# abbreviations in plan checking



## Mac Moonfire (Aug 3, 2019)

Hi all,
I am reviewing plans for a house and I am unsure of some abbreviations.
English is not my mother tongue and the plans are from Canada

"2&BTR" ei: 2x12 2&BTR SPF floor joists @400mm on center.
"BU" ei: 2x10 BU flush beams over 6x6 S4S D-fir posts.
"C/W" ei: Perforated perimeter drain pipe C/W (25mm) drain rock around perimeter.
"DN 15 R" written just above exterior stairs
"14 EQ R DN" written just above interior stairs
"FF"  ei: "R28 FF insulation C/W .15mm poly vapor barrier.
"FRR" ei: Line of fire separation wall with rated FRR.
"OH" ei: Drop foundation walls for 2745mm OH garage doors.
"MBFE" This is a leveled elevation below foundations.
"S4S" ei: 2x10 BU beams over 6x6 S4S D-fir posts
"SPF" ei: All wall framing material shall be SPF #2or better.
"STD" ei: 12.7mm STD sheating. 12.7mm STD ply all on engineered wood trusses.
"SW" ei: Exhaust fan (2.0 sone) to exterior C/W timer SW.
"RC" ei: Decorative timber truss over 184mm RC posts -D- fir.

Thank you in advance for your help


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## e hilton (Aug 3, 2019)

Mac Moonfire said:


> Hi all,
> I am reviewing plans for a house and I am unsure of some abbreviations.
> English is not my mother tongue and the plans are from Canada
> 
> ...


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## fatboy (Aug 3, 2019)

"2&BTR" ei: 2x12 2&BTR SPF floor joists @400mm on center.   LUMBER GRADE
"BU" ei: 2x10 BU flush beams over 6x6 S4S D-fir posts.   BUILT UP
"C/W" ei: Perforated perimeter drain pipe C/W (25mm) drain rock around perimeter.   COVERED WITH
"DN 15 R" written just above exterior stairs  DOWN 15 RISES
"14 EQ R DN" written just above interior stairs   14 EQUAL RISES DOWN
"FF" ei: "R28 FF insulation C/W .15mm poly vapor barrier.    FOIL FACED
"FRR" ei: Line of fire separation wall with rated FRR.   FIRE RESISTANT RATED
"OH" ei: Drop foundation walls for 2745mm OH garage doors.   OVER HEAD
"MBFE" This is a leveled elevation below foundations.   MAIN BASE FIELD ELEVATION (guess)
"S4S" ei: 2x10 BU beams over 6x6 S4S D-fir posts   SURFACED FOUR SIDES
"SPF" ei: All wall framing material shall be SPF #2or better.  SPRUCE/PINE/FIR (lumber species)
"STD" ei: 12.7mm STD sheating. 12.7mm STD ply all on engineered wood trusses.  STANDARD
"SW" ei: Exhaust fan (2.0 sone) to exterior C/W timer SW.    SWITCH
"RC" ei: Decorative timber truss over 184mm RC posts -D- fir.   ???


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## Pcinspector1 (Aug 3, 2019)

Mac Moonfire said:


> Hi all,
> I am reviewing plans for a house and I am unsure of some abbreviations.
> English is not my mother tongue and the plans are from Canada
> 
> ...


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## Pcinspector1 (Aug 3, 2019)

Thanks FB,
 I did not know all of them? Guessed at the MBFE. 
C/W that's a new one for me. I see E/W each way on plans.


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## Pcinspector1 (Aug 3, 2019)

FF foil faced instead of friction fit, I'll have to watch for that one.


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## Mac Moonfire (Aug 3, 2019)

WOnderful! it all makes so much more sense now!
Thank you all for the help!


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## fatboy (Aug 3, 2019)

The last one RC might be Red Cedar, but then it specs doug fir.......


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## Chrisjoneill (Aug 4, 2019)

Any drawing set should have an abbreviations list for this reason...if we don't know what the abbreviations are how can we review plans?


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## Pcinspector1 (Aug 5, 2019)

Chrisjoneill said:


> Any drawing set should have an abbreviations list for this reason...if we don't know what the abbreviations are how can we review plans?



