Floor Plan
Floor plans give a visual representation of an area, allowing a large space to be viewed
on a smaller scale. The plan may include an entire building, one floor of a building, or
a single room depending on the purpose and focus of the floor plan. It may also include
measurements, furniture, appliances, or anything else necessary to the purpose of the plan.
Learn more about SmartDraw's floor plan software.
Typical Uses
Floor plans can be extremely useful in many different situations. They can be used to plan
where furniture is going to go, to see the wiring systems, to know if a space is too large
or too small for a specific purpose. A housing or architecture company may use Floor Plans
for construction and advertisement. It gives a broad overview of a space and allows the
manipulation of a large area on a single piece of paper.
Best Practices
- Choose an area. Determine the area to be drawn. If the building already exists, decide how much (a room, a floor, or the entire building) of it to draw. If the building does not yet exist, brainstorm designs based on the size and shape of the location on which to build.
- Take measurements. If the building exists, measure the walls, doors, and pertinent furniture so that the floor plan will be accurate. If the layout is being created for an entirely new area, be sure that the total area will fit where it is to be built. It is advisable to examine buildings built in similar areas to use as an estimate for this floor plan.
- Draw walls. Add walls for each room of the building, taking care to draw them to scale.
- Add architectural features. Begin adding features to the space by including the unchangeable things, like the doors and windows, as well as the refrigerator, dishwasher, dryer, and other important appliances that must be placed in a specific location.
- Add furniture. Add any additional furniture, although, depending on the purpose of the floor plan, this may not be necessary.
- Put it to use. Share the floor plan with someone who has knowledge of the project in order to confirm the plan's soundness. Use the floor plan to experiment with placement and furniture type and style. Alternatively, file it for construction or post it as advertisement.
