Can you create a curved wall in Revit?

ByCADbrief Staff

Short Answer

Yes, you can create a curved wall in Revit using the Wall command and sketching it with an arc as the wall path. The most common professional method is to start a standard architectural wall, then use a draw arc option in the wall placement tools. One limitation is that very tight curves can complicate joins, hosted elements, and detailing.

What You Need to Know Before

Warning: Curved walls in Revit often cause problems with hosted doors, windows, wall sweeps, and finish alignment if the radius is too small. A common failure is placing inserts or dimensions without noticing that curved geometry changes offset behavior and can affect construction documentation accuracy.

How to Create a Curved Wall in Revit

  • Command: Wall

  • Shortcut: WA

  • Quick Steps:

    1. On the Architecture tab > Build panel, click Wall.
    2. In the Modify | Place Wall tab, choose an arc draw option such as Start-End-Radius Arc or Center-ends Arc.
    3. In the Properties palette, set the wall Location Line and optionally check Chain, then click to place the curved wall path.

Variables & Settings

  • Key Setting: Location Line

  • Expert Setting: The Location Line controls whether the curved wall is placed from Wall Centerline, Finish Face, or Core Face. This matters because curved walls can shift noticeably from the intended structural or finish layout if the wrong reference line is used before placement.

Why it Fails

  • Cause 1 (Geometry): The arc radius is too tight for the wall type, joins, or hosted elements, causing cleanup issues or insertion failures.
  • Cause 2 (layers/Locks): The wall may be constrained to a level, offset, or nearby element in a way that prevents expected editing or movement after creation.
  • Cause 3 (Command/Logic): The wall was drawn with the wrong arc method or wrong Location Line, so the curve is technically correct but positioned incorrectly relative to the design intent.

Quick Fix & Best Practice

  • Quick Fix: Select the wall and correct its Location Line in Properties, then use grips or Edit Profile only if the wall shape—not just its path—needs adjustment.
  • Manager’s Verdict: Use standard curved walls for typical architectural layouts, lobbies, and facades, but avoid overly complex curved conditions when the project requires heavy detailing, frequent hosted inserts, or strict constructability control.

FAQ

Can you add doors and windows to a curved wall in Revit?

Yes, but some families may not behave cleanly on tight-radius curved walls.

Can you edit a straight wall into a curved wall in Revit?

Not directly as a simple conversion; it is usually faster to redraw it with the Wall command using an arc option.

Can a curved wall be structural in Revit?

Yes, if the selected wall type is configured as a structural wall.

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