FF on a lot of plans mean: Finished Floor

As far as insulation fb said Foil Faced and I said Friction Fit both could be correct. A key with abbreviations should be provided, agree.


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## mark handler (Aug 5, 2019)

Pcinspector1 said:


> FF on a lot of plans mean: Finished Floor
> 
> As far as insulation fb said Foil Faced and I said Friction Fit both could be correct. A key with abbreviations should be provided, agree.



All based on context


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## my250r11 (Aug 5, 2019)

RC may be Rough Cut Douglas Fir Posts


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## Pcinspector1 (Aug 5, 2019)

You might be right my250! "RC" Rough Cut post, make's sense to me.


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## ADAguy (Aug 7, 2019)

You folks never fail to "impress" me with your wealth of knowledge. Any of you been on Jepordy yet?


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## Pcinspector1 (Aug 7, 2019)

I've been in jeopardy before but not on it!


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## Mac Moonfire (Jan 10, 2020)

I have come across a couple more abbreviations:
SS  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




PL wall  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



PD


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## e hilton (Jan 10, 2020)

SS ... structural steel?   Or a tag that refers back to a column schedule.  
PL ... plumbing?  
PD ... window designation code.  Similar to SS.


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## JPohling (Jan 10, 2020)

what are the numbers then a X then numbers, never seen that


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## tmurray (Jan 10, 2020)

JPohling said:


> what are the numbers then a X then numbers, never seen that


Size of opening in mm. I'm assuming this is a government project, so metric must be used.

As far as the abbreviations go...I'm at a loss for most of them.


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## Pcinspector1 (Jan 10, 2020)

PD -Patio door
PL - Plumbing wall
SS - Staggered Studs or Stud Supports?


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## Pcinspector1 (Jan 10, 2020)

I saw this abbreviation the other day on a 2x from Canada: XC

tmurray, can you help us out? One of your provinces?


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## tmurray (Jan 10, 2020)

Pcinspector1 said:


> I saw this abbreviation the other day on a 2x from Canada: XC
> 
> tmurray, can you help us out? One of your provinces?


I'm at a loss. Some abbreviations are industry specific, so the type of drawing it is on can have some clues. Others are purely that designer or RDP's shorthand and a call to them is needed.


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## JPohling (Jan 10, 2020)

tmurray said:


> Size of opening in mm. I'm assuming this is a government project, so metric must be used.
> 
> As far as the abbreviations go...I'm at a loss for most of them.


Metric?  I have heard about that before.  we banished it I guess


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## Rick18071 (Jan 10, 2020)

STD - sexual transmitted disease


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## Inspector Gift (Jan 10, 2020)

SS - Solid Sawn?
or Select Structural?


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## my250r11 (Jan 10, 2020)

It's STI now Sexually Transmitted Infections


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## north star (Jan 11, 2020)

*@ ~ @*

*SS* - might also be Stainless Steel or Sanitary Sewer

Also, ...related to foundations and the placement of steel rebar,
...18" O.C., E.W. equals 18 inches On Center, Each Way

*$ % $*


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## Mac Moonfire (Jan 11, 2020)

tmurray said:


> Size of opening in mm. I'm assuming this is a government project, so metric must be used.
> 
> As far as the abbreviations go...I'm at a loss for most of them.


That's it! the Canadian building code is all done in metric. Imperial still rules the worksite.
Thank you for your help guys


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## Inspector Gadget (Mar 5, 2020)

Chrisjoneill said:


> Any drawing set should have an abbreviations list for this reason...if we don't know what the abbreviations are how can we review plans?



Exactement. I may know 'em, I may not. I just finished a plans review with a symbol [ F ]. I thought it might be a fire-alarm pull, but they're in places where fire pulls ought not to be. I flagged the need for a pull, gave the code reference, noted the plans stated pulls must be installed. 

No indication of the meaning of the symbol. Or, in other words, I had no idea WT [ F ] it meant.


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## VillageInspector (Mar 10, 2020)

Whenever I get a set of plans that I am not positive on something I ask for written explanations and or list of all abbreviations. Without that documentation if you make the wrong interpretation its on you not the design professional.


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