How to Set Up Orthographic Projections in CAD

Open CAD and draft the building plan in model space. Draw all of the interior furnishings and exterior elements, including doors, windows and ornamental elements. The drawing should be drafted at real scale on the computer, so 1 foot in reality would be drawn as 1 foot on the computer screen.

Draw lines extending perpendicularly from each of the building faces on the plan. These lines will be used to construct the elevations. Draw lines parallel to the building faces beyond the limits of the plan. These are the four elevation ground lines for your structure. Ensure the perpendicular lines emanating from your plan intersect with the parallel lines and adjust the parallel lines for any elevation changes of the ground line.

Draw the elevations of your structure around the building plan. Use the lines running perpendicularly from the plan's building faces for all vertical elements and measure from the parallel ground lines to create all horizontal elements for each elevation. Add detailing to the elevations to create realistic building facades. After the elevations are complete, trim all lines extending from the plan. Rotate each elevation so the ground planes are oriented the same way and align the elevations.

Draw a line through your plan where you would like to cut a section. Draw lines perpendicular to the section cut wherever it intersects with a building element in the plan. Draw a line parallel to the section cut and construct the section just as you constructed the elevations. Remember to use heavy section lines wherever the section cut intersects the building skin and structure. Rotate the section and align it with the elevations.

Ensure there is adequate space between each of the orthographic projections. Right-click the "Paper Space" tab and create a new drawing sheet for each of your orthographic projections. Right-click the tabs and select "Rename." Rename the tabbed drawing sheets to your preference. For each drawing sheet tab, select "Plot Layout" and choose your sheet template.

Move the view for each drawing sheet tab to one of the orthographic projections and select the appropriate scale for the drawing in "Print Layout." After you have completed this, you have set up orthographic projections in CAD. Adjust any pen settings in "Plot Layout" and print the orthographic projections