An introduction to architectural drafting

Architectural drafting involves the making of renderings of buildings or structures, that are to be built. Architectural drafting may be done for any number of different construction projects. Everything from new home building to building a bridge, may require a draft to be made by an architect. This is done for the builders and engineers, to understand how the structure should look, come together and be supported.

Professional architectural drafting

Free and paid programs Technically, anyone can do basic architectural drafting. There are a number of free and paid programs, that will allow you to draft different structures, like a proposed new home floor plan. Factors for professional architectural drafting
However, there are many different factors that go into professional architectural drafting. Buildings must be supported properly by structural beams, and architects must know how to draw those beams in and where the beams are to be placed. A building also needs to have roof lines, that make sense and are possible to build. The more complex the roof lines, the more expensive it becomes and the more difficult it becomes to construct the structure.
Training of draftsman Professional draftsman need to be trained, not only in how to actually do the physical drawing process, but also in how to make the parts of the building fit together in a way that makes sense and produces a structure, that can actually be constructed. You may learn how to do this drafting by going to school to become an architect, but there are also other jobs like residential designers, who can learn how to do the drafting.

The drafting process

Traditional methods Traditionally, architectural drafting was done by using graph paper rulers, protractors and other such manual tools. A drafting square, which was a special tool that allowed for angles and drawings to be completed more easily, was also often used.
Modern techniques
Today, however, most architectural drafting takes the form of something called CAD drafting. CAD drafting CAD drafting stands for computer assisted design, and it allows for architects, professionals and other draftsmen to make renderings more easily by using specialised computer programs. With the new CAD programs, the essential steps involve learning how to use the programs elements. Once you know how the CAD program works, it becomes simpler and easier to produce elevation drawings and 3D renderings of buildings and structures.