RAILINGS - GENERAL TIPS

RAILINGS EXPLAINED

Refer to this comprehensive explanation - Revit-Railings.pdf.

RAILING EXAMPLES

Railings can not exist as separate family files, but you can Copy & Paste railings between project files.

The Revit Library has folders with Revit project files that contain different railings.

. . .\Revit Libraries\Approved Library\Railing Examples

. . .\Revit Libraries\UnApproved Library\Railing Examples

Open a railing example file, select the railing you want, Modify tab, Clipboard panel, Copy to Clipboard.

Then go to a view in your project file and Modify tab, Clipboard panel, Paste from Clipboard.

It doesn't matter where you place it.

After placing select the pasted railing and Delete it.

The railing in now available when you create a new railing.

CEILING MOUNTED RAILINGS

Do NOT use railings for ceiling mounted objects, like curtain rails etc.

Create an inplace family sweep with an appropriate category instead.

The railing category will not show in Reflected ceiling plans.

This is a 'feature' in Revit and there is no way around it.

EDITING RAILINGS

Each sketch segment of a railing, and Boundary segment of a stair, has a Slope and a Height Correction parameter.

If a railing, stair landing or stair stringer is not behaving how you would like try changing these parameters.

You’ll find it in the Option bar when editing the offending item.

RAILING VISIBILITY

Railings that are intersected by the cut plane of a floor plan view will display the portion above the cut plane using a different subcategory.

The subcategory is called Railings Beyond Cut Line.

By default this is set to Hidden/2 line pattern and Line Weight 1.

This can be changed globally in Object Styles, or in a view using Visibility/Graphic Overrides.

CUSTOM RAILING CONNECTIONS

Getting railings to connect neatly at corners, especially on stairs, is frustratingly difficult.

There is a way to custom draw a connection:

• 1. Create a 3D view with section box around the connection you would like to resolve.

  2. Export this 3D view to a DWG file.

  3. Create a new Generic Model family.

  4. Import the 3D DWG.

  5. Using the context you have now imported, model the rest of the baluster / railing connection. I recommend that you use Reference Lines and then create Sweeps using 'Pick Lines'.

  6. After you have modeled the custom 3D geometry in the Generic Model family, create a Baluster Post family.

  7. Load the Generic Model family into the Baluster Post family.

  8. Load the Baluster Post family into the Project.

  9. Apply your new custom Baluster Post to the Start / Corner / End post of the Railing you are trying to correct.

  10. In the Baluster Post family, rotate and move the Generic Model family around until it is in the right place and reload into the Project.

It is not a quick or easy solution so only use it if you really need to show a good connection in 3D. It is quicker to draft over the bad connection in the relevant views.