Openings¶
Step 5 places windows, doors and other openings in the building. Select the floor or roof tab and the opening type. Configure windows in the window editor, confirm with Apply, then click a wall to place them. Existing elements can be edited individually.
In the component list, click the width or height of an annex opening to edit it directly. For outside and inside corner windows, both leg lengths and the height can be edited there. The existing dimension and roof-height checks still apply.
For a new row of windows, choose multiple and the count in the window editor. After Apply, click Choose wall in the parameter panel, then an outer wall. The windows are distributed only when you click the wall.
The facade editor in Floor plan, roof-edge options in Roof, window details in Extras and shutters on openings are explained in Facades and window details.
Floor plan and dimensions¶
The storey view is generated from the actual building model as a horizontal section at half the room height. In the attic, the section is at half the internal ridge height. Cut surfaces have opaque colour fills. The level directly below appears fainter. The storey and Roof tabs select the corresponding level.
For suitable storeys under a barrel roof, the floor plan is generated directly from a section through walls and openings. The roof view and other configurations use the native preview; it is calculated if not already available. The allowed opening height still takes the underside of the roof into account.
Frame window sills and stone window sills are omitted from the floor-plan drawing, including its native CAD version. The selected construction, shutters, glazing, 3D preview and print export are unaffected.
Dimensions are shown in metres with two decimal places. Select a window in the plan to see its clearances to neighbouring openings and wall corners. Click the corresponding dimension value to edit the clearance; the existing clearance and collision rules still apply. Width, height and sill height are on the right under Parameters. Clicking the window preview there opens the window editor for that window.
To take a free measurement, select the measuring tool and click two measurement points in sequence. Points snap to corners; you can also measure freely in the plan. The third click places the dimension line at the desired position. The line remains selectable and can be removed with the delete icon.
The mouse wheel zooms; hold the wheel button to pan. Fit view shows the whole plan again. Snapshot saves the currently visible viewport as a PNG with a transparent background.
Floor tabs and roof tab¶
A barrel roof allows neither roof windows nor dormers. This also applies to an extension with its own barrel roof; roof-attachment selection and placement are unavailable there.
At the top are tabs for each floor (Ground floor, Floor 1, Floor 2 …) plus a Roof tab. The type palette depends on the tab:
| Tab | available types |
|---|---|
| Floor (Ground/Upper) | Window · Corner glazing · Door / Gate · Garage door · Cutout |
| Roof | Roof window · Shed dormer · Gable dormer · Hip dormer |
Roof tab locked
With the roof shape "No roof" the roof tab isn't available. On a flat roof only roof windows are offered there — dormers need a sloped face.
Settings are remembered
When you place a new opening, PrintHaus carries over the dimensions and glazing bars of the last opening you edited, per type (window / door / gate) — even across a change of floor.
Openings in an extension wall¶
If your building has extensions, select the ground floor and opening type. The wall you click determines whether the opening belongs to the main building or an extension. No separate body selection is needed.
When placing an opening on a suitable extension wall, the app identifies the extension and wall; this information is also shown when editing.
- Place individually: Choose the type and dimensions, then click the desired extension wall.
- Distribute several windows evenly: Switch to multiple, set the count, click “Choose wall”, then click the extension wall.
- Height: sill + height have to stay below the top edge of the wall at that point — an extension has no floor slab to hang from. That is not the eaves height everywhere: on the gable side the wall runs up towards the ridge and allows more, on the eaves side the underside of the roof pushes it slightly lower. If the height you set doesn't fit, it is reduced automatically.
- Distance to the corners: at least 0.15 m stays clear to each end of the wall, plus the space for the corner wall band.
Window in the dividing wall
A window may sit in the shared wall to the neighbor — but only above the neighbor's roof. The app points this out: "Dividing wall: here the sill height is measured from the top edge of the neighbouring roof and starts at 0.10 m." Below that the wall would in effect be an interior wall.
The sill is therefore measured from the neighbouring roof, not from the floor: if the neighbouring roof stands 4.71 m high at that point, a window with a sill of 0.15 actually sits at 4.86 m. That happens by itself — you don't have to add anything.
