Mastering the "Hatch" in Archicad: A Guide to Fills If you are coming from an AutoCAD background, you probably keep looking for the "Hatch" command. In the world of , we call these
. While they serve the same purpose—adding patterns, textures, and colors to 2D regions—Archicad’s Fill tool is deeply integrated into the Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflow.
Here is everything you need to know about mastering "hatches" in Archicad. 1. Understanding the Four Fill Types
Archicad categorizes fills based on how they behave and what they represent: Solid Fills
: These are simple, mono-colored fills. You can adjust their opacity (e.g., a 25% or 50% screen) to create depth or highlight specific areas. Vectorial Fills
: These are standard hatching patterns (like bricks or cross-hatching) made of 2D lines. They are perfect for technical documentation. Symbol Fills
: These allow for more complex, repetitive patterns. A pro tip is that you can actually add fills directly inside Symbol Fill definitions
to create richer textures without layering multiple elements. Image Fills
: These use actual image files (JPG or PNG) to represent real-world materials like stone masonry or wood grain for high-end visualizations. 2. How to Create and Edit Fills To manage your "hatches," navigate to Options > Element Attributes > Fill Types Customizing Patterns
: You can create your own patterns by drawing a small segment with 2D lines, copying it, and pasting it into a new "Symbol Fill" definition. Adjusting Orientation
: Unlike basic CAD programs, Archicad allows you to set a "Fill Handle." This lets you manually rotate or change the origin of the pattern directly on your floor plan or section to align with specific walls or edges.
: If a pattern looks too dense, you can adjust its scale within the Fill Types dialog or use the "Scale with Plan" vs. "Scale-independent" settings to decide if the hatch should stay the same size regardless of your zoom level. 3. Why Fills Matter in BIM
In Archicad, a "hatch" isn't just a 2D decoration. Fills are often linked to Building Materials
. When you draw a wall in 3D, Archicad automatically applies a specific Fill pattern to its 2D section cut. This ensures that your technical drawings are always consistent with your 3D model. Pro Tips for Better Documentation Cover Fills
: Use these for surface finishes on elements like slabs or roofs to show floor tiling or roofing patterns in a top-down view.
: These automatically appear when an element is "cut" by a section or floor plan cut plane, representing the internal material (e.g., concrete or insulation). Graphic Overrides archicad hatch
: Use these to instantly change the appearance of all fills in a view—for example, turning all wall fills solid black for a clean presentation style.
Whether you're drafting a simple floor plan or a complex detail, mastering Fills is the key to clear, professional architectural communication. from AutoCAD into Archicad?
The story of the ArchiCAD Hatch (known formally as the Fill Tool) is one of evolving from simple 2D drafting lines into an intelligent, 3D-aware component of Building Information Modeling (BIM). Here is the narrative of the ArchiCAD Hatch: 1. The 2D Dawn (Drafting Era)
In the early days, ArchiCAD users, much like their AutoCAD counterparts, relied on hatches solely for 2D representation. A hatch was just a collection of lines filling a closed area—a "sand" hatch for concrete, or angled lines for brick. These were manual, static, and disconnected from the model's intelligence. 2. The Rise of "Vector Fills"
ArchiCAD introduced Vector Fills, allowing fills to have a specific orientation and to change scale based on the view scale (
). The hatch grew intelligent; it understood that the concrete pattern should look denser on a small-scale plan and sparser on a large-scale detail. 3. BIM Integration: "Fills in 3D"
The biggest transformation was connecting the 2D hatch to the 3D model.
The Magic Wand: Users can now use the "magic wand" tool to automatically detect the boundary of a wall or slab and fill it instantly.
Cut Fills: When a user cuts a section through a 3D building, ArchiCAD automatically applies a "Cut Fill" (hatch) based on the building material assigned to that element. 4. The Modern Era: Symbolic & Image Fills Today, ArchiCAD hatches are advanced:
Symbol Fills: These allow users to create complex, custom, line-based patterns (like intricate floor tiling) that repeat perfectly.
Image Fills: These map real textures (like custom flooring or specialized cladding) directly onto 2D drafting elements.
