. Insertion Methods

Automatic Detection

One of the most common and easiest methods for adding roofs is by Automatic Detection. This method will determine the shape of roof based on the building outline.

To Insert: Move your mouse cursor over any of the walls of your building. Automatically detecting the roof area, a preview of the roof will appear.  This view will disappear if the mouse cursor is moved away from walls. Left-click your mouse button to place roof in position.

Roof (Rectangle) Input
If your plan is rectangular, another easy way to insert roof is using rectangle input method. 

To insert: After selecting rectangle input, left-click on the first corner, drag the rectangle to its opposite corner and another left click to place roof in position.

Roof Rotated Rectangle

Rotated Rectangle input is used if you have a rectangular roof but set at an angle.

To insert: After selecting rotated rectangle input, left-click on the first corner, drag the rectangle towards the set angle and another left click to place roof in position. 

Polygon at Fixed Width

For polygonal-shaped roofs with a constant width, you can use polygonal at fixed width input.

To insert: After selecting polygonal at fixed width icon, go to tool settings. Locate this icon  from the top bar. A pop-up window will appear where you can edit the width of the roof. Close the window to save changes.

Left click on a corner and drag the roof to the next opposite corner until you reach the end corner. Left click to set the roof.

Polygon Roof

This is for polygon-shaped roof with varying widths.

To insert: After selecting polygon roof icon, click on all corners to create the roof. 

Editing Roof Properties

Roof Tool Options: Insert Attic, Copy Lower Floor Walls

You can automatically insert attic floor before drawing the walls. 

1. After selecting input method, click on the tool options icon (looks like a gear with a quesiton mark).

2. A dialogue box will appear. Here you can select the way in which the roof is added to the existing floor.

Add Roof to Current Roof - Tick this option if you want to add roof to current active floor only.

Check if there's not yet an Attic - Tick this option if you want an attic floor check within the drawing before adding one.

Insert Attic Roof - Tick this to add attic automatically

Create New floors  if the gable of the roof extends beyond the top floor 

Walls to Transfer - You have the option to copy all walls or exterior wall only of the lower floor. You can also copy walls and interior if your floors are typical.

Roof Editor

The Roof Editor dialogue box consists of different tabs that enable you to make various adjustments to all aspects of roof via the use of interactive graphics and/or list view. 

There are 2 ways where you can edit roof properties:

1-Before inserting the roof, you can open roof editor from the top bar and change the values

2-After inserting, select the roof and find 'Roof Editor' at the top bar. Click to open. 

To edit roof:

Style

This section allows you to convert your current selected roof style to another roof style. 

General Settings

Clicking general settings tab will enable you to edit roof properties: Pitch, Overhang, Gutters.

2D View

This tab is for editing the view settings on how to show the roof detail in the Roof Plan.

Video for adding roofs.

Changing Texts & using Dimension Tool

Texts are automatically generated when you create a room. 

Text Tool enables you to annotate your drawings using a standard text box style interface.
Selecting the Text tool provides placement options in the Tool Options Catalogue which can be added to your drawing by clicking on the location you want to place the text on the page.

Adding Skylights & Dormer Windows

To see how to add skylights and dormer windows watch our video.

Changing Material Textures, Finishes

Watch our helpful video showing you how to change material textures and finishes.

Drag and drop

Click here for the drag and drop manual.