AutoCAD Basics: How to Draw Your First 2D Floor Plan in 7 Easy Steps

Learning how to create a 2D Floor Plan in AutoCAD is one of the most important skills for architects, engineers, interior designers, and students beginning their drafting journey. A floor plan provides a bird’s-eye view of a building’s layout, showcasing walls, doors, windows, and room arrangements. AutoCAD, with its precision and professional tools, makes the process smooth and efficient, even for beginners.

In this blog, we will guide you through 7 easy steps to create your first 2D floor plan in AutoCAD, along with practical tips to make the process simpler.

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Step 1: Set Up Your Drawing Units and Limits

Before you start drawing, it is important to configure the right units and limits.

• Type UNITS in the command line to choose architectural, decimal, or engineering units.
• Use the LIMITS command to define the drawing area, setting the minimum and maximum points.
• Zoom Extents (Z + E) to ensure your drawing space is ready.

This ensures your floor plan will be accurate and properly scaled.

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Step 2: Draw the Exterior Walls

Walls form the backbone of your 2D Floor Plan in AutoCAD.

• Use the RECTANGLE command to create the outer boundary.
• For thickness, use the OFFSET command to create parallel lines for the walls.
• Trim unnecessary portions using the TRIM tool.

Pro Tip: Keep wall thickness between 4″–6″ (100mm–150mm) for residential floor plans.

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Step 3: Add Interior Walls and Partitions

Once the exterior is ready, start dividing the space into rooms.

• Use LINE or RECTANGLE commands for interior walls.
• Again, use OFFSET to maintain consistent thickness.
• Ensure walls align neatly using the OSNAP (Object Snap) feature.

This step gives your drawing a functional structure.

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Step 4: Insert Doors and Windows

No floor plan is complete without doors and windows.

• For doors, draw an arc using the ARC command to represent the swing.
• Use the BLOCK feature if you want to reuse door/window symbols.
• Place windows with simple RECTANGLES or pre-designed CAD blocks.

Doors and windows make the layout realistic and functional.

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Step 5: Add Furniture and Fixtures (Optional)

Adding furniture symbols makes your 2D Floor Plan in AutoCAD more detailed and presentation-ready.

• Download free furniture blocks or create your own using the BLOCK command.
• Place them in rooms to represent beds, sofas, tables, kitchen units, and bathroom fixtures.

This step is especially useful for interior designers who want to visualize room layouts.

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Step 6: Apply Dimensions and Annotations

Dimensions are critical for accuracy.

• Use the DIMLINEAR command to show room sizes, wall lengths, and window placements.
• Add text labels for room names (e.g., Bedroom, Kitchen, Living Room) with the TEXT or MTEXT command.
• Keep font sizes and line weights consistent for clarity.

Annotations make your drawing professional and easy to understand.

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Step 7: Finalize and Save Your Drawing

Once your floor plan is complete:

• Use LAYERS to organize walls, doors, furniture, and text in different categories.
• Apply line weights and hatches to make the plan more readable.
• Save the drawing in DWG format and export it as PDF if required.

Congratulations—you’ve created your first 2D Floor Plan in AutoCAD!

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Additional Tips for Beginners

• Practice using keyboard shortcuts to save time.
• Always draw using OSNAP for accuracy.
• Use HATCH to fill walls or highlight specific areas.
• Save your work frequently to avoid losing progress.

Final Thoughts

Creating a 2D Floor Plan in AutoCAD may feel overwhelming at first, but breaking it down into simple steps makes it much easier. By following these 7 steps—setting up units, drawing walls, adding doors/windows, placing furniture, applying dimensions, and finalizing your layout—you’ll have a clean, professional floor plan ready.

With consistent practice, you’ll not only improve your drafting speed but also develop a deeper understanding of space planning and design. AutoCAD is a powerful tool, and mastering floor plans is the first step toward becoming a skilled drafter or designer.