Sketch and measure
Walk the space and sketch every room roughly. Then measure each wall, door and window, and write the numbers on the sketch as you go.
Guide · How to draw a floor plan
How to Draw a Floor Plan
to scale, in eight steps.
A floor plan is a map of a home seen from above, drawn to scale. Whether you use graph paper or a browser, the steps are the same: measure, choose a scale, draw the walls, cut in the doors and windows, then dimension and label every room.
- 8steps
- 1/4 in = 1 fta common US scale
- 4tools for drawing by hand
Before you start
What you need to draw a floor plan
By hand you need four things: graph paper (four squares to the inch works well), a sharp pencil and eraser, a ruler or scale ruler, and a tape measure for the real space. A set square helps keep corners at 90 degrees.
Online you need only a floor plan maker. The software keeps everything to scale, draws wall thickness and door swings for you and adds the dimensions, which removes most of the mistakes people make by hand.
Either way, decide first whether you are drawing a home that exists (you will measure it) or one you are planning (you will start from the rooms you need). The drawing steps below are the same for both; planning a new layout is covered in the house layout guide.
Step by step
How to draw a floor plan
Work from the outside in, and from big to small.
Step 1 Step 2 Choose a scale
Pick a scale that fits the page: 1/4 in = 1 ft is common for US house plans, 1:50 or 1:100 for metric. On graph paper, one square can equal one foot.
Step 3 Draw the outside walls
Draw the outline first, using a thicker line for outside walls (about 6 in thick at 1/4 in scale is a thin double line).
Step 4 Add the inside walls
Measure each inside wall from a corner of the outline and draw it thinner than the outside walls.
Step 5 Cut in doors and windows
Leave a gap for each door with an arc showing which way it swings, and draw windows as thin parallel lines inside the wall.
Step 6 Add fixtures and stairs
Draw the fixed things: kitchen counters, sink, bath, toilet and any stairs. Furniture is optional but helps check that rooms work.
Step 7 Dimension it
Add dimension lines for the outside walls and for each room's width and depth, in feet and inches.
Step 8 Label and check
Name every room, add a north arrow and the scale, then check the totals: the room widths should add up to the outside dimension.
Getting it right
Six mistakes that spoil a floor plan
Most drawing errors come from a few habits.
Forgetting wall thickness
Walls take space. Room sizes are measured inside the walls, so the outline is larger than the rooms added together.
Measuring to the trim
Measure wall to wall, not from skirting boards or door frames.
No scale on the sheet
Write the scale and add a scale bar; a printed copy at a different size is otherwise useless.
Doors that clash
Draw every door swing; two doors opening into each other only show up on the plan.
Missing the narrow side
Check each room's width, not just its area. See the standard room sizes guide for minimum widths.
Unlabelled rooms
Name each room and give its size so anyone can read the plan without you.
Drawing it online
Draw a floor plan in Floorra
Floorra handles the drafting steps for you, so you can spend the time on the layout.
- Pick from 43 house outlines, or draw your own on Plus
- Walls, door swings and windows drawn to scale
- Dimensions and room labels added automatically
- Free PDF drawing set at a stated scale, on US Letter or A4
Good to know
- A hand-drawn or concept floor plan is not a construction drawing; permits need drawings checked by a qualified professional.
- Floorra draws single-storey plans; stairs and upper floors are not modelled.
- DXF files for CAD are part of Pro; the PDF is free.
How do I draw a floor plan to scale?
Choose a scale (1/4 in = 1 ft is common in the US), convert each measurement with it, and draw the walls at those lengths. Write the scale on the sheet and add a scale bar so it can be read when printed at another size.
What is the easiest way to draw a floor plan?
A floor plan maker online. It keeps everything to scale and draws walls, door swings and dimensions for you. Floorra is free to start, runs in the browser and shows the plan in 3D.
How do I draw a floor plan by hand?
Use graph paper, a pencil, a ruler and a tape measure. Measure the space, choose a scale, draw the outside walls, then inside walls, doors, windows and fixtures, and finish with dimensions and room labels.
What scale should a house floor plan be?
In the US, 1/4 inch = 1 foot (1:48) is the usual scale for house plans, and 1/8 inch = 1 foot for larger buildings. Metric plans usually use 1:50 or 1:100.
How thick are walls on a floor plan?
Draw them at their real thickness: outside walls are often about 6 in or more, inside walls about 4 to 5 in. At 1/4 in scale that is a narrow double line.
Can I draw a floor plan for free?
Yes. In Floorra, choosing a gallery outline, adding rooms, placing doors and windows, 3D and the PDF download are free. Drawing your own outline is on Plus, and DXF for CAD on Pro.
Free to start
Draw your floor plan.
Walls, doors and dimensions drawn to scale for you, free to start.