Create 2D Floor Plans in FreeCAD Draft Workbench

This guide explains how to draft precise 2D architectural floor plans using the Draft workbench in FreeCAD. You will learn how to configure the drafting environment, sketch walls and openings using geometric tools, organize components with layers, add standard dimensions, and prepare the finished layout for technical documentation or export.

1. Set Up the Workspace and Grid

Switch to the Draft Workbench via the workbench dropdown menu. Before drawing, configure your workspace:

  1. Set the Working Plane: Click the Select Plane button in the Draft toolbar and set it to Top (XY). This ensures all drawn geometry stays flat on the ground plane.
  2. Configure the Grid: Toggle the grid on using the Grid button. Adjust the grid spacing in Edit > Preferences > Draft > Grid and Snapping to match standard architectural increments (e.g., 100 mm or 1 foot).
  3. Enable Snapping: Ensure essential snapping modes—such as Endpoint, Midpoint, Intersection, and Grid—are active in the Draft snap toolbar to maintain dimensional accuracy.

2. Draw the Wall Geometry

Walls form the foundation of your 2D layout. You can create them using single lines with offsets or closed polylines.

  1. Exterior Footprint: Select the Draft Wire (Polyline) tool. Click in the viewport or enter exact numeric values in the X, Y, and Z coordinate fields in the task panel to trace the outer perimeter of your building. Press A to lock angles or hold Shift to constrain lines to the X or Y axes. Close the wire to complete the loop.
  2. Wall Thickness: Select the exterior wire and click the Draft Offset tool. Move the cursor inward and enter your wall thickness (e.g., 200 mm or 8 inches) in the parameter panel, then confirm.
  3. Interior Partitions: Use the Draft Line tool to draw centerlines or face lines for interior dividing walls. Use the Draft Offset tool on these lines to give them appropriate partition thickness (e.g., 100 mm or 4 inches).
  4. Clean Intersections: Use the Draft Trimex tool or boolean operations to clean up wall junctions and remove overlapping lines.

3. Add Door and Window Openings

To represent openings and architectural symbols:

  1. Cut Openings: Draw reference rectangles across wall segments where doors or windows will be located. Use the Draft Upgrade/Downgrade tools or boolean cut operations to remove the wall line segments within the opening.
  2. Door Swings: Select the Draft Arc tool to draw a 90-degree swing arc originating from the hinge point. Use the Draft Line tool to draw the door leaf extending from the hinge point.
  3. Windows: Use the Draft Rectangle or multiple parallel Draft Lines within the opening to indicate glass panes and frame boundaries.

4. Organize with Draft Layers

Keep the drawing clean and manageable by categorizing elements using layers:

  1. Click the Draft Layer button to create a new layer.
  2. Rename the layers in the Tree view (e.g., Walls, Doors, Windows, Dimensions).
  3. Set line weights, colors, and line styles per layer. For example, assign thicker lines to walls and thinner lines to door swings.
  4. Drag and drop objects from the Tree view into their respective layers.

5. Add Dimensions and Annotations

Complete the technical drawing by adding readable measurements and room tags:

  1. Dimensions: Select the Draft Dimension tool. Click the start and end points of a wall or opening, then click to position the dimension line. Set the dimension orientation to match the wall alignment.
  2. Room Labels: Select the Draft Text tool, click inside a room, and enter the room name and area specifications in the dialog. You can adjust text size and font in the properties panel under the View tab.

6. Export the Floor Plan

Once the plan is complete, you can export it for fabrication or presentation:

  1. Export to CAD: Select all elements in the Tree view and go to File > Export. Choose Autodesk DXF or SVG to use the drawing in other CAD or vector illustration programs.
  2. Create Printable Sheets: Switch to the TechDraw Workbench, insert a standard drawing page template, and use the Insert Draft View tool to place your 2D plan onto an architectural sheet complete with title blocks and scales for PDF export.