Advanced Drafting Board Architecture Course

Now that you’ve been introduced to the fundamental principles and methods of creating plans on the drafting board, we can assume you’re ready to take the next step in drafting and move on to creating more complete plans. Here we go, and yes I know it’s not the greatest layout for a house, but we don’t always get what we want. And I’m pretty sure you can come up with your own layout once you learn hos it’s done.

As you learned “how to” in the Drafting Primer Class, referring to Floor Plan below, start by drawing the outer wall lines. Then, mark the thickness of the walls which is four inches (4″), add the interior partition walls which is also four inches, and sketch the lines as shown. If you’re having a hard time reading, this I’ve included a PDF file you can download here. I’ve made it easy on you by putting the room sizes in each room. The first dimension is the width, and the second is the depth. Once the wall outlines are in place, the next step is to position the doors, windows, and other features, which I’ll show in the next image. Please remember the rule I set for you about door and window sizes in the Primer course.

Remember to draw the door outlines lightly with a pencil. Once the initial layout is complete, you can erase any unnecessary lines when finalizing the drawing. This makes it easier to see exactly where to start and stop when creating the finished lines with a pencil. This method is faster and more efficient than trying to determine all the exact starting and stopping points beforehand, especially in areas with multiple doors or partitions are close together.

After completing the initial sketch of the above floor plan, erase the lines crossing the door openings and overlapping at the partition junctions. This refinement will result in the finalized plan as shown below. By comparing the above and below images, you can better understand the progression of the plan and see the improvements made during the process. In addition to removing unnecessary lines, further details like commodes, sinks, and closet shelves have been added, completing the floor plan.

By the way, you should have noticed by now that I added a few things to the plan. For instance, there’s now a coat closet in the Entry, a linen closet in the Bathroom, and a privy for the toilet in the Master Bath. Use your experience to add these features.

Drawing the Roof Plan

The process of drafting a roof plan is illustrated below. Start by drawing the interior lines, which represent the outer edge of the wall plate. Then, mark the width  of the cornice or overhang, which is one foot four inches (1′-4″), and sketch the outer lines of the roof. Next, position the hips, valleys, and ridges, and finish the roof plan as shown in the completed diagram below.

Drawing the Elevations

In the standard sequence of architectural drafting, the elevations are typically created next. These drawings are often the most complex and can seem like an overwhelming challenge at first glance. However, like most tasks, they become manageable once you understand the proper approach. With clear instructions, even those new to drafting can overcome the common challenges of drawing elevations.

We’ll begin with the front elevation, as illustrated in the image below. While some drafters might prefer to start at the foundation and work upward, a more practical method is to begin at the bottom line of the sill. This approach simplifies the calculations, especially for frame buildings, as it’s easier to measure heights from the bottom of the sill upward. For the foundation height, you can easily calculate the distance from the sill’s bottom to the desired height above the ground line.

Start by drawing the line A B, which represents the bottom of the sill. From this line, mark the width of the front gable as A C. Next, calculate the total height from the sill’s bottom to the roofline’s top, indicated by the guide marks D, E, and F. Draw the vertical lines A D, C E, and B F, which represent the main corners of the structure. However, do not extend these lines all the way to the guide marks. Since the roof’s cornice lines will intersect below these points, leaving room for adjustment is more practical.

It’s generally easier to complete elevation drawings from the top down. When you draw the cornice lines, they will meet the vertical corner lines at the appropriate points. You can observe this by comparing the unfinished image above with the completed image below. If the vertical lines were drawn fully to the guide marks, you would have to erase sections to add the cornice, which is less efficient and creates unnecessary complications.

Understanding Roof Pitch

I Assume you already know how to measure or you would not have gotten this far in the lessons! Framers, when they build a roof have to know what pitch (angle) to build the roof. They could use degrees of angle but that can get complicated on the job site. What they use is a triangle with inch marks on two sides and cut their rafters from the angles they measure out on this tool as shown below.

 

To determine the roof angle you would set the tool on the lumber at what ever pitch angle you desired as shown below. If you wanted a 4″ in 12″ pitch you would place the tool where the 4 inch mark touched the lumber with the 12 inch mark. The lumber is then cut at the mark made from the measurement and the rafter will then fit on the top plate of the house at the proper angle.

 

We draw the roof pitch in basically the same way. Instead of 4:12 though, we’re drawing our roof pitches at 10:12 using the same principle.

For outlining, lightly draw the lines in full with a pencil, extending them to the guide marks D, E, and F. Once the cornice lines are in place, erase any overlapping sections. This method helps you clearly see where to begin and end when finalizing the drawing with ink or tracing tools.

The guide marks D, E, and F also serve as reference points for calculating the roof’s elevation. Add the necessary roof overhang below these points, as shown in the illustration.

Advancing the Elevation Drawing

The three parallel lines running the full length represent the base and water table, which extend along the elevation, aligning with the porch as illustrated.

With the basic outline established, as shown in the image above, the next steps will move the elevation toward a more advanced stage of completion. Begin by drawing the gutter on the roof and completing the hips. Next, add the lines for the crown molding and fascia of the main cornice.

Next, shift your attention to the porch and front door. Complete the door frame as depicted. For clarity and simplicity, some porch and bay window details will be omitted at this stage, leaving these for the final rendering. Viewing the work at various stages of completion provides beginners with a clearer understanding of the process and progression.

If this course has been a help to you, consider giving us a tip for our efforts…