How to Create Curtain Walls in Revit

To create a curtain wall in Revit, use Architecture tab > Wall, choose a curtain wall type such as Curtain Wall 1, Exterior Glazing, or Storefront, then draw the wall in plan or 3D view. After the wall is placed, add curtain grids, mullions, doors, and custom panels depending on the design.

This updated 2026 guide shows the three practical workflows: a standard linear curtain wall with the Wall tool, a curtain system on a face or mass surface, and a custom panel or mullion setup for more complex facade patterns.

What Is a Curtain Wall in Revit?

A curtain wall in Revit is a wall system used for building envelopes, storefronts, glazed partitions, facade panels, and similar non-load-bearing wall assemblies. In Revit, it behaves like a wall family, but it is divided into editable parts: borders, curtain grids, panels, and mullions.

The important idea is that panels and mullions depend on grids. A curtain grid divides the wall surface into cells. Each cell receives a panel, and mullions can be placed on the grid lines or wall borders. If you cannot place a mullion where you want it, you probably need to add a curtain grid first.

Choose the Right Curtain Wall Type

Revit templates usually include three curtain wall types. They are not separate commands; they are different wall types with different default rules.

• Curtain Wall 1: a blank curtain wall with no automatic grids or mullions. Use it when you want to place every grid manually or create an irregular facade.
• Exterior Glazing: a glass curtain wall with preset grid rules. Use it when you want a quick glazed wall and you plan to adjust the spacing later.
• Storefront: a preset wall with grids and mullions. Use it for fast storefront-style layouts, interior glass partitions, and early design studies.

For most beginners, start with Storefront if you need an instant visible curtain wall, or Curtain Wall 1 if you want to learn how grids, panels, and mullions actually work.

Method 1: Create a Curtain Wall With the Wall Tool

This is the fastest and most common method. It is best for straight curtain walls, storefronts, glass partitions, exterior glazing, and simple curved walls that can be drawn with normal wall sketch tools.

Step 1: Activate the Wall Tool

Open a floor plan or 3D view. Go to Architecture tab > Build panel > Wall. You can also use the default wall shortcut WA.

Step 2: Select a Curtain Wall Type

In the Type Selector, choose a wall type under the curtain wall group. Select Curtain Wall 1, Exterior Glazing, Storefront, or an office/custom type already loaded in the project.

Step 3: Set Height and Location Options

Before drawing, set the Base Constraint, Top Constraint, Unconnected Height, and Location Line in the Properties palette or Options Bar. This prevents a common cleanup problem where the curtain wall is drawn correctly in plan but has the wrong height in elevation.

• Use Finish Face: Exterior or another consistent location line if the glass face must align with an exterior wall finish.
• Set the top constraint to a level when the wall should follow floor-to-floor logic.
• Use an unconnected height for quick studies or interior glass partitions.

Step 4: Draw the Curtain Wall

Use the drawing tools in the Draw panel to place the wall. For a straight wall, use Line. For a curved curtain wall, use Arc when the design allows it. Press Esc to finish drawing.

If the curtain wall type already has grid and mullion rules, the panel layout appears immediately. If you selected Curtain Wall 1, you may see one large glass panel because there are no automatic grid rules yet.

How to Add Curtain Grids in Revit

Use curtain grids to divide a large panel into smaller panels. This is the step that controls where doors, mullions, spandrel panels, and custom panels can go.

1. Open a 3D view or elevation view where the curtain wall face is easy to select.
2. Go to Architecture tab > Build panel > Curtain Grid.
3. Move the cursor over an edge of the curtain wall until Revit previews a grid line.
4. Use the placement options: All Segments, One Segment, or All Except Picked.
5. Click to place the grid line.
6. Use temporary dimensions to adjust spacing, or select the grid later and move it.

Set Automatic Grid Spacing

For regular curtain walls, select the curtain wall, click Edit Type, and adjust the Vertical Grid Pattern and Horizontal Grid Pattern. Common layouts include Fixed Distance, Fixed Number, and Maximum Spacing. Use type rules when many curtain walls should follow the same module.

Create Irregular Grid Patterns

For custom facade rhythms, start from a type with no grid definitions, then place grids manually. All Segments divides the entire wall. One Segment divides only one panel area. All Except Picked lets you place a grid across the wall but remove selected segments before finishing.

