jonwil

Roofing large spaces

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Anyone got any tips on how to roof over large areas?

My new hospital has some large open areas and I cant think how to roof them over in a way that won't collapse when I try to add a second floor to the structure.

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i would think only large-sized plates can do. if you use slopes, it may become a massive roof and you cannot add on any more levels.

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You can add a sandwich construction:

- one layer of large plates at the bottom

- a stiff technic frame of beams inbetween

- and another plate at the top

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You can add a sandwich construction:

- one layer of large plates at the bottom

- a stiff technic frame of beams inbetween

- and another plate at the top

It may not be aesthetically pleasing, from the bottom side, but it is the most effective if you don't want to use additional pillars. I used it on a recent MOC with 3 large roof sections default_classic.gif

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It may not be aesthetically pleasing, from the bottom side,

I think I don't understand what you mean with this, the bottom is just plates, same as the top.

And if you don't like the technic frame on the sides you can make the sides with nomal 1*X bricks

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I would suggest 'jonwil' for you to install support posts spaced far enough apart not to effect the interior of the ground floor, but close enough to support the ceiling/next floor.

It also depends on how thick the ceiling is going to be as well. :classic:

Post what you have done so far so we can judge for ourselves and work out the best way to do it. :classic:

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You could use technic beams and pins,then you could make lots of mini roofs on the roof (break it down into sections.)

solihull-hospital-786088481.jpg

Edited by Alasdair Ryan

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How large is large? In considering hospital design myself I elected to keep floors to a 16 wide by 32 long size and build an atrium or courtyard in the centre. wards and corridors surrounding the space looking onto the courtyard with garden space. I based this design on the Hospitals I've visited over the years.

Also many hospitals have large double doors along corridors so that could be used to help support ceilings with a lintel beam atop the doors. waiting rooms or areas like main reception could use pillars provided there's plenty of space between them for the movement of hospital beds and gurneys.

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Thanks for the advice guys, I have come up with a solution for the first floor roof (mostly there are enough support beams already to hold it up) and will have to fiddle a bit more (e.g. the 2 plates with bricks in between idea) for the roof of the second floor and the roof of the third floor.

The hospital is 32 x 64 and the total size will be dictated by what parts I have enough of (currently using white for the walls but may have to switch to tan for parts of it if I run out of white walls or places to put trans-light-blue windows)

If the 8 x 16, 16 x 16 and similar sized large pates were available in a nice color (dark bley, light bley, black, something like that) in a way that was easy to get more of without spending lots of money, I would use a whole pile of those. But they are rare and hard to come by unless you buy a bunch of big sets.

Edited by jonwil

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I've built a few buildings at 32 X 48 and i tend to use a sandwich of plates of varying sizes, (As I like odd shapes on the outer walls.) the floors tend to be three plates thick made of various overlapping ones. But I do tend to have quite a few internal walls. I tile the top of the walls on each floor so the next floor sits flat on top of it and then use the 1 stud wide plates as spacers underneath the floor in various locations so they don't slide about.

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I think I don't understand what you mean with this, the bottom is just plates, same as the top.

And if you don't like the technic frame on the sides you can make the sides with nomal 1*X bricks

Sorry I should have been more specific. To save plates while "sandwiching", mine ended up like the photo below. That is what I meant, effective, but messy default_classic.gif

moc_prestige_auto_31.jpg

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The biggest area I've had to roof is the 56x58 interior of my engine shed.

engine.shed.main%20(Small).jpg

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IMG_0441 (Mobile).JPG

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IMG_0443 (Mobile).JPG

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IMG_0444 (Mobile).JPG

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I used posts and a framework of beams to support 56 stud long panels made of regular 45 degree roof tiles. It could be done without the gaps but I need them so the IR signal has a way in from above (an IR repeater would be nice).

Needs a little bit of tidying up but a recent Bricklink order will help me sort that out.

:classic: :classic:

Edited by AussieJimbo

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Thanks for the advice guys, I have ended up using long 1 x n bricks to hold up the roof along with occasional support columns where necessary (i.e. where there was a space between walls that is too large for a 1 x n support to work). These are then completly covered with tiles and the next level is just dropped on top.

The roof/floor is done similar to what lego guy bri did with a single layer of large plates sitting on top of the tiles and then some plates underneath to hold the floor plates together so when I lift it off, it comes off as a single unit (the walls of the floor above also help to hold the roof/floor together)

I just hope I have enough bricks to finish off the last part of the structure of my hospital (and that I can come up with designs for all the things going inside it that look good)

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Thanks for the advice guys, I have ended up using long 1 x n bricks to hold up the roof along with occasional support columns where necessary (i.e. where there was a space between walls that is too large for a 1 x n support to work). These are then completly covered with tiles and the next level is just dropped on top.

The roof/floor is done similar to what lego guy bri did with a single layer of large plates sitting on top of the tiles and then some plates underneath to hold the floor plates together so when I lift it off, it comes off as a single unit (the walls of the floor above also help to hold the roof/floor together)

I just hope I have enough bricks to finish off the last part of the structure of my hospital (and that I can come up with designs for all the things going inside it that look good)

With the beams I tend to use the technic beams with studs like the ones which are used in the laeger sets. With the pins you can make the beams longer and with the sandwich hint (the beams in the plates) it isnt even visible

For better understanding here an example image

SSL21017.jpg

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At the moment I am building a hospital and I am building it so each section comes of as a whole and how I have built the floor is bygetting 6x6 or 6x8 plates and then covering the plates with a second layer of plates thus holing them together, it saves buying beams as well as the plates

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At the moment I am building a hospital and I am building it so each section comes of as a whole and how I have built the floor is bygetting 6x6 or 6x8 plates and then covering the plates with a second layer of plates thus holing them together, it saves buying beams as well as the plates

Is that actually very strong? From my experience usually double layering plates alone isn't strong enough unless extra supports are added.

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it does make it very strong, you can lift one corner of the floor and walls up and the entire floor comes up as well without bending at all

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