REVIT ARCHITECTURE 2010

TUTORIALS

06 – ROOF DORMERS
   

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 INTRODUCTION
This tutorial examines the process of creating Roof Dormers
and Gables, combining multiple roofs to construct the finished
product. Basic Revit skills are presumed in order to set up a
building to construct the roof.
This tutorial was created using Autodesk Revit Architecture
2010.

Many complex roofs in

Revit are achieved in Begin by sketching a plan to allow us to create a roof , you
multiple steps creating may use your own design or a simple rectangle for the purpose
multiple roof elements
and joining them to- of the exercise as in this tutorial. The process will involve
gether. You cannot al- creating separate roof structures for the dormer and main roof
ways create roofs as one
single element. and cutting and joining them to one roof. We will begin by
building the main roof.

Figure 1 — Sketching the ground floor level.

Switch to the Level 1 view and then on the ‘build’ tab select
the ‘roof’ tool. By default ‘roof by footprint’ should be
Selected. If it is not, using the drop down arrow, select ‘roof by
footprint’ since we wish to create the roof from the building
footprint.

Figure 2 — Selecting the roof tool.

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We are using pick walls This will take you into the roof sketching mode. On the ‘draw’
since the roof follows the
footprint of the building. tab select ‘pick walls’ (which again should be selected by
Picking walls saves us default but select it if not).
from sketching an outline
since it already exists in
the walls.

Figure 3 — Selecting pick walls.

The tab key is not only Hover the cursor over one of the walls and press the ‘tab’ key
used to cycle through to select all the connected walls and ‘left click’ on the mouse to
objects on top of one
another but also to select select them. You will notice angle/pitch symbols on all walls
continuous joined indicating they will all define a slope and the roof pitch is set to
elements of the same type
in one click.
30 degrees. On the ‘elements’ tab select ‘roof properties’.

Figure 4 — Selecting roof properties.

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Custom roofs are able to In this properties box you can set various parameters as well as
be created and you are adjust the size of the roof structure itself. In the ‘type’ box,
not restricted to the select ‘generic 125mm’ and then select ‘ok’. To complete the
selections in this box.
roof, select ‘finish roof’.

Figure 5 — Changing roof styles.

View ranges are an

essential part of working It is likely you will need to adjust your view range on the
in Revit, the ‘help’ page Level 1 view to see the complete roof as it will likely be cut in
in Revit (F1) has a very section in the default settings.
good diagram that is
worth reading if you do
not understand the
concept.

Figure 6 — Default view range displaying the roof in section.

In the ‘view properties’ of level 1, scroll down to and select

‘edit’ in the ‘view range’ to adjust the view range. Under
‘primary range’ adjust the ‘offset’ for the ‘top’ and ‘cut plane’
to 4000. Depending on your roof height, this may or may not
be enough, so continue adjust these figures until your roof
displays in full.

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 Figure 7 —Selecting View range.

Figure 8 —Editing the View range.

You could also create

another level above the
roof if you wish the cut
plane to be lower for use
in walls and windows on
Level 1.

Figure 9 —Roof displaying in full.

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Reference planes are We will now use ‘reference planes’ to sketch some
used to setout and or
constrain elements within construction lines to set up our dormer. Switch to the West
Revit and the Revit Elevation and on the ‘work plane’ tab select ‘reference plane’
Family editor and they
can also be selected as
‘work planes’ once they
are named.

Figure 10 —Selecting reference plane

Draw a ‘reference plane’ from the ridge of the roof and extend
it out to the right (an arbitrary distance). Then use the ‘copy’
tool to copy the reference plane 300mm below the ridge. ‘right
click’ on the copied reference plane and select ‘element
properties’. Enter ‘Dormer ridge’ into the name field.

Here we are trying to Figure 11 —Sketching and naming the reference plane.
locate the height of the
Dormer ridge. The
horizontal planes are In order for the reference planes to display in plan view, they
used to measure 300mm must be drawn perpendicular to the view. Draw another
below the main roof and reference plane in a vertical direction from the intersection of
the vertical plane is used
to make that point visible the ‘dormer ridge’ plane and the roof as in Figure 12. As we
in plan since Revit will will use this to locate the ridge of the dormer in plan, name it
not display reference
planes not drawn something like ‘dormer ridge plan’, though these names can be
perpendicular to the anything you like to help you identify each plane.
view.

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 Figure 12 —Sketching Dormer ridge plan reference plane.
You cannot ‘offset’
reference planes, which is
why the ‘copy’ tool was
Sketch another reference plane in a vertical direction (or copy
used where an ‘offset’ the ‘Dormer ridge plane’ across) in the rough position of the
would have been easier. face of your Dorma. This does not need to be accurate just yet
The naming of reference as this will be adjust in plan later. Name it ‘Face of Dormer’.
planes is only for your
identification purposes
and can be anything you
like.

Figure 13 —Sketching face of dormer reference plane.

Switch to the Level 1 view and you will now see the ‘Dormer
ridge plan’ and ‘Face of dormer’ reference planes which will
allow us to locate our dormer.

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Create two more reference planes to setout the width of the
dormer and locate them in the position you would like.

Figure 14 — Setting out the Dormer using reference planes.

Using the wall tool, you can now sketch your attic with your
dormer located in position. Do not worry about wall heights
yet as we will be attaching them to the respective roofs at a
later point. At this point you can check to
ensure the dormer is of the required size to meet any
requirements and adjust its position accordingly. You will note
that we are yet to use the ‘dormer ridge plan’ reference plane,
this will be needed when we sketch the dormer roof.

Figure 15 —Sketching the attic walls.

