Revit Tip: Paint Tool — Apply Surface Finishes Without Changing Element Types

Use the Paint tool to apply surface-level materials without altering an element’s structure or type. It’s ideal for quick studies, visualization, and late-stage tweaks that don’t warrant new types or parts.

When to use it

• Early design: test finish schemes rapidly on walls, floors, ceilings, and casework faces.
• Presentation views: dial in appearance/graphics for renderings or client reviews.
• Exceptions: apply a local finish where a full material change would spawn unnecessary types.

How to apply

• Activate Paint: Modify tab → Paint. Pick a Material, then click a face to apply.
• Control the area with Split Face first to limit where Paint applies (straight and some curved faces supported).
• Reset with Remove Paint to revert the face to its original material.
• Tip: assign a custom keyboard shortcut (e.g., PT for Paint, RP for Remove Paint) to speed up workflows.

Documentation and quantities

• Material Takeoffs can include painted areas. In the schedule properties, enable “Include Paint” to capture those surfaces.
• Tagging: use a Material Tag by Face to read the painted finish directly on a surface.
• Room finish schedules: painted surfaces don’t auto-populate room finish parameters; drive those with parameters or tags as a standard.

Standards and consistency

• Keep a vetted “Finish” material library (naming, appearance, surface patterns, and assets) so painting remains consistent across the project.
• Coordinate material definitions with office templates and view templates for reliable graphics.
• Explore curated Revit materials, plugins, and training via NOVEDGE: novedge.com.

Coordination, phasing, and links

• Paint is an element-level override and persists across all views; it’s not phase-specific.
• Linked models cannot be painted from the host; open the link’s source file to apply finishes.
• Worksharing: painting a face modifies the host element; coordinate ownership when many users are active.

Performance and maintenance

• Use Split Face and Paint deliberately; excessive tiny faces and one-off materials can slow graphics and complicate edits.
• Audit regularly: maintain a short list of approved finish materials, and purge unused ones to keep files lean.
• If your design calls for accurate layer-based takeoffs, consider Parts or proper wall/floor types instead of extensive painted overrides.

Best-practice checklist

• Prepare faces with Split Face for clean, bounded finishes.
• Leverage Material Tags by Face to label painted finishes quickly.
• Turn on “Include Paint” in Material Takeoffs when you need quantities.
• Document exceptions: avoid using Paint as a substitute for true design intent or code-required assemblies.
• For tools, add-ins, and expert guidance, check NOVEDGE’s Revit catalog: NOVEDGE – Autodesk Revit.

The Paint tool is a precise, non-destructive way to control surface appearance. Use it sparingly, standardize your materials, and reserve it for localized finishes—then back it up with schedules and tags for clarity. For licenses, plug-ins, and training resources, visit NOVEDGE.