Part Two. Revit

Chapter 13. Add/edit stairs, rails, & roof

Session Objectives

Upon completing this session, students will be able to:

  • (CO 1) Add/Edit Stair – three types of staircases
  • (CO 2) Add/Edit Railing
  • (CO 3) Add/Edit Roof

 Session Highlights

At the end of the session, students can create the graphics below.

It shows the session highlight presenting the building section with the stair. This is the expected result at the end of this lecture.

 Lecture Contents

(CO 1) Add/Edit Stair – three types of staircases

  • Revit provides various types of staircases, and it is modifiable.
  • Revit stair automatically calculates the number of stair runs, automatically creating landing, supports, and even handrails.
  • In this tutorial, the instructor will demonstrate four types of staircases – a straight stair, two runs (a switchback stair), a spiral, and a custom with sketch in another Revit file only for reference.
  • For the Eames house, students will only need a spiral staircase.
  • For more information about Revit stairs, please visit this page

To create a straight stair

Be aware of the overall size of the staircase and create walls for the staircase before you create a staircase in Revit. If it is an open staircase, please use the reference plane for a guideline.

  • [STEP 1] Open floor plan views (e.g., Level 1 floor plan view and Level 2 floor plan view) and 3D view or a section view with a perspective view to see the height and overall shape of the staircase. And view change to Window Tile view (WT)
    It shows the resulting image after opening views for a stair.
  • [STEP 2] Draw Detail Line (DL) for the outlines of the staircase. You may turn on the CAD drawing that you already imported.
  • [STEP 3] Click [STAIR] from [ARCHITECTURE] tab, under [BUILD] panel
  • [STEP 4] Select [STRAIGHT] from [MODIFY/CREATE STAIR], under [COMPONENT] panel
  • [STEP 5] Select a center point for the stair start point on a plan view, then Revit automatically calculates and shows how many stairs are needed to reach the next floor. Then, click the endpoint on the current view to finish
    It indicates how to create a straight stair.
  • [STEP 6] Then, the preview will show on all the views. If it looks OK, click the green checkmark to finish. If it needs changes, the types of family, click family type on [PROPERTIES] palette, and select the desired family. If you do not have a desired family for the stair, load the family first
  • [STEP 7] If the stair run width need a modification, click the run, then change the width by adjusting the arrows
    If the stair Riser Height or/and Tread Depth change, click [EDIT TYPE] and change the Type Properties. Do not forget, if you change the type properties, all types will change. To prevent this, please [DUPLICATE] and edit.
    It indicates how to edit the family for the straight stair.
  • [STEP 8] Click [GREEN CHECKMARK] to complete
  • [STEP 9] Remove the Detail lines or the Reference Plans that you used for the stair
  • [STEP 10] If you found errors on your stair, click [EDIT STAIRS] to fix the error

To create a two-runs stair (a switchback stair)

  • [STEP 1] Open floor plan views (e.g., Level 1 floor plan view and Level 2 floor plan view) and 3D view or a section view with a perspective view to see the height and overall shape of the staircase. And view change to Window Tile view (WT)
  • [STEP 2] Draw Detail Line (DL) for the outlines of the staircase. You may turn on the CAD drawing you already imported.
    It shows the guidelines for the two run stair.
  • [STEP 3] Click [STAIR] from [ARCHITECTURE] tab, under [BUILD] panel
  • [STEP 4] Select [STRAIGHT] from [MODIFY/CREATE STAIR], under [COMPONENT] panel
  • [STEP 5] Select a center point for the stair start point on a plan view, then Revit automatically calculates and shows how many stairs are needed to reach the next floor. Then, click the second point on the current view to create the landing start
    Then, click the third point on the current view to create the second stair start point
    Then, click the endpoint on the current view to finish
    It indicates how to create the two run stair.
  • [STEP 6] Then, the preview will show in all the views. If it looks OK, click the green checkmark to finish. If it needs changes, the types of family, click family type on [Properties] palette, and select a desire family. If you do not have a desire family for the stair, load the family first
  • [STEP 7] If the stair run width needs a modification, click the run, then change the width by adjusting the arrows
    It indicates how to adjust the landing width for the two-run stair.
  • [STEP 8] Click [GREEN CHECKMARK] to complete
    It shows the two run stair.
  • [STEP 9] Remove the Detail lines or the Reference Plans that you used for the stair

