How to Customize Mullions in Your Curtain Wall in Revit

With our custom profile created and saved to the student folder, we can seamlessly integrate it into our project workflow. Click 'Load into Project' to import the profile—you'll see confirmation that it has been successfully loaded into your current session.

Navigate back to your Default 3D view to begin the application process. Now comes the precision work: applying our custom profile to existing mullions. Select one of the mullions you want to modify—this requires some finesse and patience with Revit's selection behavior.

Here's a professional tip: use the Tab key to cycle through selection options until you isolate the mullion element. Position your cursor near one of the mullion edges and minimize mouse movement to maintain selection stability. Notice this particular mullion is currently a Rectangular Two and a Half by Five profile.

To preserve your original mullion type while creating the custom variant, select 'Edit Type' followed by 'Duplicate.' Name this new type "Tapered Mullion" to clearly distinguish it from standard profiles. This naming convention becomes crucial when managing multiple custom elements across larger projects.

With your new mullion type established, you can now implement the key modification. Navigate to the profile parameter and change it from the default rectangular profile to your custom Tapered Mullion profile. You'll notice that several parameters become unavailable (appear grayed out) because our custom profile isn't parametric—we designed it for specific dimensions rather than variable thickness and width adjustments.

This trade-off between parametric flexibility and custom geometry is intentional. While you lose some adjustability, you gain precise control over the mullion's appearance and can ensure consistency across all applications. Click OK to confirm these changes.

The transformation is immediate—your standard rectangular mullion now displays the custom tapered profile. To efficiently apply this new mullion type across multiple elements, use the 'Match Type' tool rather than manually editing each mullion individually. This workflow optimization becomes essential when working on larger curtain wall systems.

For comprehensive coverage, apply the tapered mullion to both horizontal runs—top and bottom of the curtain wall system. Select the bottom mullion and use the shortcut CS for 'Create Similar.' Ensure the setting is configured to 'Grid Line' to restrict placement to horizontal mullions only, maintaining design consistency.

Don't overlook transitional elements like door headers, which also require the tapered mullion treatment for visual continuity. However, maintain the standard Rectangular Two and a Half by Five profile for vertical mullions to create the intended design contrast. Use 'Create Similar' to efficiently place these standard vertical elements.

After placing all mullions, address the continuity of horizontal elements. By default, mullions may appear segmented at intersections. Select any horizontal mullion to access continuity options—you can either use the 'Make Continuous' command for multiple selections or toggle the small continuity icon that appears at mullion intersections for individual adjustments.

For maximum efficiency across larger projects, leverage Revit's selection capabilities. Choose one mullion of the type you want to modify, then use 'Select All Instances' and specify 'In Entire Project' to simultaneously select all similar elements. This approach allows you to apply 'Make Continuous' to all horizontal mullions at once, creating uninterrupted runs across the entire curtain wall system.

The final result demonstrates the power of custom mullion profiles in architectural design. While the fundamental curtain wall structure remains unchanged, the visual impact is dramatically different. Combined with your custom spandrel panels and metal panel systems, this tapered mullion creates sophisticated corner connections and a refined overall aesthetic that distinguishes your design from standard curtain wall applications.