Guide · Nov 4, 2026
How to Read Structural Drawings: Foundation Plans, Framing Plans, Schedules and Notes
By Eli Gewirtzman, Owner · Last checked Nov 4, 2026
Start with the general structural notes, which set the materials and design loads for every other sheet. Then read the foundation plan (footings, slab, anchor bolts, hold-downs), the floor and roof framing plans (what each joist, beam, header and post is and which way it spans), the schedules that the plan tags point to, and finally the details, where the connections are drawn large.
Structural sheets usually carry an S prefix, like S-101 for a foundation plan. They answer one question the architectural sheets don’t: how the weight of the building gets from the roof down to the soil. Our guide to what sheet numbers like A-101 mean covers the numbering. On a small house, structural information is sometimes drawn on the architect’s sheets instead, so check the sheet index first.
1. Read the general structural notes first
The first structural sheet is usually mostly text. It lists the codes the design follows, the design loads, and the materials: concrete strength, rebar grade, lumber species and grade, and nailing. The City of Las Vegas, Nevada, asks for “general structural notes, material specifications, loading and structural design criteria” to be included with residential plans. Everything drawn later assumes these notes, so a beam callout without a grade means “the grade in the general notes.”
2. Read the foundation plan
The foundation plan is a view looking down at the footings and slab, drawn the same way as a floor plan. The City of Dixon, California, asks for foundation plans drawn at 1/4 inch per foot, showing “all proposed and existing foundation locations, sizing and reinforcing.” Look for:
- Footings: usually drawn as dashed lines under the walls, because they’re below the slab. A tag or note gives width, depth and rebar.
- Slab: a note gives thickness and reinforcing.
- Anchor bolts and hold-downs: bolts tie the wall’s bottom plate to the concrete. Hold-downs are heavier connectors at the ends of shear walls. Their locations are dimensioned and keyed to a schedule.
- Steps and piers: where the footing steps down a slope, or a post sits on its own pad.
If you’re new to sheet scales, read how to read an architect’s scale before measuring anything.
3. Read the floor and roof framing plans
Framing plans show the structure of each floor and the roof. Dixon asks for “separate plans for floor and roof framing” with “all framing members spans, directions & spacing” and “all girders, beams, headers and posts locations.” The usual conventions:
| What you see | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| A line with a half-arrow or arrows at both ends across an area, with a note like “2×10 @ 16″ o.c.” | Joists or rafters of that size, spaced 16 inches on center, spanning in the arrow’s direction |
| A heavy line labeled with a size, like “(2) 2×12” or a manufactured-beam size | A beam or header. “(2)” means two pieces fastened together |
| A small solid square or a tag at a beam end | A post carrying that beam down to the floor or footing below |
| Hatched or specially marked wall with a tag | A shear wall, keyed to the shear wall schedule |
| Rectangle with an X through it | An opening in the floor or roof, such as a stair or skylight |
| Truss marks like T1, T2 or GT | Trusses keyed to the truss layout. GT is often a girder truss |
Offices differ, so the legend on the sheet wins over this table. Where trusses are used, the truss maker’s layout and calculations often come later as a separate submittal. Las Vegas notes that truss design and shop drawings must be submitted before the permit is issued, unless a deferred submittal is approved.
4. Follow the tags to the schedules
Structural sheets lean on schedules to stay readable. A tag on the plan, like “SW3” or “HD2,” points to a table that gives the full specification. Dixon lists a “shear wall specification schedule with sheathing specifications, panel values, nailing schedule, shear transfer connectors and anchorage.” Read the plan to find where each item goes, and the schedule to find what it is. If a tag on the plan doesn’t appear in the schedule, ask the engineer before anyone builds.
5. Read the details and sections
Details show connections at a larger scale. Dixon asks for details at 3/4 to 1 inch per foot, covering foundation and stem walls, connections at walls, floors and roofs, shear transfer, and stair framing. On the plan, a circle split by a line is a detail callout: the top number is the detail and the bottom is the sheet it’s on. Las Vegas asks for details showing a “complete load path,” from where a load lands down to the parts that carry it. How to read blueprints explains how those callouts work across a set.
What permit reviewers look for on structural sheets
| Item | Dixon, CA | Las Vegas, NV |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation plan scale | 1/4″ per foot | Not stated |
| Footing size and reinforcing | Yes | Size, depth and reinforcement |
| Anchor bolts and hold-downs | Yes, with locations | Yes |
| Separate floor and roof framing plans | Yes | Roof and floor framing plans |
| Member sizes, spans and spacing | Yes | Location and spacing |
| Shear walls | Schedule with nailing and anchorage | Lateral force resisting system |
| Trusses | Layout and designators | Layout, plus stamped truss design before permit |
| Details | 3/4″-1″ per foot | Complete load path |
| General notes and design loads | Not stated | Yes |
Your town’s list may differ. For how many paper copies a building department wants, see our plan copy requirements by state.
Printing structural sheets
Structural sheets are dense: small text, thin lines and long schedules. Print them at the size they were drawn at so the scale stays true and the schedules stay legible. Most residential sets are drawn on 24×36; our 24×36 (ARCH D) blueprint printing guide covers that size. Black and white is the norm for structural sheets.
PrintMyPlans.com prints PDF plans on 20 lb bond at $1.95 per sheet in black and white or $3.75 in color, the same price at every size: 17×22, 18×24, 22×34, 24×36, 30×42 and 36×48. Printing only, before shipping:
| Example | Sheets | Black & white | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation and framing plans, 1 copy | 3 | $5.85 | $11.25 |
| 6-sheet structural set, 1 copy | 6 | $11.70 | $22.50 |
| 6-sheet structural set, 3 copies (permit, framer, office) | 18 | $35.10 | $67.50 |
WELCOME20 takes 20% off a first order, so the 18-sheet black-and-white example comes to $28.08 in printing. Price your own set with the plan printing cost calculator. For full permit and field sets, see construction plan printing, and for complete house sets, architectural plan printing.
We print plans; we don’t design, check or change them. Questions about a beam, a footing or a connection go to the engineer of record.
FAQ
What is the first sheet to read in a structural set?
The general structural notes. They set the materials, grades and design loads that every plan and detail assumes.
What does “2×10 @ 16 o.c.” mean on a framing plan?
Members that are 2×10 lumber, spaced 16 inches on center. The arrow next to the note shows which way they span.
What is a hold-down on a foundation plan?
A steel connector that ties the end of a shear wall down to the foundation so the wall can’t lift. Its location is dimensioned on the plan and its type is in a schedule.
Why don’t the trusses show full details on the structural plans?
Truss design is often done by the truss maker and submitted separately. The framing plan shows the layout and marks, and the truss package fills in the rest.
Can I print structural drawings in black and white?
Yes. Structural sheets are drawn for black and white. Use color only if the engineer used color to mark something, and the legend says so.
Printing it
When the PDF is final, upload it on the order page and choose the size it was drawn at, black and white or color, and the number of copies. Export native CAD files to PDF. Order by 3 PM ET, ships same day, arrives as soon as the next day, rolled in protective tubes, to all 50 states. Affordable 2-day air and next-day air shipping are there when you need them.
Sources
- City of Dixon, CA, Residential Plan Review Submittal Checklist (Rev. 12/15/21)
- City of Las Vegas, NV, Building & Safety, Residential Submittal Requirements
Order by 3 PM ET, ships same day. Delivery timing depends on the shipping service and destination. See the terms for business-day and holiday details.