When the export rejects an opening¶
Two refusals concern extension openings only. Both name the extension, the wall number and the figures from your model, so you can see how far off it is:
"Extension 1, wall 2: the window sits above the neighbouring roof (top edge 4.71 m) and protrudes 0.91 m beyond the top of the wall (7.00 m). At most 1.59 m sill is possible here (set: 2.50 m)."
: The window does sit correctly above the neighbouring roof, but together with sill and height it is too tall for the wall. The message names the largest value that still works here.
"Extension 1, wall 2: the opening meets no wall there. In the dividing wall no window is possible below the neighbouring building (there it is in effect an interior wall) — place it higher, or add a door/passage on the main building."
: At that point the neighbour stands in front; the wall belongs to it there. Put the window above its roof, or turn it into a door or a passage — those belong to the main building anyway and are created there.
Window¶
Place windows only in an exterior wall. In the user interface, dimensions and sill height use 5 cm steps in metric units and whole-inch values in imperial units.
| Value | Range |
|---|---|
| Width | 0.5–10.0 m |
| Height | 0.5–8.0 m |
| Sill height | from 0 m |
| Bars vertical | 0–50 |
| Bars horizontal | 0–50 |
The allowed bar count depends on the window width or actual window height: one bar is possible per full 0.20 m, up to 50 in each direction.
- Window sill: a frame sill is added automatically to windows above floor level. A selected stone sill replaces it. Round, oval and semi-elliptical windows have a perimeter frame but no separate sill. Floor-to-ceiling windows have no sill or spandrel panel.
- Height to roof (toggle): Under a sloped roof, the lintel follows the roof pitch with the applicable lintel clearance. The roof determines the height; the height field remains visible and is disabled.
Lintel clearance
The nominal clearance from the highest actual opening contour to the local underside of the floor slab or roof, or to the wall head, is 10 cm. The permitted height also accounts for profile overhang, floor elevation and print scale. Any used clearance buffer is reported separately and does not permit overlap. If the storey is too low, the selected opening height cannot be applied.
Distance between two openings — horizontal and vertical
Two openings in the same wall keep 0.15 m apart. This is now computed on both axes: they only block each other if they come closer both along the wall and in height. A high gable window may therefore sit directly above a door, as long as 0.15 m remain between door lintel and window sill. For corner and inner-corner glazing, the distance to ordinary openings is also checked horizontally and vertically on the wall of each leg. The preview and each print target use the actual generated heights, including threshold lift and roof or storey caps.
Window editor and preview¶
When you select an existing window in the floor plan or component list, its actual front preview appears directly below Parameters. Width, height and sill height follow without another collapsible section. Click the preview to open the window editor for that same window.
The 2D preview shows the window on its own with the selected details. Frames and glazing bars retain their actual proportions; internal profile edges are hidden. Shape, dimensions, bars and shutters are on the left, details on the right. A keystone is available with a surround or decorative lintel. A decorative panel below the window starts at least 10 cm above an existing plinth.
The ordinary 2D drawing is calculated locally in the background when dimensions or details change. For a new window with Height to roof under a Barrel roof, the editor shows the window shape before placement; the roof contour depends on the selected wall position. For suitable placed windows, the editor draws the window locally; in other cases, the API calculates the drawing natively. Apply is available only when the current drawing is ready. Discard or Escape discards the draft even while calculation is running.
Click and drag glazing bars; their dimensions are editable. Right-click clears the selection. 0 bars adds no extra division, including for half-ellipse windows. Choose whether to print panes for both windows and doors under Settings → Printer. Movable or fixed door leaves are also selected there. The editors use these settings automatically.
Window and full-height window combination¶
Place a window with a raised sill, then a full-height window with sill height 0 m on the same exterior wall. Both remain individually configurable. When their facing edges meet during placement, the edge turns green and they join without a wall strip. This is the exception to the normal 15 cm clearance.
The join holds while you pull the second element less than 10 cm from contact. At 10 cm, it releases and snaps to 15 cm clear separation. The shared post is at least as wide as the surrounding frame. The combination exports as one connected print part; roller shutters and other settings remain separate for each window.
Distributing several windows¶
Two switches sit above the drawing area. They can be combined.
single · multiple — horizontal. You give the count, PrintHaus works out the spacing: the windows spread evenly across the façade, including towards the corners. Place them with “Choose façade” and one click on the wall.
single · stacked — vertical. Here you set count and clear spacing yourself. The lowest window sits on the sill; every further one is window height plus spacing above it.
| Value | Range |
|---|---|
| Count stacked | 2 up to as many as fit in the storey |
| Clear spacing | from 0.15 m |
Both switches together give a grid: several side by side, each of them repeated upwards.
