Draw a 2D floor plan

Set up snap-grid, draw walls along the perimeter, place doors and windows, add dimensions, export. A small flat fits in twenty minutes.

4 min read · Level: beginner

Quick answer

Start a new project: File → New → 2D project. Enter the project address — Diaz uses it later for sun-path and shade analysis if you add solar.
Set the snap-grid: View → Snap. 100 mm is the safe default for residential. 50 mm if you need finer detail (steps, thresholds). Endpoint and midpoint snaps should both be enabled.
Pick the wall tool: Toolbar → Wall. Set the wall thickness in the inspector (100 mm interior partition, 220 mm exterior cavity wall, 300 mm thicker insulated wall are common defaults). Click corners along the building perimeter — Diaz closes the polygon when you click the start point again.
Place doors and windows: switch to the door tool (Toolbar → Door) or window tool. Click on a wall and Diaz cuts the opening, sets a default 900 mm sill-height for windows, and places a swing arc for doors. Drag the symbol to slide it along the wall.
Add dimensions: Toolbar → Dimension → Chain. Click each corner across the longest wall, then on the opposite side. See the 2D dimensions article for the full toolset.
Export: File → Export → PDF for a sharable plan, or Export → DXF if a contractor will edit it. See PDF export for format details.

Wall thickness conflicting with discipline layer: if you set 100 mm wall thickness but the project uses the A-layer default of 220 mm, the wall renders thinner than expected in per-discipline export. Always set thickness in the inspector, not via global defaults.
Missing baseplate height: a floor plan without a defined floor-level confuses 3D extrusion later. Set the floor level at start: Settings → Drawing → Floor level 0 mm for ground floor; +2700 for first floor.
Open corners after wall-drawing: if a polygon does not close, walls do not auto-miter and the room is not detected. Look for the green close-indicator at the start point before clicking — or use Tools → Close polygon on a selected wall-run.

Diaz Editor is one-time €99 lifetime for the first 100 founding spots. See the beta page.