Revit ceiling grids don’t show up in Navisworks because Revit doesn’t export the grid pattern when exporting to Navisworks. The ceiling grid in Revit is essentially a hatch or fill pattern, which is treated as an annotation rather than a 3D element. This approach is designed for efficiency in Revit.
The software prioritizes containing ceiling properties in parameters, providing installers with necessary information without modeling every detail in 3D. This method allows for faster modeling and smaller file sizes, despite Revit’s reputation for large files. However, this efficiency creates challenges for 3D coordination, where visualizing the ceiling grid is crucial.
Coordination teams need to see how ceiling components interact with the grid, which is visible in 2D drawings and PDFs but not in the 3D model exported to Navisworks. To overcome this limitation, a common workaround is to use the “sloped glazing” tool, which is actually a roof family in Revit. This method allows for the creation of a 3D ceiling grid because:
- Sloped glazing can utilize curtain walls.
- Curtain walls have mullions, which can represent the grid.
- The sloped glazing can be adjusted to a horizontal position.
To create a 3D ceiling grid using this method:
- Create a sloped glazing with a 2ft by 2ft grid pattern.
- Design a small “T” shaped mullion to represent the ceiling grid members.
- Adjust the sloped glazing to be horizontal, effectively creating a ceiling1.
This workaround allows for a more detailed 3D representation of the ceiling grid in Navisworks, meeting the needs of coordination teams while working within Revit’s limitations. Want the details? Check out my video here.