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Topics covered in this Lesson:

Starting and Organizing a Project

This lesson will have you using the tools you learned in the first level
(../level_1/introduction-to-AutoCAD-basics-1-1.htm). Believe it or not, if you
understand the commands taught in the first level, you understand almost all of the
common commands used in AutoCAD 2D Drafting - for any version.

Now that you know how the tools are used, you need to know when to use the best
tool for the job. In this tutorial you will draw a simple floor plan. You can consider this
your first project.

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I'm not referring to being a Project Manager in this tutorial, but organizing a project in
AutoCAD takes a standard approach. Consider drawing a room a 'project', or a floor.
On your first day of the job given a project and asked to draw it. What you draw will
depend upon the 'Scope of Work'

This example will assume that you've been put in a small room and told to draw it.
The first thing you want to do is set up your drawing. There are a few basic steps to
approaching EVERY drawing you do in CAD.
 Make sure you have the ability to draw it. See if there is anything in the
drawing or area that you would not be able to reproduce. You should also see
if you have all the information you need to complete the drawing, or at least get
a majority of it done. For example, if there are angled walls, can you find that
angle? Curved Walls?

Are you using a template to start the drawing with? Your Project Manager
should provide you with either the standard company (or a client's) template.

Once you have this basic information, you can begin. As you can see,
there is a bit you have to do before drawing your first line. Get into the good
habit of beginning your drawings properly and never with the attitude that you
can always "Fix it later!"

Below is the project that you will be drawing.

41'
11' 15' 15' 1'

1'
2'-8" 5'

ASSIGNMENT #1 - OPTION 1 2'

COMPUTER ROOM

30'
2' 5'
5'
25'

5'

COLUMN (X4)
1' (TYP) 6"

1'-6" 2'-8" 2'-8" 1'-6"

11' 15' 13'
Once your drawing is set up, think about how you will actually draw it. You should
start with the most basic components first. Consider how you would build this
structure. Start with the foundation and add more detail as you go. Look at the outer
walls and start there. Then add more details such as the door openings, doors,
windows, etc. Finish up with the details that are on the scope of work - fire
extinguishers, outlets, etc. Be careful with your measurements, because if you make
a mistake at the start, it will cause BIG problems later on as you continue through
the drawing.

A general rule I use is to draw like I would build it. This basic approach will at least
give you a starting point for any project in any discipline.

Just like in Previous Lessons, start AutoCAD and a new drawing by using the menu
option File > New. You will see a dialog box open that asks you to select a template
drawing to use. In these examples you will use AutoCAD's default template. This will
give you the chance to practice creating and using layers. Have a look at the types
of objects in the drawing example and create layers for each.

The first two projects are designed using imperial, architectural units (i.e.: 3'-6") as
opposed to the decimal measurements you used in the previous level. If your
template is not set to Architectural units, you can do this by using the DDUNITS
command and set "Length > Type" to Architectural.

Notes on entering Architectural Units:

Entering Architectural units requires a different way of inputting numbers that

regular decimal units. Here are some ways of entering them:

11'10-1/2" 11'10-1/2 3' (or) 36" (or) 36

You don't ever need to use the inch symbol. Inches can be entered instead of
feet (i.e. 48=4').

Computer Room Project

Start a new drawing and create the layers (../level_1/layers-text-dimensioning-
AutoCAD-tutorial-1-8.htm#layer) that you need. You should have 4 layers. (Walls,
Furniture, Doors, Dims).

Where to start:
Here is the room you will be drawing. Imagine that you just walked in the door at the
top right, have a look around...

You'll see two more doors, and some parts of the wall sticking out - where the
columns are. Imagine that you have to measure it, and draw it. You would start with
the largest measurements first for the walls, then the columns and then draw the 23
desks last.

You're ready to start drawing now. As mentioned above, start with the outside and
work your way in. If you are drawing the first project, you can easily draw the walls
(using DDE (../level_1/direct-distance-entry-in-AutoCAD-tutorial-1-9.htm)), then
offset them by the thickness of the wall. From there, it's just a matter of inserting the
door openings. I usually do that by offsetting lines, then trimming away what I don't
need. For the doors themselves, just draw a rectangle and rotate it (later on you will
learn about blocks for this). So with just a few commands, you can draw this room -
all the commands you learned in Level 1. Of course, there are many ways to draw
the same project.
 (http://www.mycadsite.com/other/order_form.htm)

Click here to see one way to draw doors (drawing-doors-in-AutoCAD.htm) if you're

not sure what to do for them.

Once you have drawn the basic plan, dimension it (refer to Lesson 1-8
(../level_1/layers-text-dimensioning-AutoCAD-tutorial-1-8.htm)). From the "Computer
Room" plan you will be adding computers and other accessories to the desks later in
the course, so save the file when you are done.

A quick note about dimensioning:

If you want to dimension this drawing, you might find that the default size is too
small. The scale / size of your dimensions is controlled by the DIMSCALE system
variable. Try a value of about 12 for this drawing and try 100 for the metric
drawing.

If you want to modify your dimensions further, please jump ahead to this tutorial
(../level_4/modifying-creating-dimension-styles-autocad-4-11.htm).

Video: Computer Room Project - Part 1

 0:00 / 4:04

Video: Computer Room Project - Part 2

0:00 / 8:50

Below are 3 projects to work on. Draw them and think about how you might
approach them.
 PROJECT GIF IMAGE AUTOCAD DWG FILE

Project # 1 -
(links/comproom.dwg)
Computer Room (links/computer_room.gif)

Project #1a -
(links/CompRoom- (links/CompRoom-
Computer Room
(Metric) Metric.gif) Metric-2010.dwg)

Project # 2 - Office
(links/office.dwg)
Space (links/office_space.gif)

Project #3 - Cabin (links/cabin.gif) Not Available

Project #4 - Cabin 2 (links/cabin2.gif)

(links/cabin_floor_plan2.dwg)

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Video: Office Space Project

 00:00 / 16:27

Extra Practice: Here is a PDF of an older scan of a floor plan (links/Scanned-

Floor-Plan.pdf). One job you might have as an entry level CAD user is to translate
older blueprint drawings into CAD drawings. Note the use of Door and Window
schedules. These are a key to sizes used in the plan. See if you can draw the
elevations (front and rear views) using the floor plan you have drawn.

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a-floor-plan-in-autocad-2-1.htm&title=
%20Accura

Take the Lesson 2-1 Quiz

Which one is NOT a vaild type of unit?

Open

Architectural

Decimal
 (drawing-a-floor-plan-in-autocad-2-1.htm#quiz)

For Further Thought:

This lesson isn't really about drawing floor plans. If you are a mechanical or civil
drafter you may never draw a floor plan in your life. This lesson is about how to look
at a larger project and develop a process to complete it.
In the first level of tutorials, I showed you the tools and procedures to make "lines
and arcs". This level is about becoming productive and figuring out when to use
which tool. This is what will make you a better drafter.
I hope that you'll reflect back to this tutorial when you have to tackle a new large
project.

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