To create a spiral stair

  • [STEP 1] Open floor plan views (e.g., Level 1 floor plan view and Level 2 floor plan view) and 3D view or a section views with a perspective views to see the height and overall shape of the staircase. And view change to Window Tile view (WT)
  • [STEP 2] Draw Detail Line (DL) for the outlines of the staircase. You may turn on the CAD drawing you already imported.
    It shows the guidelines for the spiral stair.
  • [STEP 3] Click [STAIR] from [ARCHITECTURE] tab, under [BUILD] panel
  • [STEP 4] Select [FULL STEP SPIRAL] from [MODIFY/CREATE STAIR], under [COMPONENT] panel
  • [STEP 5] Select a center point of the staircase start point on a plan view, then Revit automatically calculates and shows how many stairs are needed to reach the next floor. Then, click the center point of the run start on the current view to create the staircase.
    It indicates how to create the spiral stair.
  • [STEP 6] Then, the preview will show on all the views. If it looks OK, click the green checkmark to finish. If needs changes, the types of family, click family type on [PROPERTIES] palette and select a desired family. If you do not have a desired family for the stair, load the family first
  • [STEP 7] If the stair run width needs a modification, click the run, then change the width by adjusting the arrows
    It indicates how to edit the spiral stair.
  • [STEP 8] Click [GREEN CHECKMARK] to complete
    It shows the resulting image of the spiral stair.
  • [STEP 9] Remove the Detail lines or the Reference Plans that used for the stair

Complete the staircase for the Eames house project with [FULL STEP SPIRAL] tool. It may need some adjustment because of the structure and shape. Please experiment for the staircase.
It shows the resulting image for the spiral stair for Eames House.

To create a custom stair

  • [STEP 1] Open floor plan views (e.g., Level 1 floor plan view and Level 2 floor plan view) and 3D view or a section view with a perspective view to see the height and overall shape of the staircase. And view change to Window Tile view (WT)
    It shows the custom stair icon location.
  • [STEP 2] Draw [BOUNDARY]
    It shows the guidelines for the custom stair.
  • [STEP 3] Draw [RISER]
    It shows the sketches for the custom stair.
  • [STEP 4] Draw [STAIR PATH]
    It shows the sketches for the custom stair.
  • [STEP 5] Click [GREEN CHECKMARK] to finish
    It shows the preview for the custom stair needing direction change.
  • [STEP 6] If needed, click [FLIP] the direction of the staircase
    It shows the preview for the custom stair.
  • [STEP 7] Click [GREEN CHECKMARK] to complete the tool
    It shows the custom stair.

Autodesk provides sample stairs and railings. Please download the samples by clicking this page and copy and paste that which you want to use in your project. This process will load the family files to your Revit file

(CO 2) Add/Edit Railing

Typically, railings are automatically created when a staircase is made

For more information about Railings, please read this page

However, many times, your railings need modifications.

To extend your railings

  • [STEP 1] click the railing
  • [STEP 2] click [EDIT PATH]
  • [STEP 3] edit/add the path
    It shows the process image to edit the railing.

To edit handrail

  • [STEP 1] If a Handrail path needs changing, you can select handrail only by pressing the [TAB] key
  • [STEP 2] click [EDIT RAIL]
  • [STEP 3] click [EDIT PATH] it would be better to work in Section or a 3d view
    It shows the resulting image after edit the hand railing.

To change the handrail type, change the family type from [PROPERTIES] palette

To create a path without a stair

  • [STEP 1] Click [RAILING]
  • [STEP 2] Click [SKETCH PATH]
  • [STEP 3] Sketch a path with a drawing tool on a plan view
    It indicates how to sketch a path for the railing.
  • [STEP 4] Click [GREEN CHECKMARK] to finish

(CO 3) Add/Edit Roof

In this session, I will demonstrate the two types of roof; one is the Eames house roof – Flat roof and a typical residential roof – Hip roof

There are ten standard roof shape models in the Revit tutorial. Please watch this tutorial for your other projects
10 Common Roof Shapes Modeled in Revit Tutorial

Please find Autodesk provided roof tutorials from this link

If you want to create complex roof shapes in Revit, please watch this YouTube video
3 Complex Roof Shapes in Revit

For the Eames House project, you will create two models, which are the roof on the top of the metal deck and the Edge of the roof.