How to Add Mullions to a Curtain Wall

Mullions are the frame pieces placed on curtain grids and borders. You cannot freely place a normal mullion anywhere on the glass; it needs a curtain grid or border to host it.

1. Create the required curtain grids first.
2. Go to Architecture tab > Build panel > Mullion.
3. Choose the mullion type in the Type Selector.
4. Choose a placement option: Grid Line, Grid Line Segment, or All Grid Lines.
5. Click the grid line or wall border to place the mullion.

To make a storefront quickly, select the wall, click Edit Type, and set the vertical and horizontal mullion types under Vertical Mullions and Horizontal Mullions. Use Interior Type for internal grid lines and Border 1/Border 2 for the outer edges.

Control Mullion Joins

When mullions cross, Revit must decide which direction continues through the joint. Select a mullion and use Make Continuous or Break at Join from the ribbon to clean up intersections. You can also use the curtain wall type’s Join Condition to control whether vertical or horizontal mullions are continuous by default.

How to Change Curtain Wall Panels

Each cell inside the curtain grid contains a panel. A panel can be glass, solid, empty, another wall type, a door panel, or a custom curtain panel family.

1. Move the cursor over the edge of the panel you want to change.
2. Press Tab until the panel highlights, not the grid or whole wall.
3. Click to select the panel.
4. If the panel is pinned, click the pin icon to unpin it.
5. Use the Type Selector to choose another panel type.

If you want an opening, do not try to delete the curtain panel like a normal object. Change the selected panel to an Empty System Panel if one exists in the project, or load/create an empty panel type.

How to Add a Door to a Curtain Wall

Curtain wall doors are not placed with the normal Door command. In Revit, a curtain wall door replaces a curtain panel and fills the panel cell. That means you should create the correct grid size before replacing the panel.

1. Add curtain grids around the door location so the panel is the correct door width and height.
2. If the project does not already contain a curtain wall door, go to Insert > Load from Library > Load Autodesk Family.
3. Open the Doors category and load a family with Curtain Wall in its name.
4. Hover over the target curtain panel and press Tab until the panel highlights.
5. Select the panel, unpin it, and choose the curtain wall door from the Type Selector.
6. Select and delete the bottom mullion segment if it blocks the door opening.

To remove the door later, select it and change it back to a curtain wall panel type. Do not use this workflow for a standard door family; only curtain wall door families can replace curtain wall panels correctly.

How to Embed a Curtain Wall in a Solid Wall

Embedding is useful for storefront entrances, interior glazed openings, and curtain wall panels inside a larger basic wall. You can cut the host wall manually, but the cleaner setup is to enable automatic embedding on the curtain wall type.

1. Create or duplicate the curtain wall type you want to embed.
2. Select the curtain wall type and click Edit Type.
3. Check Automatically Embed.
4. Click OK.
5. Draw the curtain wall over the solid wall. Revit cuts the opening automatically.

If the opening does not cut, confirm the curtain wall overlaps the host wall, the curtain wall type has Automatically Embed enabled, and the wall join or location line is not placing the curtain wall outside the host.

Method 2: Create a Curtain System on a Face

Use a curtain system when the glazed or panelized surface comes from a mass, roof, floor, or complex face instead of a normal wall path. This method is better for sloped glazing, irregular surfaces, conceptual massing, and non-standard facade forms.

1. Go to Massing & Site > Conceptual Mass > In-Place Mass.
2. Create the surface you want to panelize. For a simple study, draw a model line and use Create Form.
3. Click Finish Mass.
4. Go to Architecture > Build > Curtain System.
5. Select the mass face or other supported face.
6. Click Create System.
7. Edit the curtain system type, grids, panels, and mullions as needed.

For more massing context, see the guide to creating complex roofs and masses in Revit. If the goal is a roof opening or glazed roof panel, this related guide on skylights in Revit may be a better fit.

Method 3: Create Custom Curtain Panels and Mullions

Use custom families when the default glass panel and rectangular mullion types cannot represent the design. This is the right workflow for custom facade modules, louvers, decorative panels, custom aluminum profiles, special door panels, or manufacturer-specific assemblies.

