Common Abbreviations Used for Construction Blueprints that You Should Know

Construction plans and Male Hands drawing on blueprints

Are you a skilled tradesman? Perhaps you’re a contractor working in the industry or considering getting a career in the construction sector? Either way, knowing what a blueprint is, reading it, and learning a wide range of abbreviations is a critical skill anyone needs to have.

Every construction professional needs to know what are the different abbreviations used in construction blueprints. Blueprints vary from simple to complex, so being knowledgeable and skillful in reading them is crucial to the project’s success. If anyone attempts to skip this vital step, expect that the work will not be done accordingly, nor will he ever be a good performer at his job.

Hence, it only shows that every contractor, subcontractor, and tradesman in the industry should begin understanding all abbreviations used in blueprints and undergo lessons to know how to read them properly before becoming a part of the team. Learn everything you needed to know about blueprints in this blog, including the role it plays and the hundreds of abbreviations you will encounter.

Why are Blueprints important in Construction?

Blueprints or construction drawings/prints do not commonly get the recognition they deserve no matter how vital they are during project documentation. Your drawings and blueprints are created and based off on your project specifications. The outlined specifications define project objectives, functionalities, and how project requirements are successfully achieved. The construction blueprints or drawings are the ones that will communicate all of the technical details found in them.

· Blueprints thereby allow you to assess your compliance against the specifications.

· Drawings and blueprints are an excellent resource for troubleshooting and maintenance.

· They will allow you to guide some needed installations by referencing as-built drawing sets. Also, blueprints allow you to track any addition or modifications with anything you are installing.

Also, one of the things that every contractor should start focusing on is the sections of the blueprints. This is where they will see all cross-sections of the building. Studs, sheathing, insulation are some of the things they can see, including how the wall connects to the foundation or the floor. When anyone is about to read construction blueprints, the first thing to do is scan the whole drawing and begin focusing on all specifics. Doing so will allow them to be aware of the basics, especially when managing construction projects.

The plan views are the basic views of any construction professional as they look closer to the horizontal plane. The plans or these blueprints can be a floor plan, civil plan drawings, structural plan drawings, roof plan drawings, and even mechanical, plumbing, and electrical plan drawings. Each of these emphasizes the particular items included within the work scope and are drawn to different scales. Contractors or any worker should know how to read one so that they can put the pieces together, especially during the building process.

Understanding Blueprint Abbreviations in Construction

One of the tricky things anyone will encounter when reading blueprints is the abbreviations used on them. There are hundreds of different symbols and abbreviations used in blueprints, and most of them isn’t always universally used either. For instance, one engineer or architect chooses to use one symbol for a particular object. In contrast, the same project engineer or architect will use a different symbol for the same object but on a different plan. Apparently, there are other symbols for the materials that are also being utilized throughout the entire building and utilities.

Fortunately, many blueprint abbreviations today have widely accepted meanings and are now being used in all types of construction blueprints, from framing plans to engineering drawings. Here’s a long list of commonly used abbreviations in construction blueprints.

