Creating a custom wall family in Revit involves defining the wall's structure, materials, and behaviors within the Revit family editor. While a detailed step-by-step guide requires more information (like specific wall types), here's a general outline:
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Start a New Family: In Revit, go to "File" > "New" > "Family". Select a wall family template (e.g., Metric Generic Model Wall.rft or similar). This template provides the basic framework for a wall.
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Define the Wall Structure:
- Edit the Wall Type: In the Family Editor, you'll primarily work with the "Edit Type" properties of the wall.
- Structure Tab: Within the "Edit Type" dialog, locate the "Structure" parameter and click "Edit". This opens the "Edit Assembly" dialog.
- Layers: Add, delete, and reorder layers to define the wall's composition. Each layer represents a different material (e.g., brick, insulation, drywall).
- Material and Thickness: For each layer, assign a material from the Revit material library and specify the thickness. Ensure your materials have appropriate rendering appearances for accurate visualization.
- Function: Assign a "Function" to each layer (e.g., Structure, Substrate, Finish 1, Finish 2). This affects how the wall interacts with other elements.
- Core Boundary: Designate the layers that form the structural core of the wall by placing them between the "Core Boundary" lines. This is crucial for proper wall joining behavior.
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Add Sweeps and Reveals (Optional): If your wall requires decorative or functional sweeps or reveals:
- Create Sweeps/Reveals: Use the "Sweep" or "Reveal" tools within the Family Editor. These tools allow you to add profiles along the wall's length.
- Profile: Load or create a profile family that defines the shape of the sweep or reveal.
- Material: Assign a material to the sweep or reveal.
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Add Openings (Optional): If you want pre-defined openings in the wall:
- Void Forms: Use void forms to cut openings into the wall. You can create parametric dimensions to control the size and location of the openings.
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Parameters:
- Create Parameters: Add parameters to control various aspects of the wall, such as height, width, material, and layer thicknesses.
- Associate Parameters: Associate these parameters with the dimensions and properties of the wall's geometry. This allows you to easily adjust the wall's characteristics in the project environment. Use Type parameters for characteristics shared by all walls of that type, and Instance parameters for characteristics that vary between individual walls.
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Constraints: Apply constraints to lock the geometry of the wall together. This ensures that the wall behaves predictably when its parameters are changed.
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Save the Family: Save your custom wall family (.rfa file) in a location where you can easily access it.
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Load into Project: Load the custom wall family into your Revit project.
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Place the Wall: You can now place the wall in your project like any other system family. You'll find it listed under "Walls" in the Architecture tab.
Creating a Group and Saving It (Referenced Source):
The provided source excerpt describes creating a group of elements within a project and saving that group. This is different from creating a wall family. While you can create a group of walls and save it for re-use in the same or other projects, this doesn't create a custom wall family with adjustable parameters and definable structure. Saving a group is useful for quickly replicating arrangements of existing walls but not for creating a truly customizable wall type. The process to save a group is:
- Select elements: Select the walls and other elements you want to include in the group.
- Create Group: Click on the "Create Group" button.
- Name the Group: Give the group a descriptive name.
- Save the Group: In the Project Browser, find the group. Right-click on it and select "Save Group."
This will save the group as a separate Revit project file (.rvt) that can be linked or inserted into other projects. It is not the way to define a custom wall family.
