Measure the length of the longest wall.

If youre making a floor plan of an actual physical space (as

opposed to something youre designing or imagining), measure it with a tape measure.
Scale this measurement down so that it will fit onto a sheet of graph paper. First, count the
number of squares on thelongest side of the graph paper (ex. 39 squares); this is the side that will
accommodate the longest part of the plan. Then, scale down the length of the wall by reducing it down to a
smaller number. Dividing it evenly is preferable, as its much easier to remember that one square equals 1
meter as opposed to, say, 1.27 meters, but if the length of the wall isnt cleanly divisible, you may have to
have an imperfect scale.
If you need additional guidance, see examples in both feet and meters below.
If the wall measures an even number of units (ex. 90 feet), try dividing it by 2, 3, 4, etc. and seeing if the
resulting number is smaller than the number of squares. (90 feet divided by 2 is 45 too large to fit across
39 squares. 90 feet divided by 3, on the other hand, is 30, which will fit nicely across 39 squares with room
to spare.)
If the wall measures an odd number of units (ex. 81) try dividing by 3, 5, etc. and seeing if the resulting
number is smaller than the number of squares. (81 feet divided by 3 is 27, which will fit across 39 squares
with room to spare.)
If the wall measures a number of units that is smaller than the number of squares (ex. 27 meters), you can
scale it to 1 unit per square. (1 meter = 1 square, making that wall 27 squares long).
If the number of units is very small and would result in a tiny drawing (ex. 15 meters across 15 squares,
leaving most of the page blank), try doubling or otherwise increasing the number of squares used to depict
each unit. (1 meter over 2 squares would make that wall 30 squares long).
If you arent happy with the size your simplified scale produces or the number simply wont divide
evenly (ex. 89 feet), try dividing the larger number by the smaller one. However, unless you want the wall
to take up the entire length of the graph paper, dont include the full number of squares in your
calculation; leave at least one square on either side so that your floor plan doesnt get messy (i.e. subtract
2 squares). (89 feet divided by 37 squares is 2.4 feet or nearly 25 per square, making that length of
wall 37 squares long and leaving one empty square on either side of the drawing.)
Measure the length of the other walls and convert these measurements to your scale. If, for
example, you determined that each square equals 3 feet, a wall measuring 40 feet would be 13 1/3 squares
long (because 40 divided by 3 = 13 1/3); if you determined that each square equals 1 meter, a wall
measuring 18 meters would be 18 squares long.
Measure the length of each door and window opening (without frames) and convert these
measurements to your scale.
Incorporate all walls, windows, and doors on your floor plan. Draw each window as double lines
and each doors as a line (i.e. the fully-opened door) with an arc (i.e. the actual swing path of the door;
useful when trying to place furniture).
Measure the length and widths of all built-in fixtures (such as counters), convert the scale, and
add them to your plan.
Measure the length and widths of all built-in fixtures (such as counters), convert the scale, and
add them to your plan.
If desired, you can add movable furniture to the floor plan.
a.

Measure the length and width of each piece of furniture for this room and convert the scale.

b.

Draw the furniture on another sheet of graph paper.

c.

Cut out the individual pieces of furniture with scissors.

d.

Glue or tape the cut outs onto a piece of cardboard for weight.

e.

Move the cut-out furniture around your floor plan to decide on a suitable arrangement.

Measure along the baseboard the length of one wall, from one corner of the room to another.
For accuracy, measure to the nearest 1/4 inch. Record this number on your rough floor plan and in your
notebook.
Measure the remaining walls the same way you measured the first.
Most rooms have four walls, but if youre measuring an L-shaped room, you have more to measure. Include
every wall in your sketch, especially if you plan to give one part of the room a different flooring or wall
covering.
Measure the rooms doorways and other entries.
Note whether the door opens into or out of the room and indicate the direction (with an arc) on your rough
floor plan sketch. Also measure the distances of all openings doors and open archways from the ends
of the walls so that you can accurately locate these openings on your final plan.
Determine the size of the windows.
Include the window frame from outside edge to outside edge. Record the measurements for any moldings
around the window separately. Gauge the distance from the floor to the bottom of the window frame, from
the ceiling to the top of the window molding, and from the window (on each side) to the corner of the wall
(or next window or opening).
Measure any and all architectural features, including fireplaces, brackets, shelves, and any other built-in
features.
Measure surrounding space and outside or overall dimensions of these items, and then locate each on your
plan.
Measure the walls from side to side and from the floor to the ceiling.
Measure where the electrical outlets, switches, and other controls are located.
Note where heat and air conditioning ducts, radiators, chases (coverings for electric wires and plumbing
pipes), and exposed pipes are located.
After you finish measuring, youre ready to draw your floor plan to scale:
Lightly pencil in the rooms major areas on graph paper before firmly committing to hard-to-erase dark
lines.
Include the rooms irregularities, such as support columns or any other intrusions.
Note on the paper the rooms directional orientation (north, south, east, and west).
The quantity and quality of natural light affects a number of decisions.
Draw the rooms specifics, using a thicker straight line for walls, windows, and fireplaces.

