How to Create Stairs in Revit
Staircases are a fundamental element in architectural design and a major focus in BIM first and second level exams. In this tutorial, I aim to guide you through some common pitfalls when creating stairs in Revit. I welcome feedback and corrections from instructors. Thank you.
This article highlights common errors related to stairs and does not cover the basic step-by-step process.
1. The Relationship Between Number of Risers and Stair Height
The stair height is calculated as the number of risers multiplied by the actual height of each riser (for example, 3400 mm = 20 risers × 170 mm each).
Number of Risers and Stair Height Attributes
Both the stair height and number of risers need to be set manually. The actual depth of each riser is automatically calculated by Revit and does not require manual input. Therefore, before drawing, you must calculate the number of risers and the total stair height in advance.
2. How to Calculate the Number of Risers
A common misconception is that the number of risers is one less than the number of treads. In reality, the number of risers corresponds directly to the number of treads. This is crucial for accurately calculating the stair height. Often, the riser height is provided, but errors occur due to miscounting the number of risers. Please refer to the two images below for clarification.
Viewing the Riser Display
These images reveal that the last tread actually includes a hidden riser height, which affects the total stair height calculation and may result in errors. Typically, the last step connects to a floor or landing, which conceals this riser. If drawing stairs separately, be sure to account for this in your calculations.
3. Composition of Stairs
Stairs consist of two main parts:
① Stair flight
② Landing
While the stair flight and landing are set independently and do not affect each other directly, they are closely related. In the stair properties, you can configure certain type parameters individually—such as materials, risers, and treads. It’s important to set materials separately for the stair flight and landing; if you only set one, the other will not inherit the material settings.
4. Additional Notes on Railings and Handrails
Railings and handrails are usually generated automatically when creating stairs, and it is uncommon to draw them separately.
The components of railings and handrails are divided into two parts:
① Handrails: including the top rail and rail structure
② Railings: including the main rail (middle section) and posts (starting post, corner post, ending post)
Handrails and Railings
Related Tutorials
How to Create Multi-Story Stairs in Revit
How Revit Calculates Stair Volume
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