Only what fits is offered
A row stays within its storey and does not pass through the ceiling. The offered count accounts for the actual available height, sill height, window height, selected clear spacing and remaining lintel clearance. The current height check for the specific window determines what fits.
Rows are available for windows and wall openings, in walls of the main building as well as in extension walls.
Arch shapes¶
Windows and doors aren't fixed to a rectangular top. Besides Normal, three arch shapes are available:
| Shape | Top |
|---|---|
| Round arch | semicircle over the full width |
| Segmental arch | shallow circular segment |
| Gothic | pointed arch from two circular arcs |
The shape applies per opening; the glazing bars and frame dimensions take the dimensions of the straight version. Cutouts carry the same arch shapes too.
Corner glazing (corner and inner-corner windows)¶
Corner glazing joins two window sides at a right-angled outer or inner corner. Choose the corner-glazing icon in the window editor, configure both sides and apply. Then click a suitable corner in the plan. Outer and inner corners have separate icons. Each side A/B can have its own straight roller shutter, color and closure from 0 to 100%. Their guides meet at the shared corner post. Hinged shutters and pediments are unavailable here. A keystone is not available for corner or inner-corner glazing.
| Value | Range |
|---|---|
| Length A | 0.5–10.0 m (from the inner corner) |
| Length B | 0.5–10.0 m (from the inner corner) |
| Height | 0.5–10.0 m |
| Sill | 5 cm steps in metric; 2 inch steps in imperial |
| Bars vertical — Side A / Side B | 0–50 each |
| Bars horizontal | 0–50 |
These steps also apply to the controls for both leg lengths and the height. Permitted dimensions and sill height additionally depend on the actual wall lengths, neighbouring openings and available height below the slab or roof. Changing units preserves existing dimensions.
For outer- and inner-corner glazing, the permitted bar count depends on the length of the relevant leg A/B or on the window height: one bar is possible per full 0.20 m, up to 50 in each direction.
One glazing per corner
Every corner carries at most one corner or inner-corner glazing. A second one on the same corner is rejected.
Door / Gate¶
You place a door on an exterior or interior wall — which wall you click decides whether it becomes an exterior or interior door. Under Style you choose single-leaf or double-leaf (from 1.20 m width). Dimensions on a 5 cm grid.
| Door | Width | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior door, single-leaf | 0.70–3.0 m | 1.3–6.0 m |
| Exterior door, double-leaf | 1.2–10.0 m | 1.3–8.0 m |
| Interior door, single-leaf | 0.5–2.5 m | 1.3–5.0 m |
| Interior door, double-leaf | 1.2–5.0 m | 1.3–5.0 m |
- Raised threshold (toggle, exterior door only): sets the door at plinth or loading-dock height. Threshold height 0–3 m on a 5 cm grid.
Individual opening details¶
In the respective editor, exterior doors, garage doors and exterior passages can have their own opening details. These apply to the individual opening independently of the global facade selection. Options include a surround open at the bottom, a decorative lintel suited to the contour, a keystone with a surround or lintel, and straight, triangular or curved pediments. Keystone and pediment are mutually exclusive. For doors, garage doors and passages, decorative lintels are available only with a segmental arch.
Doors, garage doors and passages have neither a stone sill nor a spandrel panel. The surround stays open at the bottom even with a raised threshold. Interior doors and passages have no facade details; stone opening details are omitted in an active timber-framed section. Apply saves the details; Discard retains the previous state. The 2D preview updates locally during editing.
Garage door¶
A gate of its own, only on exterior walls and only on the ground floor. Dimensions on a 5 cm grid, no sub-types.
| Value | Range |
|---|---|
| Width | 2.0–6.0 m |
| Height | 1.5–5.0 m |
Cutout¶
An opening without a door leaf or filling, on exterior and interior walls. Dimensions follow a 5 cm grid. Exterior passages can have a decorative surround; this is not an insertable frame.
| Value | Range |
|---|---|
| Width | 0.5–15.0 m |
| Height | 0.5–10.0 m |
Roof window¶
In the Roof tab: click "place" and drop it freely on a sloped roof face — the window automatically takes pitch and direction from the roof face. Dimensions on a 5 cm grid.
| Value | Range |
|---|---|
| Width | 0.8–10.0 m |
| Height | 1.0–10.0 m |
| Vertical mullions | 0–24 |
| Horizontal mullions | 0–24 |
Twice the width of a glazing bar. Minimum 40 cm centre spacing, including to the frame. Divisions start at 80 cm frame width or height.