Note also the inside width of the doors and other openings so that you know if your sofa (or other large
piece of furniture) can fit through the opening, up the stairs, or around a turn in the hallway.
Indicate where all permanent switches, outlets, controls, TV cable, and phone lines are located
These factors all influence furniture placement. Dont make the mistake of putting bookcases in front of the
only phone jack in the room, loading up all the shelves, and then discovering that you cant plug in your
phone!
Draw each walls elevations.
The wall elevations are two-dimensional representations that help you figure out art and accessory
arrangement or window treatment. Again, remember to mark all the permanent features, such as light
switches, electrical outlets, phone and TV cable jacks, air conditioning and heat vents, and so on.
Step by Step Guide to Drawing House Elevations
Drawing Main Floor Wall Baseline

To draw the initial baseline for the main floor,

1.

Using your floor plan drawings and starting at the extreme left end of any walls on this side of the
house on the ground floor, measure the horizontal distance of this wall. Make sure you are including
the thickness of any siding material for the exterior side walls for this level. This siding can be very
thin in the case of parging or thick in the case of stone or brick.

2.

Draw a faint line the same length of this wall towards the bottom left third of your page. This faint
horizontal line will later be erased since it will not be visible from the outside of the house (unless the
exterior finish of the house changes at this exact point). It is drawn now only as a reference from
which to measure to the top of the next floor or roof line.

3.

Make a small upward tick mark at the end of this wall.

4.

If there is another exterior wall at the same elevation to the right of this wall (for example a wall
that bumps out or recedes in from this first wall), measure this wall in the same way as the first.

5.

Draw this next line as a continuation of the first line. Do not erase the tick mark that indicates the
division between these walls.

6.

Continue on marking walls in this way until you reach the end of walls on this side of the house.

Determining and Drawing Wall Heights

Next you will draw the vertical lines for the exterior walls on this side. For each of the wall bases:
1.

Determine how high the wall will be above its unfinished floor height. To do this you will need to
consider the height of the ceiling of the rooms within this section of the house and add to that the
height of any floor or ceiling joists above it. Also add on the height of any sub-flooring, if there are
floors above.

2.

Draw faint vertical lines up from each of the wall base lines to the height you have determined in
the previous step. (Later you will draw a darker line which includes the finished material on the
outside of the home.)

3.

Draw a faint horizontal line at the level of the upper ceiling joists or subfloor above this level.

4.

If there is another floor above this level, continue on to the step 5. Otherwise move on to the next
section, Draw Window and Door Outlines.

5.

Using the floor plans for the next level up, perform steps 1 through 3 again making tick marks
where you will need to draw any vertical walls. Once again determine the heights of these walls then
draw a faint horizontal line to show the level of the top of the sub-flooring or ceiling joists for the next
level.

6.

Continue repeating the above steps until you have no floors above the current level. Then move on
to the next section, Draw Window and Door Outlines.

Draw Window and Door Outlines

For all of your windows and doors, measure from the horizontal lines of your floors to position the exterior
doors and windows. Your construction drawings, usually the cross-sections, will detail the height at which
each window should be placed. A separate window and door schedule gives the dimensions for all your
windows and doors.
At this point, using your architect's scale for accuracy, draw just the outline of the window and door
outside dimensions to the same scale as your walls, floors and roof. Later you will draw the exterior
window and door trim.