Add a flat roof

  • [STEP 1] From the Project Browser, switch to the Roof plan.
  • [STEP 2] In the Properties, with nothing selected, set the Underlay to level 2.
  • [STEP 3] From the Architectural tab, click the small arrow on the roof] > Click [ROOF BY FOOTPRINT]
    It shows the location of the icon for creating a flat roof.
  • [STEP 4] Use the Draw tool to create a boundary.
    • Make sure you check Basic Roof – Generic – 9” > Duplicate – 3.”
    • Base level – Roof
    • Base offset from level – 0’ 0.”
    • Uncheck – Defines slope
    • Offset – 0’ 0.”
  • [STEP 5] Once the boundary line is done, click the green checkmark
  • [STEP 6] Your roof will be over the Metal deck; you can move the roof above the metal deck
    It indicates how to change the roof level.
  • [STEP 7] You may add a point / a line for slope for a roof drain, click [ADD POINT] and click a point on the roof and change the height.
    It indicates how to change the roof level with points.

To create a gutter

  • [STEP 1] From the Architectural tab, click the small arrow on the roof] > Click [ROOF: GUTTER]
  • [STEP 2] Default will be Gutter – Bevel 5” x 5”. We will change to 6”x 6.”
  • [STEP 3] Click [EDIT TYPE] > [DUPLICATE] > name change [000_Gutter – Bevel 6″ x 6″] > Click [OK]
  • [STEP 4] Click Gutter Profile-Bevel: 5”x5” on profile
  • [STEP 5] Change to 6”x 6” > Click [OK]
  • [STEP 6] From the ISO view, click the top edges of the roof
  • [STEP 7] To finish, [ESC] key
    It shows the roof gutter.

Add a hip roof (combined)

  • [STEP 1] From the Project Browser, switch to the Roof plan.
  • [STEP 2] In the Properties, with nothing selected, set the Underlay to level 2 or level 1.
  • [STEP 3] From the Architectural tab, click the small arrow on the roof] > Click [ROOF BY FOOTPRINT]
  • [STEP 4] Use the Draw tool to create a boundary.
    • Make sure you check Basic Roof – Generic – 9” > Duplicate – 3.”
    • Base level – Roof
    • Base offset from level – 0’ 0.”
    • Check – Defines slope
    • Slope – 9”/12.”
    • Offset – 1’ 6.”
  • [STEP 5] Select 3 lines do not have a slope, uncheck [DEFINES SLOPE]
    It shows the sketch for a hip roof.
  • [STEP 6] Click [GREEN CHECKMARK] when it is done
    It shows the resulting image after creating a hip roof.
  • [STEP 7] From the Architectural tab, click the small arrow on the roof > Click [ROOF BY EXTENSION]
  • [STEP 8] Revit will ask you to select a work plan > Select [PICK A PLANE] > Pick a face of wall where the roof profile will start
  • [STEP 9] Revit will ask you to select Roof reference level and offset > Click [OK]
  • [STEP 10] Draw a continued open line for the roof on a Front view
    It shows the sketch for side of the hip roof.
  • [STEP 11] Click Green checkmark when it is done
  • [STEP 12] On the plan view, you will adjust the depth of the roof
  • [STEP 13] To fix the separated roof, you may use [JOIN/UNJOIN ROOF] on the Modify tab
  • [STEP 14] Click the profile first and click the face where the profile will meet
    It indicates how to join the hip roof.
  • [STEP 15] To meet all wall to the Roof, Select all walls
  • [STEP 16] Click [ATTACH TOP/BASE]
  • [STEP 17] Click the roof, you may get a warning, but it is OK.
    It shows the resulting image after attaching the walls to the hip roof.

SAVE the file before closing the application.

Save in a different location for the backup (e.g., a cloud folder)

References

Autodesk.Help. (2020, September 10). Stairs. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2019/ENU/Revit-Model/files/GUID-B1B305DF-8DBE-44A7-A7C6-16B70A3B580E-htm.html

Autodesk.Help. (2018, September 26). Revit Sample Stair and Railing Files. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/getting-started/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2018/ENU/Revit-GetStarted/files/GUID-899499DB-C96A-4C66-8500-0CC4E3FD62B1-htm.html

Autodesk.Help. (2020, September 10). Railings. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2019/ENU/Revit-Model/files/GUID-447460EC-DAC6-481B-8F0A-1AED56D51D48-htm.html

Balkan Architect. (2019, January 8). 10 Common Roof Shapes Modeld in Revit Tutorial. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enrmG9CMUfE

Autodesk.Help. (2018, September 26). Revit Roof Sample File. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/getting-started/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2018/ENU/Revit-GetStarted/files/GUID-785EDA82-B8DD-4BF3-A508-E7FC4860E24D-htm.html

Balkan Architect. (2018, March 31). 3 Complex Roof Shapes in Revit. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTmBA4mMKK8

License

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Tutorials of Visual Graphic Communication Programs for Interior Design Copyright © 2021 by Yongyeon Cho is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.