Layer Structure and Naming Standards
Your layer organization is either an asset or a liability. You exist within a collaborative environment — follow standards or you'll lose the interoperability that offices thrive on.
Why this matters
In a single drawing file, the layer structure is the filing system, the graphic control system, and the communication system simultaneously. A colleague who inherits your file at deadline should understand your layer organization in under two minutes — which elements are proposed, which are existing, which are to be removed, and which are reference-only. If they can't, your layers are a problem. Build this right from the first drawing and it becomes automatic.
The naming convention
Every layer follows the pattern: Prefix — Category or Prefix — Category — Subcategory/Condition. The prefix defines the discipline. The category defines the element type. The condition defines its status.
| Prefix | Discipline | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| L — | Landscape | L - Walk, L - Plant - Shrub, L - Topo - Contour |
| A — | Architectural | A - Wall, A - Column, A - Window |
| T — | Title and Sheet | T - Sheet - Title, T - Sheet - Legend, T - Sheet - Viewports |
| Z — | Reference and Special | Z - Hatchline, Z - Xref - Survey, Z - Raster - Aerial |
T — layers exist in paper space only. Never place drawing geometry on a T layer. These layers hold title block content, legends, and viewport objects — elements that live on the sheet, not in the model.
Z — layers are not all non-printing. They hold XREF references (DWG and image), hatch boundary polylines, and scanned reference drawings. Check print status per layer — do not assume Z layers are off.
Layer 0 is reserved for block geometry when building block definitions. Never draw site content on Layer 0.
Conditions
Proposed elements carry no condition suffix. Existing conditions add — Existing. Elements to be removed add — TBR. This makes sorting the layer list immediately readable: all proposed walks are on L - Walk; existing walks are on L - Walk - Existing; walks to be removed are on L - Walk - TBR.
The template layer list
Your project template includes the layers below. Some categories are intentionally absent — you will create them as your design develops, following the naming convention above. Proposed layer colors (representing lineweight) are suggestions only — adjust based on drawing scale and scope. Maintain lineweight hierarchy at all times.
| Layer Name | Color | Linetype | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| L - Annotation | ■ Yellow | Continuous | Sheet notes and area labels |
| L - Annotation - Callouts | ■ Green | Continuous | General callout symbols and text |
| L - Annotation - CL | ■ Red | CENTER | Center lines and text |
| L - Annotation - Demo | ■ Yellow | Continuous | Demolition text |
| L - Annotation - Dimensions | ■ Yellow | Continuous | Dimensions and detail text |
| L - Annotation - Plants | ■ Red | Continuous | Plant callouts and text |
| L - Boulders | ■ Green | Continuous | Proposed Boulders |
| L - Boulders - Existing | ■ Color 90 | Continuous | Existing Boulders |
| L - Fence | ■ Green | FENCELINE | Proposed Fences |
| L - Fence - Existing | ■ Color 90 | FENCELINE | Existing Fences |
| L - Fixture | ■ Color 253 | Continuous | Proposed fixtures (water, electric) |
| L - Fixture - Existing | ■ Color 253 | Continuous | Existing fixtures |
| L - Furniture | ■ Green | Continuous | Tables, chairs, site furniture |
| L - Light | ■ Green | Continuous | Proposed lights |
| L - Light - Existing | ■ Green | Continuous | Existing lights |
| L - Matchline | ■ Blue | DASHED | Matchlines |
| L - Plant - Bedline | ■ Color 8 | Continuous | Bedlines and edges |
| L - Plant - Deciduous Tree - Dark | ■ Color 96 | Continuous | Proposed Deciduous Trees — Dark Green |
| L - Plant - Deciduous Tree - Light | ■ Color 92 | Continuous | Proposed Deciduous Trees — Light Green |
| L - Plant - Deciduous Tree - Mid | ■ Color 94 | Continuous | Proposed Deciduous Trees — Medium Green |
| L - Plant - Demo | ■ Cyan | Continuous | Trees to be removed |
| L - Plant - Evergreen | ■ Color 64 | Continuous | Proposed Conifers |
| L - Plant - Groundcover | ■ Red | Continuous | Proposed Groundcover |
| L - Plant - Hatch | ■ Color 8 | Continuous | Proposed plant hatch areas |
| L - Plant - Lawn | ■ Green | Continuous | Proposed Lawn |
| L - Plant - Ornamental | ■ Color 72 | Continuous | Proposed Ornamental Trees |
| L - Plant - Shrub | ■ Color 92 | Continuous | Proposed Shrubs |
| L - Plant - Shrub - Existing | ■ Color 95 | Continuous | Existing Shrubs |
| L - Plant - Tree - Existing | ■ Color 95 | Continuous | Existing Trees |
