How to Create Grids and Customize Grid Heads in Revit for Existing Phase Modeling

Before diving into any modeling work on an existing phase, establishing the correct view is absolutely critical to your workflow efficiency. While view misalignment isn't catastrophic—you can always backtrack and make corrections—working in the proper phase and view from the outset prevents costly revisions and potential data loss. This fundamental step saves hours of rework later in your project timeline. Always verify you're operating within the appropriate view; in this demonstration, we'll be working exclusively in the Existing Level One view.

Our first modeling task involves creating the grid system, which forms the structural backbone of any architectural project. Examining the background reference, you'll notice existing grid lines are already visible—a significant advantage that streamlines our workflow considerably. Navigate to the Architecture tab and select Grid to access the grid creation tools. You'll observe that some grids display hexagonal bubbles, which we can leverage for our current project requirements.

The grid creation process offers two primary approaches: manual drafting or using the Pick Lines tool. While manual drawing provides complete control, the Pick Lines function delivers superior speed and accuracy—making it the preferred method for most professionals. However, exercise caution: the Pick Lines tool remains active until you press Escape multiple times, and inadvertent clicks can generate unnecessary grids that clutter your project file. As we progress through grids A, B, and C, note that when creating grid line A, the system automatically assigns it as "5" because our last grid was numbered "4." Before continuing, rename this grid to "A," then utilize Create Similar combined with Pick Lines to efficiently generate subsequent grid elements.

With grids one through four and A, B, and C now established, you'll notice they currently display with circle symbols rather than the hexagonal format we require for this project. To modify the grid head style, select any grid line and locate the current symbol designation—in this case, "¼″ Bubble." The conversion process involves changing the symbol from Grid Head—Circle to your preferred format. Your project currently includes Grid Head—Circle and Grid Head—No Bubble options, but we need to load the hexagonal variant from our provided dataset to meet project specifications.

Access the required family by navigating to Insert > Load Family, then locate the BIM 301 directory, followed by Revit families, where you'll find Grid Head—Hexagon. These custom families aren't proprietary magic—they're simply geometric constructions you can create by modifying existing templates, such as adapting the standard circle format with custom linework to achieve your desired shape. This flexibility allows you to develop organization-specific standards or accommodate unique project requirements.

After loading the hexagonal family, the final step involves adjusting the grid type properties. Select any grid element and choose Edit Type. Since we're creating a new configuration, select Duplicate to preserve the existing project template—never override established standards unnecessarily. Name this new type "¼″ Hexagon" to maintain consistent nomenclature, then modify the Grid Head parameter from Circle to Hexagon. You'll immediately see the first grid update to reflect this change.

Rather than individually updating each remaining grid—a time-consuming approach—select one grid, right-click, and choose Select All Instances, specifying "entire project" to capture all grid elements simultaneously. With all grids selected, change the type to "¼″ Hexagon" in one efficient operation. Perform a final alignment check to ensure all grid heads maintain consistent positioning—minor adjustments at this stage prevent larger coordination issues downstream. Your grid system is now properly established and ready for the next phase of development.

With our grid foundation complete, the next video will address level creation and management, building upon this structural framework to develop your project's vertical organization system.