What is a full-size setting-out drawing?

A full-size setting-out drawing is an exact drawing at a scale of 1:1 of a stair, roof, hip rafter, valley rafter or wall. Parts can be transferred straight from the drawing to the timber, with no calculation needed on site. Joiners often call such a drawing a ‘rod’, and the French term is ‘épure’. In Dutch it is called an ‘uitslag’, a word that also means efflorescence or staining on brickwork.

How it works

Traditionally the carpenter drew it in pencil on a board, a workshop floor or large sheets of paper. Today it is usually produced by computer and plotted onto a paper roll. At full size you can read true lengths and angles directly, even for parts that appear foreshortened in a plan or elevation.

Types

• Stair: shows the shape of every tread, the newel and the strings with the housings for the treads. Apart from a straight flight staircase, almost every tread in a turning stair has a different shape, so a full-size drawing is essential.
• Hip and valley rafters: true length, plumb and seat cuts and the backing bevel on top.
• Roof: a roof development drawing shows the true shape and size of all roof surfaces.
• Wall: an unfolded elevation, for example for tiling or a sloping wall under a roof.

Application

A stair setting-out can be used directly as a cutting and routing pattern: trim it roughly, tape it to the timber and cut through paper and wood together. If the housings are drawn in, clamp the router jig along the line. This lets a skilled DIYer build a complex stair. For repeated parts, turn the drawing into a fixed template.

Tips and points of attention

• Check the scale: measure a reference dimension after printing. A plot not printed at 100 percent ruins the whole job.
• Paper moves: it expands with humidity. Store the drawing dry and use it soon after printing.
• Transfer reference lines: centre lines, the walking line and floor levels belong on the timber, not just the outline.
• Survey first: the drawing is only as good as its dimensions. Check the stairwell opening and floor-to-floor height yourself.

Related terms

• Roof development drawing
• Hip rafter
• Valley rafter
• Template
• Stair stringer
• Stair string housing

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