• Revit

Create an opening in a roof

Create a roof sketch using the roof by footprint method. Use a parametric relationship between a roof sketch and walls. Create a void in a roof for chimney walls. Convert a roof sketch to a roof element.


Tutorial resources

These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:

RF-Arch_Roof-Opening_RVT2021.rvt

Step-by-step guide

Create a gable roof, and then create an opening to accommodate the chimney stack.

  1. Open the project RF-Arch_Roof Opening_RVT2021.rvt. It opens in the 3D view.
  2. In the Project Browser, in the Floor Plans section, double-click Level 3.

In the Revit interface, a 3D view of the project for this example, with the Level 3 view being selected in the Project Browser.

  1. Zoom in on the main building.

To create the gable roof:

  1. In the Architecture tab > Build panel, expand Roof and click Roof by Footprint.

In the Architecture tab, Build panel, the Roof drop-down expanded, with Roof by Footprint selected.

  1. In the Options Bar, deselect Defines slope and set the Overhang to 1'-0".
  2. In the Draw panel, verify that Pick Walls is selected.
  3. Hover over one wall and make sure the dashed line is on the outside of the walls.

In the Options Bar and Draw panel, options for this example highlighted in red, and in the Level 3 view, the cursor hovering over a wall, with a dashed line displaying on the outside.

  1. Press TAB to select the rest of the walls.
  2. Click to place the roof sketch.
  3. Click Modify.
  4. Select the top horizontal line and (with the CTRL key pressed), select one of the lower horizontal lines.

In the Level 3 view, the top horizontal line of the placed roof sketch selected, and one of the horizontal lower lines selected and highlighted in red.

  1. In the Options Bar, select Defines slope.
  2. In the Modify | Create Roof Footprint tab > Mode panel, click Finish Edit Mode.
  3. When prompted to attach the highlighted walls to the roof, click Attach.

The Level 3 view, and a notification asking if you would like to attach the highlighted walls to the roof, with Attach selected.

  1. Open the 3D view and select the chimney stack.

In the 3D view, the new gable roof highlighted, with the chimney stack selected.

  1. In the View Control Bar, expand Temporary Hide/Isolate, and select Hide Element.

In the View Control Bar, the expanded Temporary Hide/Isolate menu, with Hide Element selected.

  1. Orbit around the 3D view to see that the chimney stack has been hidden, and that there is no opening.

An orbited 3D view shows the chimney stack hidden and no opening.

  1. Reset Temporary Hide/Isolate.
  2. Open the Level 3 view and select the roof.
  3. In the Modify | Roofs tab > Mode panel, click Edit Footprint.

In the Level 3 view, the roof selected, and in the Modify | Roofs tab > Mode panel, Edit Footprint selected.

  1. In the Modify | Roofs > Edit Footprint tab > Draw panel, click Rectangle.
  2. Sketch a rectangle around the chimney stack.

In the Modify | Roofs > Edit Footprint tab > Draw panel, Rectangle selected, and in the view, a rectangle drawn around the chimney stack, highlighted in red.

  1. Click Finish Edit Mode.
  2. Open the 3D view.
  3. Select and hide the chimney stack.

Now, you can see the opening in the roof.

In the 3D view, the chimney stack hidden and the opening for the chimney now visible.

  1. Reset Temporary Hide/Isolate.

Note that the rectangle is now part of the entire closed-loop footprint, meaning you would have to re-enter sketch mode to remove it.

To create an opening that is independent of the closed-loop footprint:

  1. Open the Level 3 view.
  2. In the Architecture tab > Opening panel, click Vertical.
  3. Select the edge of the roof.
  4. Draw a rectangle anywhere on the back of the roof.

In the Level 3 view, a rectangle being drawn in a random location on the back of the roof.

  1. Click Finish Edit Mode.
  2. Open the 3D view.

Select and move the new opening. It is separate from the roof and can be edited without having to re-enter sketch mode.

In the 3D view, a new opening in the roof being dragged to a different location.

  1. Delete the opening.
  2. Save the project.

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