Applying material finish to columns and beams?

[gmccrac4]

I tried following the advice from this thread, but the terminology was too confusing and I couldn't find things like "material parameters" or "family parameters" : https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-architecture-forum/beams-and-columns-with-finish-material/td-p/... 

Could someone break down the process for me step by step in a dumb basic way? Youtube and Forums have me so confused (or maybe it's sleep exhaustion). I'm using architectural columns and (obviously structural) beams on Revit 2022

[RDAOU]

@gmccrac4 

It is probably exhaustion. Get some sleep read it again and you should get it. They have it all  covered on that post. You have 2 ways to add material to Elements

1. Either Use paint tool and apply the material to element faces in the project
2. OR add a Material Parameter to the Family (ie: Family parameter of the type Material). When loaded into the project, you would change that element's material/finish using this parameter. There are two methods to add this parameter:
   • As a Paint applied to the surface of the element in the family
   • As an additional layer/geometry which has a material assigned to it

Family parameter is the parameter you add in and to a family in family editor. It is not a button labeled Family Parameter...after you edit the family, you can add them under Family Types (in the family editor)

Material Parameter refers to the type of parameter (it is not length, area, integer ...etc, it is a material parameter.) In the family editor Click Family Types >> New Parameter >> from the drop down menu select Material and Finishes ... and the new parameter is now a Material parameter

[barthbradley]

LMAO! I feel your brain-pain, buddy. Sometimes I start Googling for a simple answer to what I think is a simple question, and end up becoming more clueless than when I started. 

Let’s reboot.  What is it that you want to do?   State it simply please. 😉  

[RDAOU]

@gmccrac4 

Here are the above mentioned methods in 3 recorded screencasts

1. Apply Paint in project (GIF)
2. Apply Paint Parameter to a Element in Family Editor
3. Add a Finish Layer/Geometry and assign a Material Parameter to it

ADD PAINT PARAM in FAMILY

ADD A FINISH LAYER TO COLUMN + MATERIAL PARAMETER

[Anonymous]

Hello!

I was searching a solution for the same issue and I found this post. I followed the instructions of this video: ADD PAINT PARAM in FAMILY from @RDAOU and it worked really good...until I connected the column, then the paint disappears and there is no way for visualize the paint:

...do you have the same problem? How do you solve it?

Thanks!!

[ToanDN]

@Anonymous 

I have no issues here.  Do you use the same shared material parameter in the column and beam families?

[Anonymous]

HI @ToanDN 

Thanks for your answer but that's not what i am looking for...My project is a chemical building plenty of steel beams and columns and if i have spend my time painting the structure face to face manually I would die 😵. I was thinking about a solution that modifies the family or something similar.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Yes, yes. I have the same name parameter.

The problem starts when I add a steel connection and i don't know why...

[RDAOU]

@Anonymous wrote:

HI @ToanDN 

Thanks for your answer but that's not what i am looking for...My project is a chemical building plenty of steel beams and columns and if i have spend my time painting the structure face to face manually I would die 😵. I was thinking about a solution that modifies the family or something similar.

Thanks!

---

@Anonymous 

You can't...@ToanDN  has just realized that not all structural framing are paintable in the project as he suggested on a different other posts.

Applying parametric cuts and/or modifiers will remove the Paint applied by parameter...you will need to work with the material parameter of the extrusion/sweep

Sorry this is not a solution for you

[Anonymous]

Oh...what a pitty! But thanks for your answers and your time! 

[ConstantineC]

@ToanDN 

Hello, I am having the same issue but I found that I can only paint the structural beam inside the mass family. 

Its strange that there is no other default way to add a finish. Most of the concrete beams are painted or covered.

[juliar123]

Are you doing this for a rendering or for scheduling purposes?

For rendering, we add the material to the object styles for the whole category. 

We mainly do this for HVAC/Pipes, but it might work for connections. 

[ConstantineC]

@juliar123  I didn't know you can override materials like that. Can be useful for beams   will try it, thanks !

 I need it for rendering in Twinmotion 

[juliar123]

You can't technically override materials with it if the object has a material parameter. 

Object styles are the base thing in properties hierarchy, so basically everything else can override them. 

[barthbradley]

Why don't you paint the beams in the family with a paint material parameter?  As described above. 

[ConstantineC]

You mean inside the massing of the beam profile as a family ( instance)  parameter?  Because I tried outside the massing and it doesn't change the material

[barthbradley]

---

@ConstantineC wrote:

I can only paint the structural beam inside the mass family. 

---

What do you mean by "structural beam inside the mass family"?  

....are these beams not Structural Framing Families? 

[ConstantineC]

I mean if I click the beam and go in Edit Family, I cannot apply the paint.  I need to double click the model again and enter the 3D modelling environment. Is it there where I can apply finish material for the rendering? Will it keep the concrete as the structure? 

[ToanDN]

Create parts > Divide parts > Change parts Material to independent from original.

[ConstantineC]

Actually I was wrong. I am able to apply paint once inside the Edit Family of the beam. However I cannot add a material parameter besides the existing structural material.

Using parts is not a great option neither.

I guess the best ways is just paint or with a bit of extra work, add that extra 3D profile to cover with another material