Architects spend a surprising amount of time fixing the same template problems on every project. Wrong line weights when plotted. Layers named inconsistently. Title blocks that need rebuilding from scratch. The free CAD template on this page solves all of that. It is set up the way an architectural drawing should be set up, ready for you to drop your design into and push straight to PDF or print.
If you already know what you need, jump to the download form further down. Otherwise, here is what is in it and how best to use it.
What Is Included In The Template
- A pre-built layer system with sensible colours, line types and line weights
- Dimension styles set up for typical architectural scales (1:50, 1:100, 1:200 and 1:500)
- Multileader styles for callouts and annotations
- Text styles for title blocks, notes and dimensions
- Title blocks for A0, A1, A2, A3 and A4 paper sizes
- Configured paper space layouts ready for plotting
You can use it as a drop-in replacement for whatever template you currently have, or pick out the parts you want and bring them into your existing setup.
Why a Proper CAD Template Matters
Working without a structured template is one of the biggest hidden time sinks in CAD drafting. Every drawing ends up with slightly different layer names, slightly different text heights, and a slightly different title block. When that drawing has to be reissued, picked up by a colleague, or handed to a contractor, those small differences cost real hours.
A good template fixes the basics once so you never have to think about them again. Line weights that read clearly when printed at the intended scale. Text that stays legible at A1 and A3. Layer colours that map to sensible plot styles. Dimension styles that do not need adjusting for every drawing. A title block that already includes your project information fields.
AutoCAD Compatibility
The template is provided as a .DWT file compatible with AutoCAD 2018 and later. It also works with AutoCAD LT, BricsCAD and most other DWG-compatible programs, although a few plot style features may need to be reset depending on the version.
Layer Naming, BS 1192 and ISO 19650
The layer system in this template is loosely based on the BS 1192 layer naming convention, which has been superseded by BS EN ISO 19650 for BIM workflows. Architects working on smaller residential and commercial projects will find the structure familiar and easy to extend. For larger BIM-led projects, we recommend reviewing your layer setup against your project’s information protocol.
If you are working in BIM and need help producing accurate existing-condition models from site surveys, our BIM modelling service is built around exactly that workflow.
Tips For Getting Professional Output
Draw in model space at full size in millimetres. Use viewports in paper space for plotting at scale. Keep annotation in paper space where possible, or use annotative styles in model space. Stick to the supplied layer system rather than creating one-off layers per drawing. When sending a drawing to a third party, run PURGE and AUDIT first to keep the file clean.
You Have a Great Template. Now You Need Accurate Data To Draw On.
A template only saves time when the underlying drawing is accurate. The biggest source of rework in architectural CAD is not the template, it is the base data. Dimensions taken with a tape that did not quite close. Levels assumed from a screenshot. An existing building drawn from photographs because nobody has been on site.
If you are working on any of the following, accurate site information from a qualified surveyor will save you far more time than any template ever can:
- Extensions, refurbishments or change of use on an existing building
- Planning applications that require existing site levels
- Heritage and listed building work
- Projects that need coordination with structural, M&E or landscape consultants
THS Concepts provides three services that architects use most often, and all of them are delivered in DWG format ready to open straight into the template above.
Topographical Surveys For Architects
A topographical survey gives you an accurate CAD drawing of the existing site. Levels, boundaries, trees, services, kerb lines, road profiles and surrounding context. Most architects use a topo as the foundation for their site plan and proposed plans, and we can match the layer structure of this template (or your own studio standards) on request.
Read more about our topographical survey service
Measured Building Surveys For Architects
If you are working on an existing building, a measured building survey gives you accurate plans, sections and elevations to design against. We can deliver as 2D DWG drawings or as a Revit model depending on what stage you are at. This is the single most useful piece of information you can have at the start of a refurbishment or extension project. Designing without it is almost always a false economy.
Read more about our measured building survey service
3D Laser Scanning For Architects
For complex, heritage or large-scale buildings we capture the existing structure using a 3D laser scanner. The output is a point cloud you can reference directly in AutoCAD, Revit or Rhino. It is the most accurate way to record an existing building, and on larger projects it usually works out cheaper than a traditional measured survey because the time on site is so much shorter.
Read more about our3D laser scanning service
Download Your Free CAD Template
The template is provided as a .DWT file compatible with AutoCAD 2018 and later. It also works with AutoCAD LT, BricsCAD and most other DWG-compatible programs, although a few plot style features may need to be reset depending on the version.