Interiors | The Rough Sketch (A Guide)
The Floorplan Defined
A floorplan is a visual representation of the subject space, a room or house, as defined by the project's scope.
It is typically a 2D overhead rendering of the area, a length and width representation of the horizontal axis (Figure A.). It can also take the form of a 3D representation of both horizontal and vertical axes (Figure B.).
The rough sketch is the first draft of a floorplan and the first stage of a design plan. It is crafted by hand on site of the subject space, the objective of which to capture its shape, dimensions, and architectural features..
This information will later be transcribed into the final draft of the floorplan and used as the baseline for the design plan.
Neither measurements, rulers, nor special paper is required to draw the outline of a room (Figure C.); though, graph paper and a straightedge may prove useful in keeping lines straight and the draft legible especially as the project advances into the next stages.
Without strict regard for scale, draw the general outline of the room, capturing its shape. Sketch windows and doors approximately where these and other architectural features (fireplaces, wall breaks, columns, and anything else structural) fall relative to the space.
The Horizontal Axis: Width and Depth
Width and depth measurements are collected for the composition of a two dimensional floorplan. (Vertical measurements are additionally gathered for the composition of three dimensional floorplan and design plans when applicable, see The Vertical Axis: Height)
- Measure the length of the walls. To measure the width and depth of a space, measure the distance between the walls and not the baseboards (Figure E.)
- Measure the width and depth of architectural features. Measure the openings of windows (Figure F.) and doors (Figure G.). Trim should not be included as part of window and door measurements.
- Measure where architectural features fall relative to the room. Moving around the perimeter of the room, measure the distance from the edge of one wall or architectural feature to the next. Moulding should not be included as part of architectural features, but instead as part of the wall. To measure the distance between a wall and a window (Figure H.), for example, measure from the wall edge (not the baseboard edge) to the window opening (not to the window trim).
The Vertical Axis: Height
Vertical measurements are additionally gathered for the composition of three dimensional floorplans and design plans.
- Measure the height of walls. Measure from the floor to the ceiling. Trim such as baseboards and crown moulding should be included as part of the wall measurement (Figure I.).
- Measure the height of architectural features. Measure the openings of windows (Figure J.) and doors (Figure K.). Trim should not be included as part of window and door measurements.
- Relative to the floor or ceiling, measure where architectural features fall on the vertical plane. Moulding should not be included as part of architectural features, but instead as part of the wall. To measure the distance between the floor and a window (Figure L.), for example, measure from the floor to the window opening (not to the window trim).
It is not necessary to collect all the measurements to be had within a space as long as enough information is collected to accurately depict tee space to scale in the final draft of the floor and design plans. So, if a three foot window is recorded as five feet from the edge of a wall, it is duplicative to then record an overall wall dimension of eight feet.
Dimensions are recorded on the outer edge of the room outline nearby corresponding walls, windows, doors, and other architectural features. Separated by a dash, measurements are notated in feet and inches; for example, a wall measuring eight feet and three inches is recorded as 8'-3".
So as to visually distinguish between individual dimensions and corresponding features, each measurement is bracketed off. The measurement is recorded between brackets, a line drawn between each measurement and breaking for the measurement itself.
