How to Read Blueprints

Blueprints are an architect's detailed, two dimensional, scaled drawing of plans and materials necessary to construct a building. Each set of blueprints include a foundation plan, framing plan, floor plan, roof plan, front, side and rear elevations, cross section drawings, window and door schedules, electrical schematic drawings and plumbing schematic drawings. Here's a guide to help with reading a set of blueprints.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Scale ruler

1. Study each page carefully. Use common sense and any technical drawing knowledge to figure out the placement of familiar sites and objects.

2. Know the purpose for each drawing. Provide a bird's eye view with floor plans, a stand point with elevations, builders structural manual with the cross section and technical schematic drawings.

3. Understand the dimensions. Notice the scale printed on each page for the drawings. Set the ruler to the appropriate scale for the current page.

4. Decipher the symbols. Looks for a legend of symbols particularly on the electrical and plumbing schematic drawings.

5. Correspond shapes with numbers inside of windows, doors and other elements that indicate size and type. Even the manufacturer and model numbers can be used.

6. Familiarize self with standard symbols. Thick, solid lines indicate full height walls; thin, solid lines indicate other built-in structures; and thin, dotted lines indicate overhead features.