How to apply materials and paint using the smart surface detection tool in Architect 3D

Thanks to Architect 3D, you can quickly view the result of color or material combinations when choosing decoration for your home. You can choose from different libraries containing materials and shades of color, in just a few clicks.

Simply apply the same material, paint or trim to multiple surfaces (walls, ceilings, doors, steps, garden pathways etc.) using the smart detection tool called SmartWand.

Add your own personal decorative touches directly via the 3D window.

Choose which view works best for you:

• 3D View Window to keep your 2D plan displayed on the screen or
• Full 3D view to concentrate solely on the 3D rendering

Applying materials and paint to one or more surfaces in your home

To decorate your outdoor space, use the Material and Paint Colors libraries to change the look of pathways and external walls, etc.

1. In the Material or Paint Colors libraries tab, select the type of material or paint that you’d like to apply to your design.
2. Drag and drop your selection to the chosen surface.
   • to one specific surface only
   • or to all similar surfaces on the drawing or in a specific room.

   The SmartWand automatic surface detection tool gives you various options for applying your material/color:
   

3. Select the type of application required. You can view the different applications for a new covering below:
   Material applied here only.
   
   Material applied to all pathways

4. Continue personalising your home by applying materials and paint to the external walls of your home – simply using drag and drop each time.
5. We’re going to change the material and apply brick to the external walls. The smart detection tools asks if we want to apply this new material to all the external walls.
   
   Note: The trim composed of pink and grey bricks at the front of the garage has not been recovered, as the trim is a distinct surface. This allows you to do certain tasks, such as paint an external wall, without affecting certain sections of walls. A dedicated library containing different types of trim is available in Architect 3D.

   Applying a trim in your indoor space

   To perfect your interior and apply finishing touches, you can use the Trim Library which includes skirting boards, coving, panelling and other wall trims.

   1. From the Libraries tab, select the Trim library followed by the Crown Trim Library
   
   2. Apply the chosen wall decoration directly on the 3D plan: drag and drop the decoration onto a wall surface. You can choose to apply the trim to the selected room or to the entire structure.
   
   3. In this example, trim is positioned throughout the entire structure.
   
   To harmonise the color of the coving with the color of the skirting board, you can use the Find applied tool  on the toolbar in the 3D window, as shown in the following section.

   Find and reuse a material or a color in your design

   To find the name of a material or color already used in your design:

   • Click on the Find applied tool, then simply click with the pipette on a surface where the material or color is applied that you wish to reuse.
     
     You can now apply this color to all the coving in the plan by simply dragging and dropping it.

     
     Note that the application of the white color has not affected the doors. This is because doors are considered to be different surfaces.

     You can repeat the application of the white color directly on the doors in order to harmonise the color of all your doors.
     

     Why don’t you try using the different materials that are available to finish your interior design and apply wallpaper, edging, tiling, wooden floors and other furnishing fabrics.

     Note:

     The names of the rooms displayed in the context menu of SmartWand are defined in the 2D plan and are easy to change. Select a room in the 2D view and change the name that’s displayed in the Properties tab.

     Don’t forget to save your project and validate your landscape design.

     For more information on designing your indoor space, see the tutorials on Walls and Doors and Windows that are available online.