Drawing the Roofs

The roof lines can be of many styles: gable, shed, hip, gambrel, etc.
To draw the roof for each elevation view, first consider whether your roof will overhang and drop below the
exterior wall on the elevation plan you are currently drafting. For a shed or gable roof with eaves, the roof
on two sides will drop lower than where it connects with the wall. From the view of the other two sides it
will stay at one level. Take a look at the elevations at the very top of this page to see an illustration of this.
Dropping Roofs

If this level has an overhanging roof that slopes down over the wall, you will need to do some calculations
for roof overhang before you draw the horizontal line for the wall top.
If there is a roof overhang at this level which drops down over the wall, calculate how much the roof will
drop in the actual overhang area. To do this,
1.

Take the slope or pitch of your roof, which is usually described as the rise over run in the form of
5:12, 6:12, 14:12, etc. The first number refers to how many inches (or centimetres) the roof will rise
(or drop) over a horizontal distance indicated by the second number (which in North America is
usually 12 inches).

2.

Take your horizontal roof overhang to determine what the vertical roof overhand drop will be. For
instance if you have a 5:12 roof pitch and a 12 inch horizontal roof overhang, the roof will drop a total
of 5 inches. If your horizontal roof overhang was 18 inches, the roof would drop 18/12 x 5 = 1.5 x 5
inches = 7.5 inches.

3.

Now you will need to subtract this drop from the height of the wall that you previously calculated
since in the elevation drawing this roof line will drop below the top of the wall height. Using this new
calculated height, draw the line showing the lower edge of the roof line.

Non-Dropping Roof Lines

For an end gable wall or a shed wall, determine the highest point of the wall below your roof. To do this you
need to know the slope of the roof. First read the section above on roof pitch, then calculate the height of
top most point of your roof above the current floor in the following way.
1.

Measure the horizontal distance from one of the side walls of the house in this elevation view to
where the peak of the roof will be. For some houses this will be the center of the house, for other roof
styles it may not be the center. We'll call this Distance to Peak.

2.

Then calculate Distance to Peak x Roof slope where roof slope is the rise/run. For example for a 5:12
roof slope and a distance of 13 feet the height for the peak of the roof (above the current floor) would
be: 12 feet x 5 / 12 = 5 feet.

3.

Mark a tick on the floor surface to indicate the spot above which will lie the roof peak. Extend a
faint vertical line up from this point.

4.

Measure up this line to the height you have just calculated above.

5.

Now join this roof peak to the outside edge of the house.

6.

If the roof slopes directly down to the other side of the house you can draw another line from the
roof peak to the other edge of the house as well.

Next determine the thickness of your actual roof including all framing and the roof itself and draw this onto
your elevation drawing.
Make sure that you have included all roofs that are visible from this house face. Notice in the elevation
above, the small portion of shed roof which covers a bumpout on the right side is visible.
Basements, Foundations and Chimneys

Next add on the basement, crawl space or foundation. For the elevation views you need only show the
parts of this level which are visible above ground. Other drawings, called cross-sections, will provide
further building details for this part of the home.
For the lower level or foundation, first determine if the lower wall, without any finished surface such as
siding or stucco, will protrude from the upper wall. Then consider what type of finishing will be on the
foundation and what will be on the upper levels. For some homes the concrete foundation may have
parging or stucco and the upper level(s) may have a different finishing. If the whole house will have the
same finish type hopefully your home design is such that the lower foundation wall is flush to the upper
wall(s). If not, now is the time to adjust your foundation plans so that they will be flush.
If the sidings will change, consider whether you want them flush, the finished foundation wall protruding,
or inset. There is no correct way to do it but in general an inset foundation wall could give your home a
somewhat unstable look. If you are building a traditional wood framed home you have a bit of latitude as
to where on the thick foundation wall you will set the wood framing for the floor above. In this way you can
decide exactly how your upper finished walls will or will not line up.
Once you have determined where the foundation wall will sit, draw a faint line from the main floor
downwards to slightly below what you think will be your finished ground height.
Now you can also add any chimneys. As with the walls you have drawn, make sure that you include the
thickness of any finishing materials that may be on the chimney, be it wood siding, brick or stone.

