Week 5

Drafting and Dimensioningthe Architectural Floor Plan

Objectives

• This chapter discusses how to draft and dimension a floor plan using straight-edged tools

• The single-family residence is the primary focus

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

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.

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

What Goes on in an Architectural Floor Plan?

(cont’d.)

Figure 8-6 Construction drawing of a house floor plan.

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

Symbols (cont’d.)

Figure 8-7 Different ways to poche a 6" exterior wood-frame wall.

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

Drafting a Floor Plan (cont’d.)

Darken the wallsDraw cabinetry, appliances, plumbing fixtures, and door and window symbols, and outline the front and back porchesDraw a second-floor plan

Drafting a Floor Plan (cont’d.)

Figure 8-25 If a furniture plan is needed, add furniture

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

Types of Walls (cont’d.)

Figure 8-31 Chase wall thickness for floor and wall-mounted fixtures

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

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

Dimensioning Architectural Construction

Plans (cont’d.)

Figure 8-35 Locate a circle’s or curve’s center from two directions.

Dimensioning Architectural Construction

Plans (cont’d.)

Figure 8-34 Place a dimension note outside a space if there is not enough room to place it inside

Dimensioning Architectural Construction

Plans (cont’d.)

Figure 8-39 Dimensioning practices for wood, masonry, and veneer construction

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

Dimensioning Cabinet Industry Plans (cont’d.)

Figure 8-42 Bathroom dimensioned to cabinet industry standards. Note that fixtures are dimensioned to their centers. Circled numbers reference millwork to a schedule.

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