How to Draw a Site Plan in AutoCAD: Step-by-Step Guide

To draw a site plan in AutoCAD, start by setting up your drawing units and layers, then use Line and Polyline commands to create boundaries and features. Add details like buildings, roads, and landscaping using Blocks and Hatch for textures.

Syntax

Here are the main commands to draw a site plan in AutoCAD:

• LINE: Draw straight lines for boundaries.
• PLINE: Draw connected lines (polylines) for complex shapes.
• RECTANGLE: Quickly draw rectangular shapes like buildings.
• HATCH: Fill areas with patterns to show materials or landscaping.
• BLOCK: Create reusable symbols for objects like trees or furniture.
• LAYER: Organize different elements (e.g., roads, buildings) on separate layers.

autocad

LINE
PLINE
RECTANGLE
HATCH
BLOCK
LAYER

Output

Commands available for drawing and organizing site plan elements.

Example

This example shows how to draw a simple site boundary and add a building rectangle with hatch fill.

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LAYER
New
Name: Boundary
Color: Red

LINE
Specify first point: 0,0
Specify next point: 100,0
Specify next point: 100,50
Specify next point: 0,50
Specify next point: 0,0

RECTANGLE
Specify first corner point: 20,10
Specify other corner point: 80,40

HATCH
Select hatch pattern: ANSI31
Select objects: select rectangle

SAVE

Output

A red boundary rectangle 100x50 units with a hatched building rectangle inside.

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when drawing site plans in AutoCAD include:

• Not setting the correct drawing units, causing scale issues.
• Drawing all elements on one layer, making editing difficult.
• Forgetting to close polylines, which breaks hatch fills.
• Using too many small line segments instead of polylines, which slows down the drawing.

Always check units with UNITS command and organize elements with LAYER.

autocad

LINE
Specify first point: 0,0
Specify next point: 50,0
Specify next point: 50,50

HATCH
Select hatch pattern: ANSI31
Select objects: select open polyline (fails)

-- Correct way --
PLINE
Specify points: 0,0 50,0 50,50 0,50 0,0
HATCH
Select hatch pattern: ANSI31
Select objects: select closed polyline (works)

Output

Hatch fails on open line but works on closed polyline.

Quick Reference

Command	Purpose	Tip
LINE	Draw straight lines	Use for simple boundaries
PLINE	Draw connected lines	Close polyline for hatch fill
RECTANGLE	Draw rectangles quickly	Good for buildings
HATCH	Fill areas with patterns	Select closed shapes only
BLOCK	Create reusable symbols	Save time on repeated objects
LAYER	Organize drawing elements	Use colors for clarity
UNITS	Set drawing scale	Set before drawing starts

Key Takeaways

Always set correct drawing units before starting your site plan.

Use layers to separate different site elements for easy editing.

Close polylines to enable hatch fills for areas like buildings or landscaping.

Use blocks for repeated objects to save time and keep the drawing clean.

Check your drawing scale and details regularly to maintain accuracy.