BT 113 Lecture 1
BT 113 Lecture 1
BT 113 Lecture 1
The top view of the floor area of a house. The cutting plane for this top
view passes between the upper and lower window sills. It represents the
arrangement of rooms, doors, windows and other features located in the
floor plan
Grid Line
any of a series of numbered horizontal
and perpendicular lines that divide a
map into squares to form a grid by
means of which any point may be
located by a system of rectangular
coordinates
Components Parts of FLOOR PLAN
Dimension
a measurable extent of some kind, such as length, breadth,
depth, or height:
A blueprint is a reproduction of a
technical drawing or engineering
drawing using a contact print
process on light-sensitive sheets.
Complete Guide to Blueprint Symbols: Floor Plan
Symbols, MEP Symbols, RCP Symbols, and More
Overview:
An architectural plan, or set of blueprints, is created by architects,
engineers, and designers to lay out all the construction specifications
of a house, such as dimensions, building materials, installation
methods, techniques, and even the order in which these things must
be accomplished.
Imagine a view of a home sliced horizontally about five feet from the
ground and looking down from above. This is the way a floor plan is
drawn, and it is designed to give you a detailed idea of the layout of
each floor of the house. This is just one of the components of the
complete set of blueprints.
The types of plan symbols you’ll find on floor plans include everything
from doors and stairs to appliances, furniture, and electrical symbols.
6 Common types of floor plan symbols
1. Compass
The north arrow tells you about the orientation
of the property. Builders and architects use
“Project North” as a designation, which is
different from the cardinal directions on a
compass. This allows you to navigate through
the house by using north, south, east, and west
without having to know where due (magnetic)
north is.
6 Common types of floor plan symbols
2. Stairs
Stairs are customarily indicated by parallel lines
with their measurements. In this case, we see
that they are placed between a window (the
triple line indicated by a diamond), and an
interior architectural wall (the double line).
6 Common types of floor plan symbols
3. Doors
Doors, indicated in this plan
with a numbered hexagon
symbol, are drawn with a
straight line indicating the
door itself; the curved line
shows which way the door
swings open, to show
architects and designers the
amount of clearance they will
have in the room.
6 Common types of floor plan symbols
4. Windows
A window is usually denoted with three
lines, vs. a wall’s two parallel lines. It is
also indicated with a numbered
diamond, which shows which window
it is on the window schedule. As you
look at symbols such as the diamond
for window, look for important
abbreviations that describe it, such as
EQ, or “equal.” This will help you
understand the dimensions of what
the symbols are describing. For
instance, a C with an L through it is a
center line, and describes that a
window is centered, with equal
distance on either side.
6 Common types of floor plan symbols
5. Walls
Walls are usually indicated with a single line for interior lines, and are drawn with thick,
dark line weights, usually in double lines, to indicate exterior walls. As you can see on this
plan, the architect has also given the length for each wall.
6 Common types of floor plan symbols
6. Appliances
Appliances and fixtures, such as toilets, sinks, and bathtubs, are drawn to scale with a
thin line, and resemble the item they symbolize. Similarly, the furniture in floor plans is
drawn with a light line weight so you can quickly tell that it is not integral to the building.
It’s placed there for reference so that anyone looking at the floor plan can understand
how the rooms were intended to be set up.
Appliances and fixtures such as cabinets and the microwave are often drawn with a
dotted line. The most pertinent information, such as walls, doors, and windows, are
drawn in heavier weights, so your eyes will be drawn to them immediately.
MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing)
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers—known as “MEP” engineers—use scientific
principles to design and build the functional and mechanical systems of a building. People in the
architecture world like to think of MEP engineers as the builders and maintainers of a structure’s
central nervous system. Every mechanical function that occurs in a building—from ensuring air flow
and quality to planning electronic and communications systems, to laying out complex piping
routes—is performed by an MEP engineer.
Other types of prints within the architectural plan include MEP, or Mechanical, Electrical, and
Plumbing. They are usually delivered in a bundle on a separate drawing with the relevant
mechanical, plumbing symbols, and electrical symbols. As a builder or framer, you’ll need to know
where those systems will be routed so you can leave space for them to be laid in. The MEP
drawings will show the location of physical fixtures and the routing of the lines.
Plumbing drawings reflect the complex piping and sewage routes for the building, and these are
examples of symbols you will find on the plumbing plans:
Mechanical drawings reflect the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (or HVAC) systems of a
building. Here are some of the symbols you will see on mechanical plans:
What do electrical engineers do?
Plumbing engineers design complex piping and sewage routes for the building,
and deal with heated water and rainwater collection and storage. More and
more, plumbing designers are called to develop efficient systems that can help
decrease a building’s water consumption and reduce water bills. For instance,
they plan low-flow fixtures in bathrooms, insulate piping and use alternative
water sources. Their services may include working with hydroponics, irrigation,
fuels, natural gas, and more. Some of the plumbing systems they plan in
constructions include:
• Natural gas piping
• Domestic warm and cold water
• Acid waste piping
• Storm drainage systems
• Vacuum/compressed air
What do mechanical engineers do?
Mechanical engineers design the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (or
HVAC) systems of a building. Their job is to balance the consumption of water
and electricity against the costs of equipment and the ease of installing them.
The mechanical engineer connects the work of the electricians and plumbers
on a job. Some of the mechanical systems they deal with are:
• HVAC systems
• Exhaust systems
• Direct digital control (DDC) systems
• Chilled water systems
• Heating water systems
• Infection control HVAC
• Cooling systems