CAD Cheatsheet for Trades
Free 12-page PDF — 20+ shortcuts, layer best-practices, permit checklist, export decision tree
What's inside (12 pages)
- Cover + intro (1 page)
- 20+ keyboard shortcuts cheatsheet (1 page — print + tape to wall)
- Layer discipline by trade — Architectural, Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing (2 pages)
- Permit-drawing checklist (10 items, region-specific) (1 page)
- Export-format decision tree — DXF / DWG / PDF / 3DM / OBJ (1 page)
- Smart dimensions & snap-tricks (1 page)
- BOM (Bill of Materials) cheatsheet (1 page)
- Industry-standard CAD compliance — DIN VDE, IEC, NEC (1 page)
- 5-year cost comparison vs AutoCAD/SketchUp (1 page)
- About Diaz Editor + how to start free trial (2 pages)
Or skip the email —
for Trades
Welcome 👋
This cheatsheet is for solo trades — carpenters, electricians, installers — who use CAD 5-10 hours per week.
Who this is for
- Tischler / Carpenters drawing furniture + permit drawings
- Elektriker drawing distribution boards + single-line diagrams
- SHK / Installateure planning HVAC + heat-load layouts
- Bauleiter coordinating multiple trades on small projects
What's NOT in this cheatsheet
- BIM workflows (Revit/ArchiCAD territory)
- Parametric design (FreeCAD territory)
- Photo-realistic rendering (Lumion/V-Ray)
Goal: 80% of your daily CAD needs, in fewer clicks.
⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts (Print + Tape to Wall)
| Shortcut | Action | When |
|---|---|---|
| L | Line tool | 2D drawing |
| C | Circle | 2D / 3D |
| R | Rectangle | 2D walls/rooms |
| D | Dimension | Annotate |
| M | Move selection | Reposition |
| X | Delete / Cut | Cleanup |
| T | Text label | Notes on drawing |
| F | Fill / Hatch | Cross-section fill |
| Space | Repeat last tool | Speed-up workflow |
| Tab | Cycle layers | Switch trade-layer |
| Cmd+K | Command palette | "Where is that tool?" |
| Cmd+S | Save | Every 5 min |
| Cmd+Z | Undo | 30-step history |
| Cmd+Y | Redo | "Wait, undo too far" |
| Cmd+E | Export | DXF/DWG/PDF |
| Cmd+P | Print preview | Permit prep |
| G | Toggle grid | Snap-precision |
| O | Origin | Reset view |
| Scroll | Zoom | Precision-work |
| Middle-drag | Pan / Rotate 3D | 3D navigation |
📐 Layer Discipline by Trade
Layers separate trade-content for clean print + permit-submit.
Standard layer-naming convention
| Layer name | Content | Color | Linetype |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-WALL | Architectural walls | Black | Continuous |
| A-WALL-OPEN | Door/window openings | Gray | Hidden |
| A-DIM | Dimensions | Blue | Continuous |
| E-LITE | Electrical lighting | Yellow | Continuous |
| E-POWR | Power circuits | Red | Continuous |
| M-HVAC | HVAC ducts | Magenta | Dashed |
| P-PIPE | Plumbing pipes | Cyan | Continuous |
Toggle pattern
Press Tab to cycle through layers. Press Cmd+1/2/3/4 to show only that layer.
🎯 Per-Trade Layer Setup
For Tischler (Cabinet-makers)
F-CABINET (cabinet outlines), F-DOOR (cabinet doors), F-HARDWARE (knobs/hinges), F-FINISH (countertop)
For Elektriker
Use DIN VDE 0100 presets: E-MAIN (main panel), E-CIRCUIT-L1/L2/L3 (phases), E-GROUND, E-CONDUIT
For Installateur SHK
Use EN 12831 presets: H-RADIATOR, H-PIPE-SUPPLY, H-PIPE-RETURN, V-DUCT-SUPPLY, V-DUCT-RETURN, P-DRAIN
For Dachdecker
R-RAFTER, R-RIDGE, R-INSULATION, R-MEMBRANE, R-FLASHING
📋 Permit-Drawing Checklist (10 items)
Before submitting permit drawings, verify these 10 items. Skipping one = 90% of permit rejections.
