If you want to learn how to use Revit to create structural drawings, this tutorial might help you. In this tutorial, we will create a complete 3D model, a set of drawings, and a complete set of shop drawings for steel production. The tutorial is based on the project I did in 2020 – a cozy Italian joint with excellent pizza.
Video: Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Watch a short video that will show you step-by-step how to draw a structural grid:
Create New Structural Project
Open Revit. Choose Create a New Project using an Imperial Structural Template when you are in the U.S. or a Metric Template if metric units are used in your area. Click OK.
The New Project will be created.
Create Vertical Gridlines
Open Site Plan (or any plan) and, in the Architecture tab, find the Grid tool located on the left side of the toolbar. You can also use the shortcut “GR” to activate this tool.
Place the cursor exactly where you wish to start a grid line. Left-click to start the grid line. Move the cursor to the spot where you want to end the grid line and press the left button. You can also enter a numeric value instead.
To show a grid bubble, check the little box above the created grid line.
Once you have your first grid line established, you can set up a distance to the next line by typing the value in the Offset box. Next, click on the green offset Pick lines tool in the Draw section of the menu.
Add the next grid line to the left or right of the previous one, and then repeat the process.
PRO TIP #1:
- The grid lines are named automatically, but you can interrupt and change the naming sequence of future grids by double-clicking in the bubble and changing the name. You can also change the name of the grid afterward.
PRO TIP #2:
- If you want to adjust the scale of the view, you can choose a scale from the standard scales or you can even make up your own.
PRO TIP #3:
- If you want to move the entire grid line, select all the grids and move them using the Move
Creating Horizontal Grid lines
To draw horizontal grid lines, the procedure is exactly the same as drawing vertical grid lines. Once you have drawn the first grid line, you add the other grid lines by specifying the offset from the previous grid line. It is that easy!
By typing “A” in the bubble, I am establishing a naming sequence that starts with the letter “A.”
PRO TIP #4:
- If you make a mistake and you want to adjust the distance between the grid lines, all you need to do is place a dimension line between the grid lines and type in the new distance.
PRO TIP #5:
- You can change the properties of the dimension lines as they are fully customizable. Go to the Properties and change the parameters you need to adjust. I am changing the color to blue and the text background to transparent.
- You can add or remove dimensions from the string by invoking the Edit Witness Lines tool on the ribbon.
- You can freeze the distances between the grid lines by locking the dimension lines between them.
- You can adjust the length of the grid lines by grabbing and moving the grip at the ends of the grid line.
Conclusion
And that concludes this tutorial. You just made the entire grid for the restaurant in less than 10 minutes! Congratulations!
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