Roof windows have no separate sill or facade details. Their frame follows the roof surface; the facade-detail selection does not apply to this inclined frame.
Minimum distance
A roof window keeps 15 cm clearance from wall edges, roof edges and other roof windows.
Dormers (shed / gable / hip)¶
For AI modeling, place dormer fronts as low and close to the eaves as possible unless the reference or explicit instruction requires a higher position. With gaube_index, dormer_placement returns downhill_reference: the lowest region point at the same lateral position and horizontal distances in metres. The lower face edge may also be a roof break. Check neighbours and front decoration at the proposed point, then compare the preview with the reference. Stored dormers are not moved automatically.
Three dormer types in the Roof tab — shed dormer, gable dormer, hip dormer. Placed by clicking a sloped roof face (the click point is the middle of the dormer's front edge).
| Value | Range |
|---|---|
| Window width | 0.5–10.0 m |
| Window height | 0.5–8.0 m |
| Bars vertical / horizontal | 0–15 each |
- Dormer-roof pitch: adjustable only for the shed dormer, in 0.5° steps, at most half as steep as the main roof. For the gable and hip dormer the dormer automatically takes the roof pitch.
Front windows in shed, gable and hip dormers have individual details per dormer. Options include a surround or decorative lintel, keystone and straight, triangular or curved pediments. A detail is available only if it fits completely within the actual front surface between the roof edge and the cheeks. Disabled options explain the lack of space. A keystone requires a suitable surround or lintel and cannot be combined with a pediment. Pediments keep at least 10 cm clearance from the cheeks. Relief values are −0.5, 0.5 and 1 mm on the printed model.
A gable dormer has an additional gable surface above the window, which can accommodate taller details and combinations. The lower upper-front clearance of shed and hip dormers limits their selection. A full surround is disabled because there is insufficient space at the existing lower roof connection. Sills and spandrel panels are excluded. The window is not moved to make a detail fit; changes in size or position must also fit the stored details.
Related pages
Technical terms like eaves, ridge and verge are in the Glossary. What comes next is under Export.
Barrel dormer and entrance landing¶
The curved roof of a semicircular or segmental barrel dormer stays smooth like metal flashing; it does not inherit the main roof texture. An entrance landing can extend sideways to the farthest corner of the same continuous straight wall run; there is no fixed 5 m limit per side.
Choose No landing, Rectangular or Semicircular first, followed by centreline distances, depth, steps, surface and separate railing sides with labelled icons. Existing wall-contact rules and minimum clearances still apply. Maximum depth: 4 m; left/right distances from the door centreline: 10 m each; semicircular width: at most 8 m.
Windows and doors can use the curved gable wall. The full opening remains 20 cm below the roof underside. Windows with “Height up to roof” follow the barrel curve.
Freely placed roof chimney¶
In Openings, select the Roof level and the chimney icon beside roof windows and dormers. Click the roof surface to place a chimney. Drag the selected chimney to move it; edit length, width and height above the roof in the parameter panel. The chimney starts at its actual roof connection and has no shaft through lower storeys. This applies to full and shell construction with BM, HM and MM. Wall-bound chimneys in Fit-out & Add-ons retain their existing storey reference.
Basement windows and foundations¶
Enable the foundation, then select its own Foundation level in step 5. Place and drag windows on its outer walls and edit them in the existing window editor. Window height starts at 0.30 m. The actual opening including its profile requires at least 0.10 m above the foundation underside and 0.10 m below the underside of the slab above. Sill height is measured from the foundation underside; profile overhangs may further limit available height. No extra storey or negative sill height for ordinary windows is needed. In MM, basement windows and panes are always fused into the body; ordinary windows retain their glazing choice. BM/HM use the selected window filling. The AI actively asks about a foundation, then desired basement windows, dimensions and details. The model stores them in gruendungsfenster; the interface supplies actual contours in foundation.contours.