VASTU · PLAN PREPARATION
How to set north and scale on a Vastu floor plan
A clear plan needs two different kinds of information: its orientation and its real-world size. Turning the image until it looks upright does not establish north. Making it larger on screen does not establish its dimensions. Check these two inputs separately before reading the Vastu overlays or presenting the home in 3D.
1. Keep the original plan available
Start with a readable image or PDF. Keep all relevant corners in view and retain the original file so that you can compare measurements later. If you photograph a paper plan, hold the camera square to the paper. A strongly tilted photo can distort proportions even when the labels remain readable.
2. Confirm which way north points
Use a reliable north reference for the property, such as the orientation documented on the plan. Do not assume that the top of a screenshot points north. If you have rotated or cropped the image, compare the direction with the original drawing again.
In VastuGrid AI, set the plan's north direction using the available direction controls. Before reading room positions, check that a known side of the property lies in the expected direction.
3. Use one known length to set scale
Choose a straight wall whose actual length you know. Select the matching endpoints on the drawing and enter that length in the units requested by the control. Use the same physical endpoints that the plan measurement describes: the inside face, outside face and wall centreline can give different lengths.
After calibration, check a second known wall. If the first matches but the second is far off, inspect the selected endpoints and image proportions before tracing more rooms.
4. Check the boundary before the overlays
Trace the property outline you intend to analyse, including its actual corners. An irregular boundary, an excluded balcony or an incorrectly included common area can change the shape under consideration. Zoom in to find missed corners and close the outline cleanly.
5. Review walls and openings in 3D
When opening the 3D home, compare the walls and doors with the original plan. Make sure an opening leads to the intended room, then check wall height separately. Floor-plan scale and wall height are independent settings.
Use the whole-home view to find obvious gaps and the walk-inside view to check how the spaces connect. A useful presentation begins with a model that matches the source drawing.
6. Save a version you can return to
Save the project after checking orientation, scale and openings. To continue later, choose Vastu → Open project from the dashboard. The exported project is the working file; keep it separately from screenshots used in a presentation.
Quick checks when something looks wrong
- Directions seem reversed: compare north with the original plan and check whether the image was mirrored.
- Every length is too large: verify the known measurement and the feet/inches units.
- Only some walls look wrong: inspect the endpoints or distortion in the source image.
- The room height feels wrong: adjust height rather than recalibrating the floor plan.
Continue with the online Vastu floor-plan tools or read the main-door guide once the map is ready.