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A closed loop within a
roof outline will create a
void much in the same
manner as using
‘extrusions’ in earlier
tutorials in this series.
Whether you select ‘yes’
or ‘no’ when prompted to
attach walls does not
matter at this stage since
they will all be adjusted
later to finalise the roof.
Now that we have finalised our Dormer location we need to cut
a void in the main roof for it to sit. Select the main roof and on
the ‘edit tab’ select ‘edit footprint’.
Figure 16 — Selecting Edit footprint.
Sketch the Dormer roof shape, but you must ensure you
deselect ‘defines slope’ on all lines of the void since roof voids
cannot define a slope. Ensure the void lines intersect at the
‘dormer ridge plan’ reference plane to accurately control the
ridge height, but do not draw the line of the ridge. Since this is
the void outline and not the actual dormer roof, do not draw
any overhangs either, the void should finish flush with your
walls.
Figure 17 —Sketching the outline of the main roof void.
Select ‘Finish roof’ when complete to create the void. If you
are prompted with a box asking if you wish the walls to attach
to the roof, select ‘yes’. Switch to a 3d view to see the results,
you will most likely have a few walls extending up through the
void, ignore them for now since they will attach to the Dormer
when created. You can hide them to see the roof with the void.
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 Figure 18 — 3d view of the roof void.

The ‘overhang’ selection

box will only become It is now time to create the Dormer. Switch to the Level 1 plan
active where you have
used ‘pick walls’ since it
and select the ‘roof by footprint’ tool. Trace around the outline
is relative to a chosen of the void for the shape of the roof, and this time allow for any
wall. Where there is no overhangs you wish to have. Make sure only the two sides have
wall to choose you must
draw the line out to allow ‘defines slope’ checked. Select ‘finish roof’ to create the roof.
for an overhang. Again select ‘yes’ when prompted to attach walls to the bottom
of the roof.

Figure 19 — Sketching the roof outline.

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If you switch to a 3d or elevation view you may not be able to
see the roof just created. It was actually created down on the
Level 1 plane and we will manually move it into the correct
position using our ‘dormer ridge’ reference plane created
earlier. Switch to the West Elevation and change the ‘model
graphics style’ to ‘wireframe’ and the ‘dormer roof’ will
become visible along with possibly some walls extending high
above the building which will be corrected shortly.

Figure 20 — Using wireframe to locate the roof.

To move the roof up to the correct position we simply use the

‘move’ tool. Select the roof and then select ‘move’. Using the
ridge of the roof as the base point, move it up so the ‘Dormer
ridge’ reference plane and the actual dormer ridge are aligned.

Figure 21 — Moving the roof into position.

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 Switch to a 3d view and unhide any walls you may have hidden
earlier to view the void. You will notice some of the walls
extending above the building. We must now attach these walls
to the roof. Select the wall and then on the ‘modify wall’ tab,
select ‘Attach’ and then select the Dormer roof. The walls
should now finish at the Dormer roof. Repeat this step for the
remaining walls, including attaching any walls to the main roof
that may be unconstrained.

Figure 22 — Attaching the walls to the roof.

Joining the roofs may not Finally on the ‘edit geometry’ tab select ‘join’ and then select
appear to have any
immediate effects but will
the main roof followed by the Dormer roof. This will tidy up
draw the roof as one line work in sections and elevations, displaying the roofs as
element in sections and one although they are two separate elements.
elevations where it would
otherwise have a join line
since we created the roofs
as two separate roofs.

Figure 23 — Joining the roofs.

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 We will now create the gable. This is done by using ‘slope
arrows’ on the existing main roof. Switch to the Level 1 view
and select the main roof, then choose ‘edit footprint’ as done
earlier when creating the void. We will now split the line on
We must split the existing the southern wall. On the ‘edit’ tab, select ‘Split’. Split the line
lines since the ‘slope
arrows’ must be drawn on the southern wall around where the center of the gable will
over separate line be, this does not need to be accurate since we will be editing
elements for each slope.
Since the existing line is
these lines.
one element, we split it,
adjust its position and
draw new lines for the
‘slope arrows’ to follow.

Figure 24 — Selecting split.

Figure 25 — Splitting the line on the southern wall.

With the line now in two parts drag them apart using the grips.
This opening in the line you are creating will be the size of the
gable so you may wish to dimension the opening to accurately
size and position the gable.

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 Figure 26 — Adjusting the opening.

Since the ‘slope arrows’ You must now close the opening you just created with two
are defining the slope of lines of equal distance from each end and meeting in the center
the lines they cover, you
cannot also have the roof
of the opening. Make sure that both of these lines do not have
lines defining a slope. the ‘defines slope’ option checked or you will not be able to
create the roof.

Figure 27 — Sketching two equal lines.

On the ‘draw’ tab select ‘slope arrow’ and then choose

If you wish to have your ‘properties’. Change the ‘height at tail’ value to ‘slope’. You
gable at a certain height can change this slope angle to whatever you need, for this
rather than controlled by
a certain pitch you can tutorial we will leave it at 30 degrees. Select ‘ok’ and proceed
use the ‘height at tail’ to draw the ‘slope arrow’ tracing the two lines you drew
option to specify that
height.
towards the middle. You will have two slope arrows and they
must both meet in the middle as seen in figure 30.

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Figure 28 — Selecting slope arrow.

Figure 29 — Selecting slope.

Figure 30 — Sketching two slope arrows.

Select ‘finish roof’ to complete the gable. Switch to a 3d view

to observe the results. Select the southern wall and attach it to
the gable roof to have the wall extend up into the gable as done
in earlier steps. This concludes the tutorial.

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Figure 31 — The completed roof.

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