Graphic Overrides: Hatch patterns are now dynamically changed based on rules (e.g., highlighting all fire-rated walls with a specific pattern). 5. The Current Conflict: The Need for "Model" Hatches
Despite these advancements, users still demand better, more realistic hatch patterns that match modern rendering capabilities, often looking at ways to import custom .PAT files (common in CAD) to improve the stock collection. Importing an AutoCAD .PAT file into ArchiCAD?
Using Graphic Overrides to change hatch patterns automatically? SCALE FILL/HATCH ON SECTION/ELEVATIONS
In Archicad, "hatching" is handled by the Fill Tool. You can use various fill types—Solid, Vector, Symbol, and Image—to add graphic patterns to your documentation. Types of Fills in Archicad Mastering the "Hatch" in Archicad: A Guide to
Solid Fills: Simple, single-colored fills where you can adjust opacity (e.g., creating a 66% transparent wash).
Vector Fills: Patterns made of preset vector shapes, such as standard architectural line patterns.
Symbol Fills: Custom patterns that you can create yourself by combining lines and other fills.
Image Fills: Uses .jpg or .png files to represent textures, logos, or complex realistic patterns. How to Create or Apply a Fill
Select the Fill Tool: Find it in the Toolbox on the left side of your workspace. Choose a Geometry Method: Polygonal: Click to define each corner of a custom shape.
Rectangular: Click for the first corner and drag to the second.
Rotated Rectangular: Define the base angle with two clicks, then set the width with a third.
Customize the Pattern: Navigate to Options > Element Attributes > Fills to create a new pattern or modify an existing one. Pro Tips for Custom Hatching
Importing AutoCAD Hatches: When importing .dwg files, Archicad can convert AutoCAD hatches into native Fill types or "hatch blocks" (unnamed groups of lines), depending on your DXF-DWG Translator settings.
Symbol Fill Trick: You can actually add fills inside Symbol Fill definitions to create richer, more detailed hatches without needing to layer multiple elements.
Texture Mapping: For more realistic looks, use the Enhance your designs with custom image fills feature on the Graphisoft Community to import specific material images.
In ArchiCAD, "hatches" are technically known as Fill Types. Users generally praise ArchiCAD's fill/hatch tools as being significantly more powerful and intuitive than those found in competitors like AutoCAD or Revit. Key Features & User Consensus
Superior 2D Capabilities: Users frequently note that ArchiCAD's 2D tools are exceptionally strong, with some describing the hatch tool as "10,000,000x better" than AutoCAD's.
Versatile Fill Types: ArchiCAD categorizes fills into four main types:
Solid Fills: Simple monocolored fills with adjustable opacity. Vectorial Fills: Patterns made of preset vector shapes. Where to Find Hatch Settings You can manage
Symbol Fills: Custom patterns that users can create themselves.
Image Fills: Uses .jpg or .png files for realistic textures.
Placement & Geometry: Fills can be placed using various construction methods (polygonal, rectangular, or oriented) and can be easily adjusted to align with specific element origins, such as tile layouts.
BIM Integration: Unlike basic CAD software, ArchiCAD hatches can be linked to Building Materials, allowing for automatic generation of plans, sections, and elevations while maintaining consistent graphical representation. Strengths vs. Weaknesses
Highly Graphical: Intuitive interface for managing complex patterns.
Deep Learning Curve: Nearly 40 years of development means some workflows can be unintuitive for self-taught users.
Customizability: Allows for easy creation of custom symbol fills.
Resource Intensive: Complex image-based fills can sometimes slow down performance on larger files.
Flexibility: Useful for detailed residential work where "fudging" 2D details is often necessary.
For those looking to master these tools, Graphisoft Learn offers official self-paced courses, and community-driven tutorials are widely available on platforms like LinkedIn Learning. Customize Archicad - Fill Types (Hatches) 02/16
You can manage hatches in three main areas:
Also found in the pet palette. This allows you to make the pattern larger or smaller graphically.
Yes — but only for drafting and temporary marks. Examples:
Never rely on fills for final material representation. That’s what surface hatches are for.
Standard libraries rarely have every pattern a firm needs. Here is how to create your own:
Archicad distinguishes between two main types of hatches, which is crucial for performance and BIM standards: