How to convert a 2D floor plan to Revit

By Amr TawfikUpdated 27 October 20266 min read

There are two ways to get a 2D floor plan into Revit: bring it in as a scaled CAD underlay (DXF) and model native BIM elements over it, or import Extruda's IFC export, which gives you native walls, openings, doors and windows. Either way, the key is starting from clean, correctly scaled geometry rather than a flat image.

The underlay route (most common)

Export a clean, layered DXF of the plan. If you only have an image or PDF, convert it first (see PDF to DXF).
Link or import the DXF into Revit and set it to the correct scale.
Trace native Revit walls, doors, and windows over the underlay.
Remove the underlay once the model is built.

You still model in Revit, but over clean lines — no guessing dimensions from a picture.

The IFC route (native walls and openings)

Extruda's IFC export gives you native walls, openings, doors and windows, so you don't trace them by hand. Revit opens it directly. IFC is on Pro and above. It holds walls, openings, doors, windows, spaces, columns and materials, in metric. Not a survey, with no roof, structure or MEP. Heights are standard values, not measured from the plan.

Get a clean DXF or IFC for Revit

Upload an image or PDF plan and export layered DXF to underlay in Revit, or IFC with native walls and openings — no manual redraw of the linework.

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Tips

Get the scale right before importing. A mis-scaled underlay wastes the whole exercise.
Keep layers clean so walls and openings are easy to trace.
Decide underlay vs native early based on how many plans you're processing — see AI vs manual CAD.

Frequently asked questions

Can you import a 2D floor plan into Revit?

Yes. The most common route is to link or import a DXF of the plan into Revit as a scaled underlay, then model native walls, doors, and windows over it. You can also import Extruda's IFC export, which gives you native walls, openings, doors and windows.

What format should I bring into Revit?

DWG or DXF is the standard for a CAD underlay in Revit. Export a clean, layered DXF from your plan first — Extruda produces this directly from an image or PDF. For native walls and openings, export IFC instead.

Does converting to Revit give native BIM walls automatically?

A DXF underlay gives you linework to trace, not native BIM objects. For native walls and openings, export Extruda's IFC, which holds walls, openings, doors, windows, spaces, columns and materials, in metric. Not a survey, with no roof, structure or MEP. Heights are standard values, not measured from the plan. IFC is on Pro and above. Either way, starting from clean geometry saves the most time.

Do I need to redraw the plan by hand in Revit?

Not from scratch. With a scaled DXF underlay you trace over clean lines instead of guessing dimensions, which is far faster than starting from a flat image.