Sectional Elevations: Foundation to Ceiling

Sectional Elevations: Foundation to Ceiling

The Grade 11 sectional elevation continues the Grade 10 build-up upward, and every layer is a real construction element with a purpose.

From the ground up: excavated trench → concrete strip foundation → substructure brickwork → DPC → surface bed on compacted fill → floor finish → superstructure brickwork → lintel over each opening → wall plate → ceiling.

Key elements:

• A lintel spans an opening and carries the load of the brickwork above it. Without one, that load bears directly on the window or door frame.
• The wall plate is a timber member bedded on top of the wall, distributing roof loads and giving the roof something to fix to.
• Ceiling height is measured from finished floor level, commonly 2 400 mm in South African housing.

Hatching identifies materials. Brickwork, concrete, earth and timber each have their own conventional hatch, so a reader can tell what each layer is made of without a label on every one.

Core checkpoint: Every layer is there for a reason. If you cannot say what a layer does, you have drawn it from memory rather than understanding.