Do I need to use floor plan symbols on my sketch?

No. You do not need to draw proper symbols on your sketch — simple notes like "door here" or "window 1.2m" are enough. We apply the correct professional symbols when we redraw your plan.

What does a door look like on a floor plan?

A door is usually shown as a gap in the wall with a quarter-circle arc indicating which way it swings. On your sketch you can simply mark the opening and note the hinge side.

Guide

Floor plan symbols explained

Q: Can I download a floor plan symbols key?

Yes. This page includes a free one-page PDF legend of common floor plan symbols — doors, windows, stairs, sanitaryware, kitchen fittings and more — that you can print or keep for reference.

Floor plans use a standard set of symbols so anyone can read them quickly. Here's what the common ones mean — and the good news: you don't need to draw them on your own sketch.

Download the free floor plan symbols key

A printable one-page legend of common floor plan symbols — doors, windows, stairs, sanitaryware and more. Keep it handy when reading plans or briefing a redraw.

Download PDF

Symbol key

Common floor plan symbols

These are the shapes you will see on a finished plan. You do not need to draw them perfectly on your sketch — plain English labels are enough.

Walls
Thick lines for external walls; thinner for partitions.
Door
Gap in the wall with a quarter-circle swing arc.
Window
Thinner wall section shown as three parallel lines.
Stairs
Parallel treads with an arrow marked UP or DN.
Bath
Rounded rectangle in plan view for a bathtub.
WC
Oval bowl with a rectangular cistern behind it.
Basin
Rectangular vanity with an oval bowl inside.
Sink
Kitchen sink shown as a rectangle within the worktop.
Hob
Four rings indicating a cooktop on the worktop run.
Kitchen units
Base units along the wall; wall units drawn above.
Built-in storage
Rectangle with a diagonal and W or C label.
Room labels
Room name plus overall dimensions in metres.

The basics

What to put on your sketch

On the left is what the symbol means on a finished plan. On the right is all you need to do on your own sketch — we apply the proper symbols when we redraw it.

Feature	What it means on a plan	On your sketch
Walls	Solid filled or double lines represent walls. Thicker lines are usually external or load-bearing walls; thinner lines are internal partitions.	Just draw a single line — we set the correct wall weights.
Doors	A gap in the wall with a quarter-circle arc showing the direction the door swings. The straight line is the open door leaf.	Mark the opening and note the hinge side or swing direction.
Windows	A thinner section within the wall, often shown as three parallel lines or a gap with a line across it.	Mark the opening and note the width, e.g. "window 1.2m".
Stairs	A series of parallel lines (treads) with an arrow showing the up direction, often labelled "UP" or "DN".	Draw a rectangle, add an up arrow, and note the width.
Sanitaryware	Baths, basins, WCs and showers are shown with simplified plan-view shapes that resemble the fittings from above.	Label the fittings — "bath", "WC", "basin" — and their rough position.
Kitchen units	Base and wall units are shown as rectangles along the wall, often with an appliance symbol such as a hob or sink.	Mark the run of units and note the sink, hob and any appliances.
Built-in storage	Wardrobes and cupboards are shown as rectangles, sometimes with a diagonal line or "C" / "W" label.	Draw a box where the cupboard is and label it.
Room labels & dimensions	Each room is labelled with its name and overall dimensions, e.g. "Bedroom 1 — 3.6m x 4.1m".	Write the room name and your measured wall lengths next to it.

You don't need to memorise any of this. Just sketch the layout and label things in plain English — we'll convert it into a proper plan with the correct symbols.

Learn how to sketch a floor plan →

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