1. The Floor Plan 1

2. The Floor Plan
The floor plan is the heart of a set of construction drawings.
All tradeworkers refer to the floor plan.
Usually the first drawing completed.
The basis for many other plans.
Actually a section drawing.
Keep the floor plan clean and uncluttered. 2

3. Presentation Drawing
Study this pictorial of a three bedroom house. Then, examine its floor plan in the next slide. 3
(Sater Design Collection, Inc.)

4. Presentation Floor Plan
Many common features found on a floor plan are identified in this drawing. 4
(Sater Design Collection, Inc.)

5. Required Information
Information that should be included on the floor plan includes:
Exterior and interior walls.
Size and location of windows and doors.
Built-in cabinets and appliances.
Permanent fixtures.
Stairs.
Fireplaces.
(continued) 5

6. Required Information Walks, patios, and decks. Room names.
Material symbols.
Location and size dimensions.
Drawing scale.
Related structures are frequently included. 6

7. Location and Size of Walls
Walls should be drawn actual thickness.
Variations in wall thickness will detract from the drawing.
Manual drafters use dividers to draw a wall at proper thickness; CADD drafters use OFFSET, DOUBLE LINE, or similar command.
Use proper hatch patterns. 7

8. Wall Material Symbols 8

9. Windows and Doors
Use a centerline to locate the opening for windows and doors in frame walls.
Dimension to the side of the opening in a masonry wall.
Openings for windows are sash width.
Openings for doors are actual width.
Sills are drawn for windows and exterior doors.
Door swing should be indicated. 9

10. Window and Door Location
Windows and doors should be located in a frame wall using a centerline. Door swing is also shown. 10

11. Plain Opening or Archway
Hidden (dashed) lines are used to show that an opening does not extend to the ceiling. 11

12. Cabinets, Appliances, and Permanent Fixtures
Kitchen cabinets, bath vanities, fixtures, and appliances must be shown on the floor plan.
Standard symbols at proper scale are used for these features.
Check your local code for clearances for appliances and fixtures. 12

13. Stairs and Fireplaces
Only information about the basic size and location of stairs and fireplaces needs to be recorded on the floor plan.
For stairs, show direction of flight, number of risers, and width of stairs.
For a fireplace, show basic depth and width, opening design, and location.
Use either simplified or detailed symbol. 13

14. Stairs on Floor Plan
Information about a set of stairs that is usually included on the floor plan. 14

15. Fireplace Symbols
A fireplace may be represented using a simplified or detailed symbol. The detailed symbol is usually preferred. 15

16. Walks, Patios, and Decks
Several outside features are usually included on the floor plan.
Walks, patios, and decks are examples.
Indicate size and materials on the plan.
Consider these elements as part of the total plan. 16

17. Room Names Room names help communicate the plan to others.
Room names should be 3/16" high.
Room names should be in the center of the room.
Approximate room size should appear below the name. 17

18. Material Symbols
Material symbols or material hatch patterns are used to denote each material.
Use a material symbol whenever the material should be identified.
If the symbol is not a standard one, identify it. 18

19. Material Symbols 19

20. Material Symbols 20

21. Dimensioning
Dimensions on a floor plan show size and location of the features.
Proper placement of dimensions requires good judgment.
Locate dimensions where one would logically look for them.
In architectural drafting, dimension lines are continuous lines with the dimension figure placed above the line. 21

22. Dimensioning
Dimension figures are always parallel to the dimension line.
Be consistent with the type of termination symbol used for dimension lines.
Move dimension lines out from drawing.
Space dimension lines 1/4" or 3/8" apart.
Make leaders no longer than 2". 22

23. Dimensioning Dimensions are recorded in feet and inches.
Feet and inch marks may be omitted.
Dimensions less than 1' are usually indicated as 1/2", 2", 6", etc.
Dimension interior frame walls to the center of the wall.
Dimension exterior frame walls to the outside of the stud wall. 23

24. Dimensioning
Recommended method of dimensioning frame wall construction. 24

25. Dimensioning
Solid masonry walls (cast concrete, block, brick, or stone) are usually dimensioned as shown. 25

26. Dimensioning
Brick veneer walls are dimensioned to the outside of the stud wall.
Solid masonry walls are dimensioned to the outside of the wall.
Overall dimensions are needed to provide the total length and width of the structure or major parts of the structure. 26

27. Dimensioning
Add up partial dimensions to be sure they equal the overall dimensions.
Notes are often necessary to present information that cannot be represented by dimensions or symbols.
Notes should be read from the bottom of the sheet. 27

28. Scale and Sheet Identification
Residential floor plans are usually drawn at 1/4" = 1'-0".
C-size paper is generally large enough.
Number the sheets in the package.
Sheet 1 of 6, 2 of 6, etc., works well.
Sheet numbers should be placed in the lower right-hand corner. 28

29. Metric System of Dimensioning
In the US, the customary inch system is standard in the construction industry.
The metric system of measurement is standard in most countries outside of the US.
In a metric construction drawing the whole numbers indicate meters. 29

30. Metric System of Dimensioning
Floor plan with metric dimensions. 30

31. Drawing a Floor Plan Develop a preliminary sketch.
These rough sketches will provide direction for drawing the plan to scale.
Determine the basic requirements of the structure.
Consider expansion plans.
Look over examples. 31

32. Split-Level House Floor Plan32
(Donald F. Sowa, A.R.A.)

33. Two-Story House Floor Plan33

34. Two-Story House Floor Plan34

35. Expansion Floor Plan 35

36. Drawing CADD Floor Plans
Using CADD speeds up the process of drawing and designing a floor plan.
Automatic wall generation, repetitive use of symbols, dimensioning features, and elimination of hand lettering reduce drafting time.
You still need to know the basics of design! 36

37. CADD-Drawn Floor Plan 37
(SoftPlan Systems, Inc.)

38. CADD Packages Generic CADD packages can be used to draw floor plans.
Software designed for architectural work is much preferred for these reasons:
Includes an architectural symbols library.
Includes architectural dimensioning styles.
May include architectural font for lettering. 38