How to Draw Your Floor Plan Using Word

People often ask if there is a simple way to draw floor plans without having to purchase drawing programs. Many people might not be comfortable drawing by hand and would like to use something simple and easy they have access to.

Microsoft Word is a good program to draw basic floor plans. You can use its Insert/Pictures option to pull in background images you can use for reference and scaling. You can then use its Insert/Shapes forms to create your plans, using lines, rectangles, and partial circle shapes for walls, rooms, doors, and furniture.

You can create good looking floor plans using Microsoft Word. This article will take you on a step-by-step tour of how to create these plans using this very common and easy-to-use program.

This article is based on using Windows 10 Home, Version 1903.

Step 1: What to use and where to find it

The primary features you will use to draw on Word are from the ‘Insert’ tab found in the top bar of when you create a new blank document. ‘Insert/Pictures’ can be used to pull in any reference information needed to draw your project. The ‘Insert/Shapes’ selection provides a wide number of options for creating lines and shapes. Drawing will involve using their ‘Lines’, ‘Rectangles’, and ‘Basic Shapes’ options found as a drop-down menu under ‘Insert/Shapes’.

Step 2: Inserting what you need before you draw

In order to draw floor plans that are (mostly) accurate in measurement and proportion you will need a background that you can reference for measuring what you draw.

Use a grid reference in order to draw lines or create shapes that represent actual distances. A uniform grid of squares can easily be found. A two-level grid can be a good resource. This type of grid has uniform grid lines that are then grouped into larger blocks using a heavier grid line. See the sample below.

This sample uses large blocks made up of 8 x 8 grid squares. The benefit of this is that many rooms are generally sized in increments of 2, 4, 6, or 8 feet (imperial units) and the larger grid is an easy means of referencing those distances. 10 x 10 grid square blocks can also be found and easily used for both imperial and metric unit measurements.

The grid should be sized so that you have enough squares to represent the longest measurements you will need. This means that you have to count the number of square available on your reference image in both directions of the sheet. You can resize the image as you need to once you bring it into Word, so don’t worry about having more grid squares than you actually need.

You can do a Google search for ‘grid sheets’ and look through the image options. You will need to explore through the numerous images to find a gird you want. Be sure to click on the image to get to the sites that might have more options. Once you find one to use save the image as a JPEG or download a free PDF image if offered and covert that to an image file that Word can use. Be sure that the grid in the image is flat, not skewed.

Once you have the image, open a blank Word document, then go to ‘Insert’ and then select ‘Pictures’. This will open up a menu of your files. Find your image, select it, and then click ‘Insert’ in the bottom corner of the menu. This will pull the grid image into the Word Document.

Step 3: Drawing lines

Now that you have a reference grid for measurements you should now do a little bit of practice using the lines and shapes.

To draw lines go to ‘Insert’, then select ‘Shapes’. This will pull down a menu with a large number of options. Click the line option shown under ‘Lines’ to start. Click on the page where you want to start drawing. Word will pull in the line as a diagonal and will have a circle at each end. Grab the circle at either end of the line to change the orientation and length of the line.

Notice that when you first insert a line the top bar on your page has changed. This bar gives you options you can use to change the color and thickness of the line. You will see a box with several lines, each of a different color. Select a different color that your color line. Scroll down the side of the box to find option for different line thicknesses or to change the line to a dashed line.

Play around with drawing different lines, changing their orientation, length, color, and thickness until you get comfortable with how the process works.

Step 4: Making rectangles

You will use shapes for most of your floor plan drawing. Go to ‘Insert’, select ‘Shapes’, then select the basic rectangle box shape in the drop-down menu under ‘Rectangles’. Click a location on your sheet and a rectangle will be inserted. This rectangle will be a block of color. Before you change the size of the rectangle go to the top bar that shows the color options. To the right of that box are other option icons. Select ‘Shape Fill’, then select the ‘No Fill’ option.

Once the block of color is removed you will have a rectangle made of a line. The corner circles allow you to change the size of the rectangle. There is also a little extension from the top circle with a curved arrow. Us this to rotate the rectangle. You will notice the the top bar reverts back to the original once you modify the shape. To otherwise change thickness, color, or fill click on the shape then left click. A new menu pops up with many more options to modify the shape.

Create and play with rectangles, changing the fill, line weights and colors, modifying and then rotating the shapes until you get comfortable with using the shapes and accessing the modification options.

Step 5: Making Doors

Doors are an interesting thing to make. You need a line that extends from a wall and then a quarter circle back to the wall to represent the swing of the door. You can use a partial circle to create doors.

Go to ‘Insert’, click on ‘Shapes’, then select the three-quarter circle icon (it looks like Pac-Man for those of us of a certain age) under ‘Basic Shapes’. Click on your sheet and the shape will appear. Change the color fill from blue to white (same methods used to modify rectangles), then change the outline to black.

You now need to modify the partial circle to look like a door. Click on the image to get the modification box that surrounds it. You will notice circles at each ‘corner’ of the partial circle filled in. These allow you to create partial circles of different angles. Select the top circle then pull down and around to the left until you have a quarter circle. This will be your door. You can change its size using the same modification box.

Step 6: Draw plans

Using what you have learned, start creating plans. Create the sample plan below to practice before creating your own plan.

Use rectangles to draw rooms being sure to use thicker lines for walls. Insert doors where you want them. Use thin-line rectangles in different combinations to create the furniture and cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms. Use lines to draw miscellaneous items such porch outlines and sliding closet doors.

To show wall openings create a white-filled rectangle with no outline, making it just wider than a wall. Place the white rectangle wherever you want to remove a piece of wall, where you want an opening in the wall without a door, and where doors are located, changing the length as needed. Use a white rectangle with a thin black outline for windows, placing them over the walls where you want them.

Step 7: Add text

To add text select ‘Insert’ then click on ‘Shapes’. Select the basic rectangle under ‘Flow Chart’. Click where you want the text. A color-filled box will appear. Go to the color options box in the top bar. Click on the bottom-most arrow at the box’s right scroll bar to get more options. Click on the black outline with text. A white box with block outline will appear. Click on that box and start typing the note or name you want on the plan.

Once you have your text, left click on the rectangle to pull up the modification options menu, then select ‘Format Shape’ to access them. Remove the fill color. Then select the line options and select ‘No Line’.

To create arrows, use a combination of a line with a triangle, as shown below.

You now have clean text and arrows on the completed plan.

Conclusion

Word is a simple tool to create basic plans. They can look pretty good too once you practice and familiarize yourself with modifying the elements you’ll use. Be aware that it is easy to unintentionally move things. You’ll need to adjust items back to where you want them as you go. When your plan is done you can save it as an image file for safekeeping. Have fun!

All images are by Cayl Hollis.