Can i read blueprints

Floor plans. Detail images. Sections and elevations. Structural drawings. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing. Object line: Object lines show edges or elements that are visible on the finished building, such as walls and corners.

They are a visually thick line. Hidden line: Hidden lines show parts of a building that are not visible in the finished building. They are usually shown using a thin dashed line. Section line: Section lines show parts of a building that align with the cross-section being used in a particular depiction. They are drawn as a series of short parallel diagonal lines. Center line: Center lines show the middle of a given element in a blueprint.

They resemble hidden lines, but instead of evenly spaced dashes they consist of alternating long and short dashes. Dimension line: Dimension lines show the distance between two points on a blueprint. They are represented by two vectors with a space between where the length of that space is printed. Extension line: Extension lines indicate the endpoints of a dimension line. They are short, bold lines set perpendicular to the associated dimension line. Leader line: Leader lines connect architectural notes with the elements they are referring to.

They are usually light and terminate in an arrow pointing to the appropriate part of the blueprint. Cutting plane line: Cutting plan lines show the cross-section of a specific blueprint element. They are usually bold and U-shaped to show the element's interior. Break line: Break lines use waves or zigzags to condense long, uniform components of a blueprint.

When short, they are thick and wavy, and when long they are usually thin with zigzags interspersed. You will see things like copyright information, revision date, plan number, creation date, scale of the drawing, and sheet number.

If the drawing is part of a set, that information will also be included. This allows for easy filing and organization. Every block or cell contains an important piece of data. If there is a blank in the title block, the drawing is not ready for release. The authority checker or engineer will not sign it if there is missing information.

The second section of the title block contains routine information. Approval dates and signatures are located here. The final section of the title block is the list of references. This section lists all other drawings that are related to the building, system, component, as well as all construction plans blueprints that were used as a reference or to inspire the project.

Any time there is change to a building, system, or component, the drawing must be redrafted. Those changes are listed in the Revision Block — usually with a date as well.

Construction plans blueprints are scaled down representations of the final project at a ratio of the actual size. When construction plans are scaled, it helps to put the part into a print size drawing that is easily read by the crew. The notes will reveal any specifications, details, or information the designer engineer thinks may help you understand the drawing. General notes eliminate the use of lengthy written explanations.

It is a note that provides technical information that will apply to the entire drawing. When learning how to read construction plans, one of the most important components is the legend. The legend is used to define the symbols used in the construction plans blueprint. In some cases, similar symbols can have different meanings depending on the line of work being performed.

Your company might also have their own symbols for certain items. The important thing is that you understand the meaning of the symbols regarding the plans you are reviewing. In addition to the above mentioned, construction plans are also often composed of industry-specific symbols. It is critical that you take notice of these notations, as they will provide important information. From this view, you can determine how much of each material will be used in constructing the various ceiling areas.

You will also notice a detail symbol mentioned above. The bottom half contains the sheet number A where you will find details pertaining to the soffit area over the cafe. The dark line extending from the detail symbol to the soffit area indicates exactly which area on the plan that the detail refers to. In the top half of the symbol, you will see the number 9. This tells you that if you turn to sheet A and look for detail number 9, you will find an enlarged depiction of the area in question.

Following the reflected ceiling plan below, you will see that detail sheet excerpt with information about the soffit construction, areas that receive paint P-1 and the detail showing the wood crown molding.

In addition to giving you precise measurements of wall areas, door and frame counts, molding and baseboard footages, an elevations plan gives you a broader concept of how the whole project goes together which can help you formulate your plan of attack for the project by pointing out unforeseen problems and solutions.

Room finish schedules give you the necessary data for required finishes at the floors, base, walls and ceilings. Beneath that is a legend that explains what the various finish codes mean. This is hardly an exhaustive discourse on plan sheets, but it should give you an idea of what to look for. But like the saying goes, practice makes perfect!

Oct 6, In "Industry News". Oct 6, In "Business Tips". Categories: Miscellaneous. Consider a simple drawn cube, the only lines seen are those visible. On a blueprint, these take on an added importance; thicker than all others, they became the reference point to compare the weight and composition of all other lines. Identify the hidden lines. Hidden lines - or invisible lines - reveal surfaces that otherwise would not be visible to the eye.

They are drawn at half the weight of object lines, with short, consistently spaced dashes. Consider the same drawing of a cube and how sometimes the otherwise invisible lines are represented in this same way. One rule of hidden lines is that they must always begin in contact with the line that is their starting point.

The exception to this is anytime that first dash would appear to be a continuation of a solid line. Read the dimension lines. Dimension lines show you the distance between any two locations in a drawing. Whether that be walls in a house, or the space between wiring in an electrical outlet.

They are drawn as short, solid lines, with arrowheads on each end. The line's center point is broken, and here you will see the dimension i. Dimension lines will help to envision a more 3D space and maintain correct spacing within a room or object. Find all center lines. Center lines establish the central axis of an object or part.

You will most often see these with plans for circular or curved objects. On blueprints, they are drawn with alternating long and short dashes. Long dashes are on each end, and short dashes at points of intersection. Center lines are drawn with the same weight as invisible lines. Find the phantom lines. Phantom lines are used to illustrate different positions of an object.

For example think of a switch in the off position. Phantom lines could be used to represent its possible appearance in the on position.

On blueprints you will see them drawn with one long and two short dashes, with another long dash on the end - all evenly spaced. Phantom lines also show any detail that needs to be repeated, or even the location of absent parts. Identify extension lines. Extension lines are used to precisely define the physical limit of any dimension. They are drawn as short, solid lines, and can be placed inside or outside of the dimension being defined.

Extending from the object outline, they do not actually touch the object lines. Since dimension lines often have to hover above an object simply because there is no room on the paper, or they would overlap, extension lines allow for more definite end and beginning points. Dimension lines are drawn with the same weight as invisible lines. Locate the leaders. Leaders lines are solid lines ending typically in an arrowhead; these indicate any part or area of a drawing that is associated with a number, letter, note, or other reference.

Desks, bookcases, and other furniture that don't come pre-assembled are a common reference to remember leader lines. In the instruction manual, lead lines are frequently used to define parts i. Read the break lines. Break lines are used any time a part is removed in order to reveal what lies immediately beneath. In architectural drawings they are often used when a long section of drawing have the same structure; this reduces the drawing size and saves paper.

Short break lines are done freehand and resemble a solid, thick sin wave. Long break lines are long, thin ruler-produced lines interspersed with freehand zig-zags. Part 3. Read books about blueprints. There are a number of general and trade-specific books on reading blueprints, some of which are published by hardware and tool-manufacturing companies and others by government agencies, such as the United States Army.

These books are available in hard-copy and e-book formats. If you're interested primarily in architectural drawings, be sure to specify that in your searches.

It's also possible to find blueprint lessons for maritime, civil, and engineering work in addition to many other fields. Watch instructional videos.