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AdvancedFree Revit course about 30 min

Creating families

Build your own parametric families: the Family Editor workflow of reference planes, labelled dimensions and locked geometry that lets one family produce many sizes.

In this lesson you will

  • Choose the right family template
  • Build a reference-plane skeleton with parameters
  • Lock geometry to reference planes and flex it
  • Add types, materials and visibility controls

The golden rule: skeleton first

Parametric families are built on reference planes. Dimensions between planes are labelled with parameters, and solid geometry is locked to the planes. When a parameter changes, the planes move and drag the geometry with them. Never dimension the geometry directly — dimension the planes.

Worked example: a simple table

  1. 1File › New › Family › choose Metric Furniture.rft (the category matters for scheduling and visibility).
  2. 2In plan, add reference planes for the table's left, right, front and back, symmetrical about the centre planes.
  3. 3Dimension left–right and add an EQ dimension about the centre; label the overall dimension with a new type parameter Width. Do the same for Depth.
  4. 4In an elevation, add a reference plane for the top and label its height Height.
  5. 5Create the top: Extrusion, draw a rectangle on the planes and lock all four edges (padlocks). Set extrusion start/end to the top thickness.
  6. 6Create legs as extrusions locked to planes offset from the edges.
  7. 7Open Family Types and change Width, Depth and Height to flex the family. Anything that doesn't move isn't locked.

Flex after every few steps. Finding a broken constraint immediately is easy; finding it after an hour is not.

Types, materials and visibility

  • Types: in Family Types, create 1200 × 800, 1800 × 900 and so on — each with its own parameter values.
  • Materials: add a material parameter (e.g. Top Material) and associate the geometry's material with it.
  • Visibility: set geometry to show only in certain views or detail levels (Visibility Settings), and use symbolic lines for a simple plan representation.
  • Formulas: e.g. Leg Inset = Width / 20, or if(Width > 1600, 6, 4) for number of chairs in a nested array.

Good family practice

Name parameters clearly; decide type vs instance deliberately; keep geometry simple; set the correct category and insertion point (origin at the intersection of the centre reference planes, marked Defines Origin); fill in identity data. Test in a project before sharing.

Quick reference

Command / toolHow to start itWhat it does
Reference PlaneRPSkeleton planes in families
Family TypesCreate/Modify tabParameters, types, formulas
Extrusion / Blend / Revolve / SweepCreate tabSolid and void forms
Load into ProjectFamily EditorLoads the family into open projects

Common mistakes

  • Geometry doesn't move when flexing.

    Lock sketch lines to reference planes; dimension planes, not geometry.

  • Family behaves oddly when placed.

    Check category, host type and which planes define the origin.

Exercise

A parametric desk

  1. Build a desk family with Width, Depth, Height and Top Thickness parameters.
  2. Add a modesty panel that stays centred.
  3. Add three types and a material parameter.
  4. Load it into your project, place each type, and schedule them.

You should end up with: A working parametric furniture family.

Checklist

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Lesson quiz

1 / 4

What should you dimension and label with parameters in a family?

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