Floor Plan Symbols

Door Symbols

Doors are typically represented by a break in a wall with an arc indicating the swing direction.

• Single door: One arc showing swing direction
• Double door: Two arcs meeting in the middle
• Sliding door: Parallel lines that look like they might slide past one another
• Pocket door: Door slides into the wall cavity
• Swinging door: Similar to a regular door except the door swings both inward and outward with an arc in each direction like in a saloon
• Revolving door: A circle segmented with lines radiating from the center
• Bifold door: Two v-shaped lines often used for closets
• Barn door: Shows a door that slides along the outside face of a wall

Window Symbols

Windows are drawn as breaks in the walls similar to door, often with thin lines indicating glass.

• Fixed window: Simple opening in the wall with thin lines and no swing
• Casement window: A window that swings out like a door and its symbol may include swing direction
• Garden window: A garden window is a small box that extends outward to create a box-like alcove for planting herbs
• Bay window: Composed of three segments at 45 or 30 degree angles projecting outward
• Bow window: Composed of several narrow window segments that curve outward

Stair Symbols

Stairs are drawn as a series of rectangles or lines with an arrow indicating direction (up or down). Sometimes the direction is indicated using the labels "UP" and "DN".

• Straight stairs: Represented with a series of parallel lines in a straight line
• L-shaped stairs: Two straight stairs connected in a 90 degree turn
• U-shaped stairs: Two parallel straight stairs with a 180 degree turn
• Z-shaped stairs: Stairs form a zigzag pattern when viewed from above
• Spiral stairs: Circular shape with steps radiating around a center point

Other Structural Symbols

Other structural symbols may include load bearing columns and beams as well as fireplaces, closets, and elevators.

• Columns: Squares or circles
• Beams: Thick lines
• Fireplace symbol: Shown as a projection from a wall or a dedicated hearth area with a notation
• Closet symbol: Closets are not usually a unique symbol you'd drag and drop to a floor plan. They're usually a small rectangular or square room inside a larger room with a door, sometimes a sliding door or bifold door.
• Elevator symbol: A rectangular shaft with door openings and may include an "ELEV" label

Electrical Plan Symbols

Floor plans can often include electrical symbols to indicate outlets, switches, and light fixtures. A floor plan with electrical information is often referred to as an electrical plan.

• Outlet: Small circle with a single line extending through the center of the shape outward
• Duplex receptacle outlet: A small circle with double parallel lines extending outward through the circle and beyond
• GFCI outlet: GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt. Add the abbreviation to the symbol for duplex receptacle outlet.
• Switch: Often just marked with a single letter "S"
• Three-way switch: The letter "S" with a small number 3 in subscript
• Junction box or J-box symbol: Circle with a "J"
• Dimmer switch: A square with the letter "D"
• Ceiling light: A circle with 4 short lines radiating outward in an X pattern
• Recessed ceiling light: Same symbol as the ceiling light with the abbreviation RCLT attached to it
• Recessed linear light: A rectangle with a diagonal strike through it
• Wall mounted light: A circle with an attached T shaped line
• Fan symbol: A small circle surrounded by blade shapes
• Telephone outlet: A black upside down triangle
• Data outlet or jack: A white upside down triangle
• Doorbell: A square with a solid black circle in the center of a square with a B inside and a circle attached on one side
• Ceiling mounted speaker: A circle with an "S" inside

Plumbing and Bathroom Symbols

Plumbing symbols represent fixtures and water components.

• Sink symbol: Oval or rectangle with a drain
• Double vanity: A long rectangle with two sink shapes inside spaced evenly apart
• Shower symbol: Box or curved enclosure
• Bath symbol: A rectangle with an oval inside with a small circle to indicate the drain or faucet location
• Toilet symbol: Rounded bowl shape
• Bidet symbol: Similar to a toilet, but smaller and more oval, often without a tank shape
• Urinal symbol: A small, narrow oval or U-shape mounted against a wall line
• Floor drain: A small circle or square, sometimes with a grid or cross lines inside
• Towel bar: A thin straight line mounted along a wall, sometimes with small brackets at each end
• Medicine cabinet: A shallow rectangle on a wall, sometimes marked with a mirrored line or cross to indicate a reflective surface

HVAC Symbols

Many floor plans include basic HVAC and utility symbols even when a separate mechanical plan exists.

• Air conditioner: A rectangle labeled "AC" or containing a snowflake icon
• Furnace symbol: A square or rectangle labeled "FURN" or "F", sometimes with vent lines
• Supply vent: A small rectangle or square with parallel lines indicating airflow direction into a room
• Return air duct: A square or rectangle with a slash through it or labeled "R" to show air returning tot he system
• Thermostat: A small circle with a "T" inside
• Exhaust fan: A circle with a yin/yang swirl pattern inside
• Water heater: A circle or cylinder labeled "WH"
• Duct chase: A rectangular boxed-in area showing where ductwork runs vertically or horizontally
• Vertical drop tube: A circle or square with a vertical line, indicating piping or ductwork passing between floors
• Mechanical shaft: A larger enclosed rectangle labeled for mechanical systems, often spanning multiple floors

Section & Elevation Markers

Markers indicate where drawings are "cut" to show different views like wall construction, ceiling heights, and structural elements.

Common elements:

• Circle or symbol with arrows
• Reference numbers or letters

How to read it:

• The line = where the cut is made
• The arrows = which direction you're viewing
• The label = where to find that section drawing on another page

Fire Protection & Life Safety Symbols

Emergency and fire safety systems to show the floor plan's code compliance.

• Smoke detector: A hexagon with the letter "S" in its center
• Carbon monoxide detector: A hexagon with the letter "C" in its center
• Fire alarm: A square with the letter "F" inside
• Fire pre-plan exit sign: On a fire pre-plan the NFPA standard symbol is a "running man" pictogram with the word "Exit"
• Emergency light: Two inverted triangles that look like an hourglass symbol
• Exit light: A circle divided into 4 pie pieces with the top pie piece colored a solid black color
• Sprinkler connection: Two concentric circles
• Hazardous materials: A diamond shape divided into four squares: blue, red, yellow, and white
• Gas shut off: Green triangle with the abbreviation NG
• Water shut off: Blue triangle with the letter W
• Electric shut off: Yellow triangle with the letter E

Smartdraw Has All the Floor Plan Symbols You Need

SmartDraw has a large collection of industry standard floor plan symbols to make residential or commercial floor plans of all kinds. In addition to standard structural symbols, you'll get electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and hundreds of furniture and layout symbols you need.