How Do I Create a 2D Site Plan?

Example Site Plan

In this article, you’ll learn how to create 2D Site Plans. To create 3D Site Plans, see: Create a 3D Site Plan.

This article contains the following steps:

• Draw Buildings
• Draw the Perimeter of the Site Plan
• Create Zones
• Define Colors or Materials
• Add Plants
• Add Fences and Railings
• Add Measurements
• Add Text, Labels, and Symbols
• Preview and Generate Your Site Plan

Step 1: Draw Buildings

The first step is to draw the outline/floor plan of any buildings that will appear on the site plan. You can display just the outer walls of any buildings, or you may want to show the whole floor plan (including interior walls and furniture).

 

Sample buildings for Site Plan

Tip: To create a Floor Plan and Site Plan in one project

You can create a Floor Plan and Site Plan in one project using Levels. (If you want to create a Site Plan without a separate Floor Plan, skip this section). To do this:

1. Create your floor plan as Level 1 in a project. If you want interior walls to appear on the Site Plan, then draw them before you follow the next step.
2. Create a New Level and base it off of a copy of the Level 1. If you need detailed instructions on how to create a new level, see Work With Floors or Levels.

The result is one level showing the Floor Plan of the property and one level ready for the Site Plan.

Step 2: Draw the Perimeter of the Site Plan

Now use Divider lines to mark the outside perimeter of the site plan. 

Perimeter for Site Plan

To draw a perimeter

1. Open Walls mode (click or tap the red Mode button and then click Walls)
2. Click the Draw Divider Lines button.
   
   
   
    
3. Draw the outline for the perimeter. Make sure to draw a completely enclosed area.

For more detailed instructions, see Draw a Yard, Garden, or Outdoor Area.

Step 3: Create Zones

To create a Site Plan that has different colored areas or zones, create them using the Draw Divider Line tool. Draw zones (or areas) for your driveway, pathways, garden or lawn areas, deck, etc. This allows you to display the various areas on the 2D Floor Plan, and add colors, names, and more.

Zones for Site Plan

To draw zones

1. Open Walls mode if it is not already open.
2. Click the Draw Divider Line button.
   
   
   
    
3. Draw any outdoor zones. Make sure to draw complete enclosed areas.

Step 4: Define Colors or Materials

You can add color or material to your zones. For example, you can set lawn areas to virtually any color green or use a material to show grass texture. A deck or terrace can be set to any color, perhaps brown, or even a wood material. A path can be a beige color or stone material. And much more.

You define colors and materials for your 2D Floor Plan in Styles. Please see her how to do it: 2D Floor Plans – Display a Floor Color or Material by Room Type

 

Example 2D Floor Plan with Colors and Materials

Step 5: Add Plants

You can add plants, flowers, trees, hedges and more.

 

Plantings for Site Plan

To add plants

1. Open Furniture mode (click the red Mode button and then click Furniture).
2. Open the Plants and Accessories category.
3. Click or tap to select a plant and then click to place it on the plan.
   Tip: If you place individual plants/bushes/trees in a long a line, then it will appear as a hedge of bushes in 2D.

Step 6: Add Fences and Railings  

On a 2D Floor Plan, a railing will appear as a double line, as shown below.

 

Example Railing

To add a railing

1. Open Walls mode.
2. Click the Select button, and click to select a divider line on your Site plan. Its Properties appear on the right.
3. Click Railing.
4. Choose a railing. You can select picket fences, hedges, metal railings, and more. Remember though, that they will appear as a double line on a 2D Floor Plan (they will appear fully on 3D Floor Plans).

Step 7: Add Measurements

You can add measurements for outdoor areas the same way you do for floor plans.

In the example below, we’ve added Outside Measurements around the perimeter, plus Room Area Measurements for the Back Garden and Terrace. For detailed steps, see: Overview - Measurements on Floor Plans

Step 8: Add Text, Labels, and Symbols

You can add zone names, labels, text, and symbols such as entrance arrows, or even a directional compass showing North/South/East/West. In the image below, we added zone names to the Back Garden and Terrace. We also added labels on the outdoor furniture.

 

Measurements, Room Labels and Furniture Labels

For detailed steps, see:

• Add and Move Room Names
• Add a Text Label
• Add Labels on Furniture
• Add an Entrance Arrow / Block Arrow
• Add a directional Compass symbol (follow the steps for adding an Entrance arrow, but select the compass rather than the arrow)

Step 9: Preview and Generate Your Site Plan

You can preview your site plan as many times as you want during the design process to make sure it looks good and to check that all your zone colors and labels are correct.

• Click or tap the yellow Menu, and click Preview 2D Floor Plan. 
  For more detailed steps, see the article: Preview a Floor Plan

The final step is to generate and print your Site Plan.

• From the Preview, click the yellow button Generate 2D Floor Plan. 
  For detailed steps, see: Generate and Print 2D and 3D Floor Plans

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Site Plan Examples in the Floor Plan Gallery

Check out our Floor Plan Gallery where we have many great site plans. You can open all projects in the RoomSketcher App, save a copy and make your own edits. 

Floor Plan Gallery | Site Plans