Introduction
Creating floors from a flat texture can work for distant views, but close-up archviz images often need more detail.
The Floor Generator plugin helps you build actual floor boards from a spline. This gives the floor real geometry, small gaps, bevels, and subtle board variation.
It is a fast way to make wooden floors feel more believable without modeling every plank by hand.
Good to know: In newer versions, Floor Generator can be used as a modifier, which makes it easy to adjust the floor after it has been created.
Start with a Spline
Floor Generator needs a shape to define the area of the floor.
For a simple room, use a rectangle spline.
Steps
- Go to the Create panel.
- Choose Shapes.
- Create a Rectangle over the floor area.
- Use snap if needed to cover the surface accurately.
- Convert the rectangle to an Editable Spline.
The spline is only used as the boundary. Floor Generator will fill that shape with boards.
Tip: Make sure the spline covers the full floor area before adding the modifier. It is easier to fix the boundary first than to adjust the generated boards later.
Add the Floor Generator Modifier
Select the spline and add Floor Generator from the modifier list.
In the latest version, it appears as a modifier. Once applied, it may load the last settings you used.
That is useful in production, but for learning it is better to check the main values manually.
Choose the Floor Pattern
Set the pattern to Standard.
This creates a regular plank layout, which works well for many wooden floors.
For a basic archviz floor, this is usually the best place to start because it is predictable and easy to control.
Set the Board Length
Set the board length to around 100 cm.
This controls the size of each floor board.
Shorter boards create a busier pattern. Longer boards create a cleaner and calmer floor.
For most interior scenes, 100 cm is a practical starting point.
Adjust the Grout Size
The grout controls the gap between the boards.
By default, it may be around 0.5 cm or 1 cm, which can look too wide for many wooden floors.
Set the grout to:
- 0.1 cm
This keeps the gaps visible, but not distracting.
Common mistake: Beginners often leave the grout too large. This can make the floor look more like tiles than wood planks.
Set the Board Offset
The offset controls how each row of boards shifts compared to the previous row.
A common value is 45, but 60 can also work well for many flooring layouts.
In this setup, use:
- Offset: 60
This creates a more natural staggered pattern.
The offset is important because perfectly aligned boards can look artificial. Real floors usually have some rhythm and variation between rows.
Keep the Board Thickness Simple
Floor Generator includes a setting for the board thickness or extrusion.
A value around 1 cm is usually enough for this kind of floor.
You do not need a very thick board unless the side of the floor will be visible. For most interior renders, the important details are the top surface, gaps, and bevels.
Add a Small Bevel
The bevel creates a small rounded edge on each board.
This is important because perfectly sharp edges often look fake in renders.
Set the bevel to around:
- 0.15 cm
A larger value like 1 cm makes the bevel much more obvious and may look too strong for a floor.
Tip: Small bevels catch highlights nicely. They help the boards read as separate pieces without making the floor look exaggerated.
Add Subtle Board Variation
Floor Generator includes variation settings for each board.
These can help break up the floor so it does not look too perfect.
Rotation Variation
You can add minimum and maximum rotation values.
For this basic setup, keep rotation variation low or avoid using it. Too much rotation can make the floor look badly installed.
Offset Variation
Minimum and maximum offset can also be adjusted.
Again, this is something to use carefully. Strong offset variation can make the pattern messy.
Tilt Variation
Tilt is often more useful.
It adds a very small up-and-down variation to the boards. This can make the floor feel less computer-generated.
Use a very low value so the effect is barely noticeable.
Important: The best variation is usually subtle. If you can clearly see every board tilting, the value is probably too high.
Use the General Settings
The General section controls the overall behavior of the generated floor.
Scale
Keep the scale at:
- 100
This keeps the floor at the correct size.
Changing scale here can make the boards inaccurate if your scene is already modeled correctly.
Direction
Use the direction value to rotate the floor board layout.
In this example, set it to:
- 90°
This changes the direction of the boards so they run the way you want in the room.
Seed
The seed changes the random distribution of the boards.
If you do not like the current board layout, change the seed value. This gives you a different result without rebuilding the floor from scratch.
Tip: Seed is useful when the floor pattern creates an awkward board placement near an important camera angle.
Leave the Advanced Defaults
For this simple floor setup, most of the remaining settings can stay at their default values.
This includes:
- UV settings
- UV channel
- Warning limits
- Update settings
The warning limit can stay around 10,000.
Keep the floor updating so you can see changes while adjusting the modifier.
Apply a Wood Material
Once the floor geometry is ready, apply a wood material.
Steps
- Select the generated floor.
- Open the Material Editor.
- Choose a wood material.
- Assign it to the floor.
- Use Corona Interactive if you want to preview the result quickly.
The material is what brings the generated floor to life. Floor Generator creates the board geometry, but the wood texture gives it color, grain, and surface detail.
Recommended Starting Values
Use these values as a simple starting point:
| Setting | Suggested Value |
|---|---|
| Pattern | Standard |
| Board length | 100 cm |
| Grout | 0.1 cm |
| Offset | 60 |
| Thickness / Extrude | 1 cm |
| Bevel | 0.15 cm |
| Scale | 100 |
| Direction | 90° |
| Tilt | Very low value |
These are not final rules. They are safe beginner values that you can adjust depending on the floor style and room scale.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Making the Grout Too Wide
Large gaps can make wooden floors look unrealistic.
Start with a small grout value and increase it only if needed.
Using Too Much Bevel
A bevel helps the boards catch light, but too much bevel makes the floor look soft or cartoon-like.
Keep it subtle.
Adding Strong Variation
Rotation, offset, and tilt variation can improve realism, but only when used carefully.
If the variation is obvious, reduce it.
Forgetting the Board Direction
Board direction affects the feeling of the room.
If the floor looks wrong, try rotating the direction to 90° or another suitable angle.
Conclusion
Floor Generator is a quick and practical way to create realistic 3D floors in 3ds Max.
Start with a clean spline, apply the modifier, then adjust the board length, grout, offset, bevel, and direction. Keep the variation subtle and finish the floor with a good wood material.
With just a few settings, you can turn a flat floor area into detailed geometry that looks much better in close-up archviz renders.
