diff --git a/include/cinolib/voxel_grid.cpp b/include/cinolib/voxel_grid.cpp
index 6bddc9f5..b080d993 100644
--- a/include/cinolib/voxel_grid.cpp
+++ b/include/cinolib/voxel_grid.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,29 @@
 namespace cinolib
 {
 
+//::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
+
+CINO_INLINE
+void voxel_grid_init(     VoxelGrid  & g,
+                    const uint         dim[3],
+                    const AABB       & bbox)
+{
+    assert(g.voxels==nullptr);
+
+    g.dim[0] = dim[0];
+    g.dim[1] = dim[1];
+    g.dim[2] = dim[2];
+    g.bbox   = bbox;
+
+    uint max_voxels_per_side = std::max(dim[0],std::max(dim[1],dim[2]));
+    g.len = g.bbox.delta().max_entry() / max_voxels_per_side;
+
+    uint size = dim[0]*dim[1]*dim[2];
+    g.voxels  = new int[size](); // https://stackoverflow.com/questions/12553154/initial-value-of-dynamically-allocated-memory-in-c
+}
+
+//::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
+
 CINO_INLINE
 uint voxel_corner_index(const uint dim[3],
                         const uint ijk[3],
diff --git a/include/cinolib/voxel_grid.h b/include/cinolib/voxel_grid.h
index dff5de1c..4ddae519 100644
--- a/include/cinolib/voxel_grid.h
+++ b/include/cinolib/voxel_grid.h
@@ -61,10 +61,18 @@ enum
     VOXEL_OUTSIDE  = 0x00000001,
     VOXEL_INSIDE   = 0x00000010,
     VOXEL_BOUNDARY = 0x00000100,
+    VOXEL_ANY      = 0x11111111,
 };
 
 //::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
 
+CINO_INLINE
+void voxel_grid_init(      VoxelGrid  & g,
+                     const uint         dim[3],
+                     const AABB       & bbox);
+
+//::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
+
 CINO_INLINE
 uint voxel_corner_index(const uint dim[3],
                         const uint ijk[3],
diff --git a/include/cinolib/voxel_grid_to_hexmesh.cpp b/include/cinolib/voxel_grid_to_hexmesh.cpp
index aa492383..ba02eae7 100644
--- a/include/cinolib/voxel_grid_to_hexmesh.cpp
+++ b/include/cinolib/voxel_grid_to_hexmesh.cpp
@@ -56,8 +56,9 @@ void voxel_grid_to_hexmesh(const VoxelGrid                         & g,
     std::vector<int> vert_map(n_verts,-1); // to keep track of already existing vertices
     for(uint id=0; id<n_voxel; ++id)
     {
-        if(g.voxels[id] & voxel_types)
+        if(voxel_types==VOXEL_ANY || g.voxels[id] & voxel_types)
         {
+
             vec3u ijk = deserialize_3D_index(id,g.dim[1],g.dim[2]);
 
             std::vector<uint> verts(8);