Detail drawing
Detail drawings provide a detailed description of the geometric form of a part of an object such as a building, bridge, tunnel, machine, plant, and so on. They tend to be large-scale drawings that show in detail parts that may be included in less detail on general arrangement drawings.
Detail drawings may be used to demonstrate compliance with regulations and other requirements, to provide information about assembly and the junctions between components, to show construction details, detailed form, and so on, that would not be possible to include on more general drawings.
They may include dimensions, tolerances, notation, symbols and specification information, but this should not duplicate information included in separate specifications as this can become contradictory and may cause confusion.
They may consist of two-dimensional orthogonal projections showing plans, sections and elevations and may be drawn to scale by hand, or prepared using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. However, increasingly, building information modelling (BIM) is being used to create detailed three-dimensional representations of buildings and their components.
Detail drawings may be confused with ‘detailed design drawings’ which might describe the drawings produced during the detailed design stage, (sometimes referred to as 'developed design' or 'definition'). Detailed design is the process developing the design so that it is dimensionally correct and co-ordinated, describing all the main components of the building and how they fit together. Not all drawings produced during this stage will necessarily be detail drawings.
They are also distinct from the definition of ‘working drawings’ which provide dimensioned, graphical information that can be used by a contractor to construct the works, by suppliers to fabricate components of the works or to assemble or install components. Again, not all working drawings will necessarily be detail drawings.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- As-built drawings and record drawings.
- Assembly drawing.
- Building information modelling.
- Component drawing.
- Computer aided design.
- Concept drawing.
- Demystifying design processes of architectural details.
- Design drawings.
- Electrical drawing.
- Engineering drawing.
- Exploded view.
- General arrangement drawing.
- Geometric form.
- Installation drawings.
- North American Paper Sizes
- Notation and symbols.
- Packaging.
- Paper sizes.
- Production information.
- Projections.
- Residential design and 3D rendering.
- Scale drawing.
- Section drawing.
- Shop drawings.
- Specification.
- Technical drawing.
- Technical drawing pen sizes
- Working drawings.
Featured articles
Check out some of the best features and news from Designing Buildings as well as key stories from around the web.
Accommodating the Victorian and Edwardian working woman. Book review.
Rethinking passive fire protection in design
PFP demands the same level of design rigour as structure or services.
38% of Gen Zs feel safe when a fire door is wedged open.
Stunning images from around the world
Shortlist for CIOB’s Art of Building photography competition.
Guidance for conversion of traditional pre-1919 stone buildings.
Industrial heritage in the Ruhr
A marked difference to the fate of industrial landscapes in the UK.
Communities will be able to build their own clean energy.
Why diversity and inclusion matters for SMEs
CIOB’s D&I Charter shows how practical changes can support long-term growth.
Cut electricity bills to power growth
Coalition sends joint letter to the Chancellor.
Gasholders: a history in pictures. Book review.
Recognition, influence and growth
SocEnv identifies three strategic pillars in new strategy to 2045.
Discover the future of roofing, cladding and insulation.



















Comments
what kinds of scales we r using for detail drawings ? metric & architectural
Thank you :)