1. Drafting and Dimensioning the Architectural Floor Plan
Week 5
Drafting and Dimensioning
the Architectural Floor Plan

2. Objectives
This chapter discusses how to draft and dimension a floor plan using straight-edged tools
The single-family residence is the primary focus

3. What is a Floor Plan?
Orthographic, two-dimensional drawing made by inserting a horizontal cutting plane 4'-0" above the ground
Shows lengths and widths, but not heights
The roof and walls above the cutting plane are “lifted up”
Cutting plane may be staggered at different levels
Example: split-level houses

4. What is a Floor Plan? (cont’d.)
Figure 8-1 A floor plan is made with a horizontal cutting plane 4'-0" above the ground.

5. What Goes on in an Architectural Floor Plan?
Shows finished and unfinished space
Balconies, attached garages, decks, patios, and pools
Walls, wall openings, windows, doors, door swings, skylights, exposed beams, etc.
Room names and symbols that reference the plan to schedules, sections, and details
Each level of the building has its own plan

6. What Goes on in an Architectural Floor Plan? (cont’d.)
Figure 8-6 Construction drawing of a house floor plan.

7. Symbols
Knowledge of symbols, poché, and wall thickness is needed to draw a floor plan
Items must be pochéd with line symbols that represent the material they are made of
Walls must be drawn with a thickness that represents their construction
Doors, windows, cabinets, drains, draperies, and other common items are drawn to represent their size and type

8. Symbols (cont’d.)
Figure 8-7 Different ways to poche a 6" exterior wood-frame wall.

9. Drafting a Floor Plan Decide which scale to use
Draw the plan’s overall width and length
Draw the exterior walls, the interior walls, door and window openings, the stairs and fireplace

10. Drafting a Floor Plan (cont’d.)
Darken the walls
Draw cabinetry, appliances, plumbing fixtures, and door and window symbols, and outline the front and back porches
Draw a second-floor plan

11. Drafting a Floor Plan (cont’d.)
Figure If a furniture plan is needed, add furniture

12. Types of Walls Load-bearing walls can be interior/exterior
Non–load-bearing walls bear no weight
Partial walls are not full height
Partitions are non-load bearing interior walls
Chase is a passage between floors or walls
Dimensions are numbers that describe the size of features and their location from other features

13. Types of Walls (cont’d.)
Figure Chase wall thickness for floor and wall-mounted fixtures

14. Dimensioning Architectural Construction Plans
Essential rules for dimensioning are accuracy, completeness, and a single, legible interpretation
Architectural dimensioning is aligned
Imperial dimension notes in feet and inches
Circles and arcs are dimensioned from their center points

15. Dimensioning Architectural Construction Plans (cont’d.)
Typically three stringers
Place exterior dimensions outside the plan to avoid overcrowding
Varies depending on whether building is standard, wood frame, or masonry
Doors and windows must be located on the drawings

16. Dimensioning Architectural Construction Plans (cont’d.)
Figure Locate a circle’s or curve’s center from two directions.

17. Dimensioning Architectural Construction Plans (cont’d.)
Figure Place a dimension note outside a space if there is not enough room to place it inside

18. Dimensioning Architectural Construction Plans (cont’d.)
Figure Dimensioning practices for wood, masonry, and veneer construction

19. Dimensioning Cabinet Industry Plans
Drawings are done to a 12" 1'-0" scale
Wall cabinets are drawn with a solid line
Appliances are dimensioned to their centers
Special features such as pull-out shelves and lazy Susans are not drawn
All numbers are given in inches or inches and fractions of inches
Height is from finished floor to ceiling

20. Dimensioning Cabinet Industry Plans (cont’d.)
Figure Bathroom dimensioned to cabinet industry standards. Note that fixtures are dimensioned to their centers. Circled numbers reference millwork to a schedule.

21. Summary Floor plans are hard-lined once the layout is final
Fixed architectural features are shown in symbol form
Other symbols reference the plan to other drawings
Dimension notes show the size and location of the features
Dimensioning is done differently depending on the target audience for the drawing