| # | Item | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Title block (project, date, scale, author) | Compliance |
| 2 | Scale visible + correct (1:50, 1:100, etc) | Print-fidelity |
| 3 | North arrow (architectural pages) | Orientation |
| 4 | Dimensions on all walls + door/window openings | Build-spec |
| 5 | Material annotations (e.g. "Brick 100mm") | Spec validation |
| 6 | Compliance-stamp (DIN/IEC/NEC reference) | Regulator |
| 7 | Author signature + license (where required) | Liability |
| 8 | Layer-toggle hide construction-only layers | Clean output |
| 9 | PDF export at 300 DPI (print-quality) | Inspector readable |
| 10 | Page-numbering (1/12, 2/12, etc) | Compliance |
🌳 Export Format Decision Tree
Pick the right format for who you're sending to.
| Going to... | Use format | Why |
|---|---|---|
| CNC subcontractor | DXF (R12 or R2000) | Universal CNC standard |
| Architect | DWG (R2018+) | AutoCAD-native |
| Permit office | PDF (300 DPI) | Print-fidelity |
| Client preview | PDF (compressed) or PNG | Email-friendly |
| Rhino-user collaborator | 3DM | Rhino-native |
| 3D-printer / CNC milling | OBJ + STL | 3D-print standard |
| Web preview | SVG or PNG | Browser-native |
| BIM coordinator | DXF | The BIM standard is IFC, which Diaz Editor cannot write — send DXF and let the coordinator bring it into his BIM tool |
📏 Smart Dimensions & Snap-Tricks
Type-while-drawing pattern
1. Click first point. 2. Move cursor in direction. 3. Type exact length (e.g. "2400"). 4. Press Enter.
Line snaps to exactly that length. No more draw-measure-edit.
Snap-toggles
| Snap | Use |
|---|---|
| Endpoint | Connect to existing line-end |
| Midpoint | Click middle of line/wall |
| Intersection | Cross-over points |
| Perpendicular | 90° to existing line |
| Parallel | Same-angle as reference |
| Grid | Snap to grid-units (mm/cm/m) |
Toggle: G for grid, P for perpendicular.
📋 BOM (Bill of Materials) Cheatsheet
BOM = lumber-yard / parts-list. Auto-generated from your drawing.
What goes in a good BOM
- Cut-list: per-piece dimensions (L × W × H), quantity, material
- Hardware: screws, hinges, connectors, glue (per project)
- Fasteners: bolts, nuts, anchors (size + grade)
- Finishes: paint, varnish, stain, coverage (m² × layers)
- Cut-list optimization: minimize waste from standard sheet-sizes
Lumber-yard handoff
1. Export BOM as CSV. 2. Yard imports into their pricing-system. 3. Quote comes back same-day. 4. Pickup ready next-morning.
⚖️ Industry-Standard Compliance
DACH (Germany/Austria/Switzerland)
- DIN VDE 0100 — Electrical installations
- DIN EN 12831 — Heating load calculation
- DIN 18065 — Stairs design
- DIN 4108 — Insulation
- EN 1610 — Drainage (sewer/storm)
- VDE-AR-N 4105 — PV grid-connection (Germany)
EU + International
- IEC 60364 — Electrical installations (EU-wide)
- NEC (USA) — National Electrical Code
- BS 7671 (UK) — Wiring Regulations
- NEN 1010 (NL) — Electrical safety
- REBT 2002 (ES) — Electrical regulations
Diaz Editor has pre-built layer presets for all of these — no manual setup.
💰 5-Year Cost Comparison
| Software | Price/year | 5-year total | Lifetime? |
|---|---|---|---|
| AutoCAD LT | $540/year | $2,875 | No |
| SketchUp Pro | $399/year | $1,995 | No |
| Revit LT | $485/year | $2,425 | No |
| BricsCAD Lite | $320/year | $1,600 | No |
| FreeCAD | $0 + 80h learning | ~$2,400 in lost revenue | Yes |
| Diaz Editor | $99 once | $99 | Yes ✓ |
You save $1,501-$2,776 over 5 years with lifetime pricing — depending on competitor.
About Diaz Editor
Diaz Editor is a $99 lifetime CAD tool built solo over 14 months by Juan Diaz (Delaware LLC, founder).
What it does
- 2D floor plans + dimensions
- 3D mockups for client meetings
- BOM export for lumber-yard / parts-list
- DXF for CNC sub-contractor handoff
- PDF for permit office
- Pre-built layer-presets per trade (DIN/IEC/NEC)
- Multi-language (EN/DE/NL/ES)
- Multi-platform (Windows + Linux now, Mac Q3 2026)
- Offline + DSGVO-compliant
How to start
1. Visit diazatlas.com/beta
2. Download 14-day free trial (no credit card)
3. Test on real projects
4. If it works: $99 lifetime via code LIFETIME-FOUND
5. If not: just uninstall. No commitment.
€197 lifetime · 3 workstations · No subscription