• A/C: Air Conditioner
• ACI: American Concrete Institute
• ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992
• A.F.F.: Above Finished Floor
• A.F.G.: Above Finished Grade
• AIA: American Institute of Architects or American Insurance Association
• AIEE: American Institute of Electrical Engineers
• AISC: American Institute of Steel Construction
• AISI: American and Steel Institute
• ANSI: American National Standards Institute
• APCIA: American Property Casualty Insurance Association
• ASCE: American Society of Civil Engineers
• ASME: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials
• AWG: American Wire Gauge
• B.O.F.: Bottom of Footing
• B.O.M: Bill of Material
• BOT: Bottom
• B.O.W.: Bottom of Wall
• BP: Blue Print (or B/P)
• Brz.: Bronze
• BV: Butterfly Valve
• CAD: Cadmium or Computer-Aided Drafting
• CBORE: Counterbore
• C.C.: Center to Center
• C.D.: Construction Document
• C.F.M.: Cubic Feet per Minute
• CFS: Cubic Feet per Second
• C.I.: Cast Iron
• CL.: Closet
• CL: Center Line
• CLG.: Ceiling
• CMU: Concrete Masonry Unit
• C.O.: Cleanout
• Cont.: Continuous
• CRES: Corrosion-Resistant Steel
• CSINK: Countersink
• CU. FT.: Cubic Feet
• CU. YD.: Cubic Yard
• D.S.: Downspout
• Dia.: Diameter
• Dim.: Dimension
• DN.: Down
• DP: Damp-Proofing, Dew Point, or Distribution Panel
• DWG: Drawing
• Ea.: Each
• ED: Edge Distance
• E.F.: Exhaust Fan
• EQ: Equal, or Equally
• Exc: Excavate
• E.W.: Each Way
• Ext.: Exterior
• FACP: Fire Alarm Control Panel
• FAO: Finish All Over
• F.C.O.: Floor cleanout
• F.D.: Floor Drain
• Fin.: Finish
• F.F.L.: Finished Floor Level
• FL: Floor Level
• FRPF: Fireproof
• FS: Far Side
• FTG: Fitting
• Galv.: Galvanized
• G.C.: General Contractor
• G.F.C.I. or G.F.I.: Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter
• GPM: Gallons Per Minute
• G.T.: Glazed Tile
• Gyp.: Gypsum
• H.B.: Hose Bib
• HDCP: Handicapped (better if referred to as “Accessible”)
• HDPE: High-Density Polyethylene
• HRS: Hot Rolled Steel
• HV: High Voltage
• H.V.A.C.: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
• H.W.: Hot Water
• IAW: In Accordance With
• ID: Inner Diameter
• IE: Invert Elevation
• IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• In.: Inch
• Insul.: Insulation
• ISO: International Organization for Standards
• Int.: Interior
• Inv.: Invert
• J-Box: Junction Box
• Jct.: Junction
• Jst.: Joist
• kW: Kilowatt
• LDD: Limited Dimension Drawing
• LFT.: Linear Feet
• LH: Left Hand
• LL: Live Load
• LM: List of Materials
• Lt.: Light
• Ltg.: Lighting
• L.V.L.: Laminated Veneer Lumber
• MH: Manhole
• Mas.: Masonry
• MAX: Maximum
• MBW: Measurement Between Wires
• Mtl.: Material
• MFG.: Manufacturing
• Min.: Minimum
• MOW: Measurement Over Wires
• NEC: National Electrical Code
• N.I.C.: Not In Contract
• NOM: Nominal
• N.T.S.: Not to scale
• OAL: Overall Length
• O.C.: On Center
• O.D.: Outside Diameter
• OPNG.: Opening or Rough Opening
• PCC: Portland Cement Concrete
• PCI: Property Casualty Insurers Association of America
• PCS: Pieces
• PL.: Plaster
• P.L.: Property Line (or Parts List)
• Plywd.: Plywood
• P.S.F.: Pounds per Square Foot
• P.S.I.: Pounds per Square Inch
• Ptd.: Painted
• PVC: Polyvinyl Chloride
• QTY: Quantity
• R: Radius
• RC: Reinforced Concrete
• RD: Roof Drain, Round, or Receptacle Distribution Panel
• R.D.L.: Roof Drain Leader
• REBAR: Reinforcing Bar
• REQD: Required
• RH: Right Handed
• R.O.: Rough Opening
• R.O.W.: Right of Way
• Reinf.: Reinforced
• San.: Sanitary
• SC: Sharp Corners
• S.D.: Smoke Detector
• Sect.: Section
• Sht.: Sheet
• Sht’g.: Sheathing
• Specs.: Specifications
• SQ. FT.: Square Feet
• SQ. IN.: Square Inches
• SS: Stainless Steel, Setscrew, Soil Stack, Service Sink, or Slop Sink
• Std.: Standard
• Stl: Steel
• S.Y.: Square Yard
• T&B: Top and Bottom
• T&G: Tongue and Groove
• T.O.: Top of
• T.O.B.: Top of Beam
• T.O.C.: Top of Curb or Top of Concrete
• T.O.F.: Top of Footing
• T.O.J.: Top of Joist
• T.O.M.: Top of Masonry
• T.O.W.: Top of Wall
• TTC: Telephone Terminal Closet
• UON: Unless Otherwise Noted
• VA.: Voltage
• V.B.: Vapor Barrier
• V.I.F.: Verify in Field
• W.C.: Water Closet (Toilet)
• Wd.: Wood
• Wdw.: Window
• W.I.: Wrought Iron
• W.I.C.: Walk-In Closet
• WL: Water Level
• W/O: Without
• Wp.: Weatherproof
• WS: Weatherstripping or Water Stop
• Wt.: Weight
• Wtr. Htr. : Water Heater

Why You Need to Use Construction Scheduling Software?

Without any doubt, blueprints become tricky to read and understand. However, over time, everyone in the construction industry feels at ease reading them and understanding them more easily and quickly. As a matter of fact, most workers can now begin spotting errors much easier, even before these mistakes become an issue. It is indeed very beneficial to those who don’t want to go past their deadline or don’t want to lose their money on a certain project.

And this is where a specialized software tool like Pro Crew Schedule enters the story. This application plays a decisive role since it delivers a more efficient way to share all updates and construction drawings like blueprints with the rest of the team in a well-organized and timely manner. Here are the other advantages of this powerful software application:

· A central hub for all members

· Realistic updates and information

· Effective task delegation

· Time-tracking and monitoring

· Project management for construction

· Improved project planning and scheduling

· Enhanced team productivity

· Cloud-based storage

· Accessible anytime and anywhere

· User-friendly and easy to explore

If you want to remain two steps ahead from every source of threat, especially when handling projects, you have to invest in Pro Crew Schedule for your construction business. If you’re new to this tech, experience it live with our product expert. Request a live Demo here.

Key Takeaways

Generally, construction blueprints and all abbreviations used for them are a cornerstone for completing any construction project. Without knowledge about blueprints and abbreviations, it is impossible for any field team to complete tasks sensibly and avoid wasting time and resources. Either you already work in the industry or starting in the field, you have to know how to read and interpret blueprints.