How to Make Plan Symbols in Revit (Fast & Easy Beginner Tutorial)

Video 1: Instructional Video on How to Make Plan Symbols in Revit

In construction drawings, standardised symbols are often used to represent items. In Revit, it is best to have both the symbol and 3D geometry in one family. This ensures the symbol appears in the intended 2D drawings while the 3D geometry remains visible in other views for coordination.

To create a symbol for your Revit family, you can either:

  • Draw the symbol directly in the family with lines or
  • Create a separate Detail Item family

I prefer creating a separate Detail Item family so that my main family file stays neat without extra reference lines or dimensions.

GIF 1: Turning Off Annotations & Reference Planes

OPTIONAL: Hiding Other Elements for Presentation Clarity

  1. Open the 'Visibility/Graphics Overrides' window (keyboard shortcut: VV or VG).
  2. Turn off unnecessary annotations in the 'Annotation Categories' tab. Click OK.
  3. Select all the unnecessary reference planes (use the filter tool if needed).
  4. Hide the reference planes using the 'Temporary Hide' tool (keyboard shortcut: HH).

 

GIF 2: Creating the Metric Detail Item

  1. In the 'Home' page, click on 'New' under the 'Families' section.
  2. Select 'Metric Detail Item'.
  3. Under the 'Create' tab > 'Detail' panel, click on 'Line'. Select the 'Rectangle' tool and draw the symbol.
  4. Save the family as 'Symbol_Chiller'.

 

GIF 3: Loading Detail Item into Mechanical Equipment Family

  1. Under the 'Modify' tab > 'Family Editor' panel, click on 'Load into Project and Close'. Select the correct file, if needed.
  2. Place the symbol.

 

GIF 4: Visibility/Graphics Overrides (Plan/RCP)

  1. Select all 3D geometries that should be hidden in the 'Plan/RCP' view.
  2. In the 'Properties' palette, 'Edit' the 'Visibility/Graphics Overrides'.
  3. Untick 'Plan/RCP' and click OK.

 

GIF 5: Preview Visibility

  1. In the 'View Control' bar, click on the 'Preview Visibility' symbol and toggle it on. This gives a preview on how the family will look like in the project. Edit the family, if needed.
  2. Once the symbol looks right, load the Detail Item into the Mechanical Equipment family.
  3. Save both families.

 

ADDITIONAL CONTENT: Symbol Visibility by Detail Level

GIF 6: Creating Another Symbol Family

  1. Click on the 'Symbol_Chiller' family and click on 'Edit Family'.
  2. Under the 'Create' tab > 'Detail' panel, select the 'Line' tool. Draw a line across the rectangle for this family.
  3. Under 'File', save the family as 'Symbol_Chiller (Fine)'.
  4. Load this family into the Mechanical Equipment family and place.

 

GIF 7: Visibility/Graphics Overrides (Detail Level - Coarse/Medium)

  1. Select the 'Symbol_Chiller' family.
  2. In the 'Properties' palette, edit the 'Visibility/Graphics Overrides'. Untick 'Fine' and click OK.

 

GIF 8: Visibility/Graphics Overrides (Detail Level - Fine)

  1. Select the 'Symbol_Chiller (Fine)' family.
  2. In the 'Properties' palette, edit the 'Visibility/Graphics Overrides'. Untick 'Coarse' and 'Medium'. Click OK to confirm.

 

GIF 9: Preview Visibility (Detail Level)

  1. In the 'View Control' bar, click on the 'Preview Visibility' symbol and toggle it on. Test the visibility of the symbol in the various detail levels. Edit the family, if needed.
  2. Save the family and load into the project.
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