Drawing Types
A traditional method of reproducing technical drawings using a contact print process and light-sensitive paper that resulted in white lines on a blue background. Also, the traditional name used to describe construction drawings.
Blueprints
The making of a set of construction drawings with the aid of a computer.
Computer-aided drafting (CAD)
Drawings that show the location of the building on the site from an aerial view, including contours, trees, construction features, and dimensions.
Civil plans
Large, horizontal structural members made of concrete, steel, stone, wood, or other structural material to provide support above a large opening.
Beams
Drawings that represent a material or component on a plan.
Symbols
Qualified, licensed people who create and design drawings for construction projects.
Architects
A drawing that provides an aerial view of the layout of each room.
Floor plan
A straightedge measuring device divided uniformly into multiples of 10 divisions per inch so that drawings can be made with decimal values. Used mainly for land measurements on site plans.
Engineer’s scale
Drawings that show the design of the project. Also called architectural drawings.
Architectural plans
HVAC components that pull air from a room and return it to the heating or cooling system. They are different from a register in that they do not have a damper to control airflow.
Grilles
A dashed line showing an object obstructed from view by another object.
Hidden line
People who apply scientific principles in design and construction.
Engineers
A drawing of the view of the roof from above the building.
Roof plan
A specialized ruler used in making or measuring reduced scale drawings. The ruler is marked with a range of calibrated ratios for laying out distances, with scales indicating feet, inches, and fractions of inches. Used on drawings other than site plans.
Architect’s scale
A set of engineered drawings used to support the architectural design.
Structural plans
HVAC components that direct air from the heating or cooling system into a room. A damper in the register is used to control the airflow.
Registers
In drafting, the line on which an arrowhead is placed and used to identify a component.
Leader
A system for recording, documenting, and identifying drawing revisions by using a numeric or alphabetic sequence.
Drawing revision control
Side view of a building or object, showing height and width.
Elevation drawing
A straightedge measuring device divided into centimeters, with each centimeter divided into 10 millimeters. Usually used for architectural drawings and sometimes referred to as a metric architect’s scale.
Metric scale
A drawing that shows the layout and elevation of the building foundation.
Foundation plan
Schematic diagrams of a complete piping system.
Piping and instrumentation drawings (P&IDs)
Solid or dashed lines showing the elevation of the earth on a civil drawing.
Contour lines
A part of a drawing sheet that includes some general information about the project.
Title block
A cross-sectional view of a specific location, showing the inside of an object or building.
Section drawing
Describes drawings that show relative positions and sizes only, without scale.
Not to scale (NTS)
Engineered drawings that show the mechanical systems, such as motors and piping.
Mechanical plan
Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning.
HVAC
A description of the symbols and abbreviations used in a set of drawings.
Legend
Precise written presentation of the details of a plan.
Specifications
Enlarged views of part of a drawing used to show an area more clearly.
Detail drawing
A line on a drawing with a measurement indicating length.
Dimension line
Engineered drawings that show the layout for the plumbing system.
Plumbing plans
A type of three-dimensional drawing that depicts a plumbing system.
Plumbing isometric drawing
A one-line drawing showing the flow path for electrical circuitry or the relationship of all parts of a system.
Schematic
A drawing that shows the details of the building’s sprinkler system.
Fire protection plan