Architectural Drawings - Carpenter's and Builder's Math, Plans, and Specifications - page 255

Chapter 9
Architectural Drawings
Drawings provide designers with a practical method of communi-
cating their ideas to the carpenters and builders. Drawings are a type
of shorthand that not only reflects, but also fixes on paper, the ideas
of the designers. They help avoid possible misinterpretation.
Use of Drawings
Contractors and estimators should retain prints on jobs that they
complete so that they might be used to compare future jobs. They
should also keep at least two sets of prints on a job in progress. One
set is the working-drawings for the tradespeople. On the second set,
the lead carpenter adds the changes made as the structure is built, to
be turned over to the owner to update the original drawings issued.
The final drawings will identify any changes that were made during
construction. The owner may change the original drawings to reflect
the changes, so that the drawings will be fully up-to-date to assist
with maintenance, troubleshooting, and design of additions to the
original building.
Reading Drawings
In the drawings (sometimes called prints or plans ), various eleva-
tions are shown (such as the front, side, and sectional). A plan is a
horizontal view of an object. An elevation is a vertical view of an
object.
Projected Views
The various views are projected on imaginary projection planes,
similar to the projection of a picture on glass. To illustrate the first
(or front) view, place a clear pane of glass in front of the object
with the glass parallel to the surface of the object being projected.
Figure 9-1 shows a simple building with a shed roof. In front of the
building is the pane of glass marked V , representing a vertical plane.
When an observer looks through the glass directly at the front
of the object from a considerable distance, the observer will see
only one side, in this case the side marked ABCD . The rays of light
falling upon the object are reflected into the eyes of the observer,
and in this manner, the observer sees the object. The pane of glass
(vertical plane) is placed so that the rays of light from the object
will pass through the glass in straight parallel lines to the eyes of the
observer.
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