Detail Exterior Finishing

1.
If you will have wood or another type of siding (horizontal, vertical or cedar shake) draw these lines
to indicate the finish. For a stucco wall you need not draw any surface. For a brick or stone wall, the finish
should be drawn. Make sure you include any trim bands, belt lines, etc.
2.
Using your architect's scale, draft in all window and door trim as well as detail any window or door
lites, and exterior knobs or handles.
Decks, Porches and Railings and Finished Ground Level

1.
Now draw in any decks or porches, their railings and stairways. This can be fiddly work, especially
drawing the railings. Use your scale to make sure your drawing is accurate.
2.

Then add on any other architectural features such as fascia, gutters or downspouts.

3.
Next do an accurate measurement of what you plan to have as the difference of your main floor
height to the final level of the landscaping around the house. This may be fairly flat around the whole
house or it may leave a portion of the basement or foundation completely above ground with another part
almost completely buried.
4.

Draw this finished landscaping line along the walls of this elevation view.

5.
Finally, clearly label the drawing to indicate exact finishing materials to be used on exterior
surfaces, this includes roofing materials and siding.
Repeat this process for the other three sides of the home.
As with the floor plan drawings, it is necessary to include a title block on the page which specifies the
house name, the date, and the scale used. The title block is generally in one corner of the drawing.
Floor plan - A floor plan is the most fundamental architectural diagram, a view from above showing the
arrangement of spaces in building in the same way as a map, but showing the arrangement at a particular
level of a building. Technically it is a horizontal section cut through a building (conventionally at four feet /
one metre and twenty centimetres above floor level), showing walls, windows and door openings and other

features at that level. The plan view includes anything that could be seen below that level: the floor, stairs
(but only up to the plan level), fittings and sometimes furniture. Objects above the plan level (e.g. beams
overhead) can be indicated as dashed lines.
Geometrically, plan view is defined as a vertical orthographic projection of an object on to a horizontal
plane, with the horizontal plane cutting through the building.
Elevation - An elevation is a view of a building seen from one side, a flat representation of one faade.
This is the most common view used to describe the external appearance of a building. Each elevation is
labelled in relation to the compass direction it faces, e.g. looking toward the north you would be seeing the
southern elevation of the building.[5] Buildings are rarely a simple rectangular shape in plan, so a typical
elevation may show all the parts of the building that are seen from a particular direction.
Geometrically, an elevation is a horizontal orthographic projection of a building on to a vertical plane, the
vertical plane normally being parallel to one side of the building.
Architects also use the word elevation as a synonym for faade, so the north elevation is literally the northfacing wall of the building.
Section drawing

A 'section drawing', 'section' or 'sectional drawing' shows a view of a structure as though it had been sliced
in half or cut along another imaginary plane.
For buildings, this can be useful as it gives a view through the spaces and surrounding structures (typically
across a vertical plane) that can reveal the relationships between the different parts of the buildings that
might not be apparent on plan drawings. Plan drawings are in fact a type of section, but they cut through
the building on a horizontal rather than vertical plane.

The direction of the plane through which the section is cut is often represented on
plan drawings and elevations by a line of long and short dashes, called a section plane. If there are a
number of sections, the line may have letters at each end indicating the name of the section drawing and
an arrow showing the direction that the view takes.
The section line can take an indirect route through a building if this helps show the most important
features or junctions in the building, as illustrated on the drawing below.

In this case, the section drawing would be named 'Section B-B'.

Shading, cross hatching or other fill styles and / or thicker lines can be used to indicate parts of
the structure that have been cut through, such as walls, roofs and floors.
The scale of a section drawing will depend on the size of the building being drawn and the level of
detail that needs to be shown. Sections may show the entire building, or may focus on a particular
component, junction or assembly. In this case they can be similar to assembly drawings but differ in that
they dont usually include details of the actually assembly process.
Different types of cross hatching can be used to differentiate between different types of component on
detailed sectional drawings. Standards exist for hatching that should be used on some common materials,
for example, double diagonal lines indicate brickwork, a wave indicates insulation and so on.
Perspective sections include 3D projection of the spaces beyond the section plane and can be used to give
a graphical illustration of the relationship between spaces and building componentsas well as their depths
that can be very helpful in trying to interpret a complex design.
Increasingly, section drawings can be generated automatically by 3D modelling software, including
perspective sections where required.