Fitting up a bathroom
In which we demonstrate the adding and customizing of various plumbing fixtures to a bathroom.
Introduce a door into the space.
Use a symbol of a suitable door from the Resource Browser, or Opt-drag (Windows: Ctrl-drag) a duplicate from another washroom, at a point to suit on the wall.
Create a Plumbing Fixtures Class
If you imported a kitchen sink earlier, you will already have a Plumbing Fixtures Class, which came with it [1]. Right-click it to change its name to edit it and change its name to A-Plumbing-Fixtures, to tie in with our other Classes, and while we're here, make sure its Use at Creation option is turned on [3]. Give it a Solid, white colour Fill [4], and a Pen that is a Solid line of a colour that is distinct from that of walls, millwork, etc. – e.g., purple [5]. Set the Line weight to 0.13 or similar [6]. NOTE: Other plumbing symbols that you import will like recreate the plain-vanilla Plumbing Fixtures Class, so will need to be reconciled with this new Class – which we will see later.
Add a bathtub
The Bath-Shower is a parametric/plug-in tool in the Furn/Fixtures toolset [1]. With A-Plumbing-Fixtures as your current Active Class (so it gets assigned to it automatically), drag one into the drawing [1].
View in 3D to customize
Switch to a Right Isometric view to appreciate the various options available through the Obj Info palette. NOTE: To gain an unobstructed view, turn off the Wall-Exterior Class to make the exterior walls disappear. As you can see, the tub's Depth (in effect, horizontal width), and Width can changed from default 2'8 Config. can be changed from Oval to Dee, Hexagonal, Bullnose (as shown), Shower and Corner Shower [1]. Note that the unit has a Surround by default [2], measuring 6'8" high, and it can also have a Back Ledge [4] (turned off by default), in which case it will have certain default dimensions [5], which you can change. Last but not least, make sure Show 3D Details is turned on (it is, by default) to ensure it is seen in 3D views [6].
(Compartment Sink not applicable).
The next tool in the Furn/Fixtures toolset is the Compartment Sink – useful for commercial kitchens, but irrelevant to our purposes at the moment.
Insert a toilet.
The toilet is a plug-in immediately after the Compartment Sink. In reality, it is an entire Toilet Stall…
View it in 3D.
Switch to an isometric view to gain a better appreciation of what it looks like. As you can see, it comes complete with left, right, and front partitions, and a door. It also has, by default, a Dividing Partition, in case you choose to have more than 1 stall [1] (e.g., in a public washroom). You can vary the stall width, depth, partition, thickness, etc. The Partition Type can also be various types: by default, it's Floor Mtd w/ Head (Floor Mounted with Head bars) [2], but you can choose another type. Since we're using it in a private residence, turn off all of the checkbox options.
Add a fixture.
What we really need – and isn't provided by default – is a toilet fixture. To this end, scroll down the Obj Info palette and turn on Show Fixture [1], then click Choose Fixture… [2]. You're given the choice between a default set of fixtures or the Top Level of your file's own Symbol Library. Choose Defaults [3], then click on the popdown button on the right [4], and choose a fixture of your liking.
Place where required.
With no partitions, you're left with just the fixture and four Locus points, which are useful as they show recommended distance from the fixture to walls or other fixtures. Drag the object by one of its rear locus points to a suitable corner [1] – as always, making sure that Wall Insertion Mode is turned off [2], so the fixture is not "swallowed up" by one of the walls.
Place a vanity unit.
For this purpose, use a standard Base Cabinet of the sort that we used in the kitchen [1] – in a Sink Front configuration [2]. NOTE: As in the kitchen, make sure that its own Countertop is removed [3]. Measure the distance between the toilet locus point and the wall to establish its required length, and enter that figure in its Obj Info palette [4]. When it's ready, drag it by the corner to the relevant position [5].
Fetch a lavatory sink.
For the sink – since there is no bathroom sink plug-in object – fetch a ready-made symbol, as we did in the kitchen – from the VectorWorks Libraries. In this occasion, a good source would be from Object Building Services > Sanitary-Kohler Lavatory Sinks.vwx.
Import it into the current file.
In VectorWorks 2009 and above, you can do this by drag-and-dropping them into your workspace, or by right-clicking and choosing Import (all versions).
Add countertop and position sink to suit.
As we did with the kitchen sink, insert a Countertop [1], resize it to fit the base cabinet underneath [2], and set its Sink Shape to Oval or Rectangular, to suit your chosen sink. Then Group (⌘G ; Windows: Ctrl+G) the sink, note its dimensions, and set the Countertop Sink Width and Sink Depth to slightly smaller than that [4], to make a hole big enough for the sink basin but small enough for its lip to overlap all around. Position the sink over the hole, then adjust it in elevation, too.