| L - Plant - Tree TBR | ■ Color 10 | Continuous | Existing Trees to be removed |
| L - Plant - Treeline | ■ Color 96 | Continuous | Proposed Treeline |
| L - Road | ■ Red | Continuous | Proposed edge of pavement lines |
| L - Road - Curb | ■ Cyan | Continuous | Proposed curb line (see note below) |
| L - Road - Existing | ■ Yellow | Continuous | Existing Roads |
| L - Road - Striping | ■ Color 8 | Continuous | Road Striping |
| L - Site - Building | ■ Blue | Continuous | Proposed Site Structures |
| L - Site - Building - Existing | ■ Blue | Continuous | Existing Site Structures |
| L - Site - Property Line | ■ Magenta | PHANTOM | Property Line |
| L - Site - Setback | ■ Color 12 | DASHED | Setback Lines |
| L - Site - Waterline | ■ Cyan | DIVIDE | Edge of water, pond, or stream |
| L - Topo - Contour | ■ Yellow | Continuous | Proposed Contour lines |
| L - Topo - Existing | ■ Color 252 | DASHED | Existing Contour lines |
| L - Topo - Slope | ■ Red | Continuous | Proposed Slope arrows and text |
| L - Topo - Spot | ■ Yellow | Continuous | Proposed Spot elevations |
| L - Topo - Spot - Existing | ■ Yellow | Continuous | Existing Spot elevations |
| L - Topo - Swale | ■ Red | Continuous | Proposed Swale arrows |
| L - Topo - Text | ■ Yellow | Continuous | Proposed Contour labels and text |
| L - Walk | ■ Cyan | Continuous | Proposed Walkways and pavement |
| L - Walk - Demo | ■ Blue | DASHED2 | Pavement to be removed |
| L - Walk - Existing | ■ Green | Continuous | Existing Walkways and pavement |
| L - Walk - Hatch | ■ Red | Continuous | Proposed Walkway and pavement hatch |
| L - Walk - Hatch - Existing | ■ Color 8 | Continuous | Existing Walkway and pavement hatch |
| L - Walk - Patio | ■ Cyan | Continuous | Proposed Patio Spaces |
| L - Walk - Railing | ■ Red | Continuous | Proposed Railings |
| L - Walk - Stair | ■ Cyan | Continuous | Proposed Stairs |
| L - Walk - Stair - Existing | ■ Green | Continuous | Existing Stairs |
| L - Wall | ■ Blue | Continuous | Proposed Walls |
| L - Wall - Existing | ■ Cyan | Continuous | Existing Walls |
| T - Sheet - Legend | ■ Yellow | Continuous | Sheet legends — Paper Space only |
| T - Sheet - Title | ■ Cyan | Continuous | Title Blocks — Paper Space only |
| T - Sheet - Viewports | ■ Blue | Continuous | Viewports — Paper Space only |
| Z - Hatchline | ■ Color 241 | Continuous | Hatch boundary polylines |
| Z - Raster - Aerial | ■ Red | Continuous | Aerial photographs |
| Z - Raster - Sketches | ■ Red | Continuous | Scanned drawings to be traced |
| Z - Xref | ■ Blue | Continuous | XREFs (general) |
| Z - Xref - Architecture | ■ Blue | Continuous | Architecture XREF |
| Z - Xref - Survey | ■ Blue | Continuous | Survey XREF |
| Z - Xref - TB | ■ Blue | Continuous | Title Block XREF |
Required layer creation: Curb front and back
The template contains a single L - Road - Curb layer. This is intentional — you need to split it. A curb has two distinct edges with different visual weight logic: the face of curb (front) is a physical vertical barrier between paved surface and grade change and plots as a heavier line; the back of curb is flush with the adjacent grade and plots lighter. Using a single layer forces both edges to the same lineweight, which misrepresents the real-world condition.
Create L - Road - Curb - Front and L - Road - Curb - Back following the naming convention. Assign colors that produce the appropriate lineweight difference per the CTB standard. This is a design decision as much as a drafting one — and it's the first layer you will need to create in this course that isn't already in the template.
Try this
Before creating any new layer, answer these four questions: What prefix? What category? Is there a condition (Existing, TBR)? What color corresponds to the correct lineweight in the CTB standard? If you can't answer all four, look it up before you create the layer. A layer named "trees" or "new stuff" is not acceptable in a professional file and will not be accepted here.
What breaks
Drawing on Layer 0 is the most common layer error. Block geometry should be created on Layer 0 so it inherits the layer it's inserted on — but site drawing content should never live on Layer 0.
Using wrong color assignments means your lines plot at the wrong weight. Color in this system is not aesthetic — it is a lineweight proxy. A walk drawn in red plots at 0.01mm. That is nearly invisible at full size. Use the CTB lineweight chart to verify color assignments before you draw.
Multiple element types on one layer means you cannot independently control their display. When you need to turn off existing conditions without affecting proposed, or print without construction reference layers showing, single-purpose layers are what make that possible.