Create a Custom Curtain Panel Family

1. Go to File > New > Family.
2. Choose a Curtain Wall Panel template.
3. Build the panel geometry using reference planes, dimensions, parameters, extrusions, sweeps, or nested detail components as needed.
4. Lock geometry to the correct reference planes so the panel flexes with the curtain grid cell.
5. Load the family into the project.
6. Select a curtain wall panel and replace it with the custom family from the Type Selector.

Create a Custom Mullion Profile

A mullion profile is a 2D profile family used by a mullion type. Create one when the default rectangular, circular, or corner mullions do not match the required shape.

1. Go to File > New > Family.
2. Choose a Profile template. For curtain wall profiles, Revit 2026 content is typically under %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Autodesk\RVT 2026\Libraries\<locale>\Profiles\Curtain Wall.
3. Draw the profile shape with reference planes and lines.
4. Add dimensions and parameters if the profile must be adjustable.
5. Load the profile into the project.
6. Create or duplicate a mullion type and assign the new profile in the mullion type properties.

For sweep-based panel frames, see this guide to sweeps in Revit. If the overall wall shape is curved, this guide to curved walls in Revit may help before you customize panels.

Best Practices for Revit Curtain Walls

• Duplicate types before editing: do not change the default Storefront or Exterior Glazing type if other walls already use it.
• Use type rules for repeated modules: automatic grid spacing is faster and more consistent for regular facades.
• Use manual grids for design intent: doors, feature panels, irregular rhythms, and custom facade patterns usually need manually placed grids.
• Size the panel before replacing it: a curtain wall door or custom panel fills the whole cell, so grid placement controls its size.
• Use Tab slowly: curtain walls have many selectable parts in the same location. Cycle until the panel, grid, mullion, or full wall highlights correctly.
• Control visibility with view templates: do not create many duplicate curtain wall types only to solve graphics in a few views.
• Check schedules: panels, doors, and mullions may schedule differently depending on their categories and family setup.
• Clean corners deliberately: use corner mullions, join controls, or one continuous corner condition instead of accepting duplicated end mullions.

Common Curtain Wall Problems and Fixes

Revit Curtain Wall FAQ

What is the fastest way to make a curtain wall in Revit?

The fastest way is Architecture > Wall, then choose Storefront or Exterior Glazing from the Type Selector and draw the wall. These types already include grid rules, and Storefront usually includes mullions too.

How do you draw a curtain wall in Revit?

Use the normal Wall command. Select a curtain wall type before drawing, then use Line, Rectangle, Arc, Pick Lines, or another wall drawing option. Revit creates the curtain wall along the path you draw.

How do you add mullions to a curtain wall?

Add curtain grids first, then use Architecture > Mullion. Choose a mullion type and place it on a grid line, grid segment, all grid lines, or a wall border.

How do you put a door in a curtain wall?

Load a curtain wall door family, select the panel with Tab, unpin it, and change the panel type to the curtain wall door. A curtain wall door replaces the whole panel, so adjust the grid size first.

What is the difference between a curtain wall and a curtain system?

A curtain wall is drawn like a wall along a path. A curtain system is applied to a face, such as a mass surface, roof, or other supported surface. Use curtain walls for normal vertical wall runs and curtain systems for complex or face-based panelized surfaces.

Can you make custom curtain walls in Revit?

Yes. You can customize grid spacing, mullion types, mullion profiles, panel families, materials, doors, empty panels, and wall types used as panels. For highly specific designs, create a custom curtain panel family and a custom mullion profile.

Summary

Use the Wall tool for normal Revit curtain walls, use Curtain Grid to control the panel layout, and use Mullion to frame the grid. Use a Curtain System when the design is face-based or irregular, and use custom panel or profile families when the default Revit types do not match the facade design.

For the cleanest workflow, decide the grid logic first, size panels before replacing them, and duplicate curtain wall types before changing type properties. That keeps the model predictable and makes storefronts, glazed facades, doors, and custom curtain wall patterns much easier to edit later.

Mohamed Fakhry

Mohamed Fakhry has helped thousands of architects and designers find their next project with step-by-step guidance on his blog, mashyo.com. About Mohamed

His journey began during his university years when he recognized the need for information-rich 3D models to accelerate learning and improve production processes. Now, Mohamed shares his expertise through Revit tutorials that are accessible to all.