When creating a complex project in AutoCAD, it might seem like there’s a lot of work ahead of you. However, using pre-made assets can not only save you a lot of time and speed up your workflow, but it can potentially provide you with assets better than anything you could make yourself.

There are all sorts of pre-made assets you can pick from, such as blocks, templates, and libraries and they can entirely change your ease of working with AutoCAD. Considering it is the top choice for CAD software (there are many alternatives), there are thousands of assets to choose from. Let’s get into the best assets you can get.

Why Use AutoCAD Assets?

AutoCAD assets are pre-made by a third party and then put up online, either for free or for a price. You might wonder why you should bother using assets that someone else made instead of making them yourself, and the simple answer is that either you can’t make them yourself or you don’t want to.

For instance, assets come in handy when putting repetitive elements or very complex blocks into your drawing. You probably don’t want to bother spending precious time designing a fancy cabinet as an architect — you’re there to design the house itself. This can save you even more time than mastering AutoCAD keyboard shortcuts!

In some instances, such as when trying to use standard symbols, you simply don’t have the skill set to create a library from scratch. You can just get a library that someone else has bothered to make, which makes things super easy for you.

Types of AutoCAD Assets

There are three major types of AutoCAD assets. These are blocks, templates, and libraries. Let’s talk about each briefly.

• Blocks: Blocks in AutoCAD are essentially groups or objects that can be put into your drawing, just like a building block. For instance, a block could be a door, furniture, or even an entire room.

• Templates: As you might have guessed, a template is a drawing file that’s already been pre-configured for you, so you have layers, settings, and even some basic drawing elements, set up for you as soon as you open the file.

• Libraries: Think of a library as a collection of different files that share some kind of similarity. For instance, it could be a library of symbols related to electrical or plumbing, or it could be a collection of furniture blocks. The right high-quality AutoCAD libraries can save you a lot of time.

Top AutoCAD Blocks for Various Industries

When it comes to getting AutoCAD blocks, regardless of the industry, you need to know the best places to find them first. If you’re on the prowl for free AutoCAD assets download, you can turn to websites like ACAD-Block (though they also have paid options), cad-blocks.net, and CADforum.

Architectural Blocks

If you’ve been on the lookout for the best AutoCAD blocks for architects, you’ve found yourself in the right place. As an architect, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve equipped yourself with various forms of the following basic blocks. Below are some examples, and by no means is the list exhaustive.

• Doors: Single, double, sliding, revolving, French

• Windows: Sliding, casement, awning, fixed, round

• Staircases: Straight, spiral, curved, L-shaped

• Furniture: Chairs, tables, sofas, bookshelves, beds, wardrobes

• Roofing: Gable, hip, mansard, saltbox, flat, shed

• Fixtures: Lighting, toilets, sinks, bathtubs

Engineering Blocks

As an engineer, you shouldn’t spend too much of your time trying to create blocks from scratch. The good thing is I’m about to show you some of the top AutoCAD assets for engineers to equip themselves with. You can still find these on the sites I linked earlier.

• For Mechanical Engineers

  • Machinery components: pulleys, gears, bearings, shafts

  • Fasteners: Nuts, bolts, screws, washers

  • Structural components: Columns, plates, beams, counterweights

  • Fluid components: Pumps, tanks, pipes, valves, nozzles

• For Electrical Engineers: Transformers, transistors, resistors, capacitors, batteries, batteries, switches, control panels

• For Civil Engineers: 

  • Structural elements: Beams, columns, slabs, foundations, walls, joints

  • Site features: Sidewalks, roads, parking lots, dividers, guardrails

  • Utilities: Electrical cables, water pipes, swerve lines, landscaping, hydrants

Interior Design Blocks

If you’re an interior designer, it is very important that your clients see their visions in the highest possible detail, and for this reason, you might be better off using AutoCAD assets for interior design that were made by someone else. Some good examples include:

• Storage: Bookshelves, wardrobes, chests, dressers, cabinets

• Seating: Sofas, chairs, stools, armchairs, deckchairs

• Decorative Elements: Curtains, artwork, rugs, plants, vases

• Lighting: Floor lamps, table lamps, chandeliers, wall sconces

• Fixtures

  • Bathroom: Toilets, sinks, bathtubs, showers, mirrors, medicine cabinets

  • Kitchen: Counters, cabinets, sinks, range hoods, stoves, appliances

• Tables

Best AutoCAD Templates for Streamlined Workflows

An AutoCAD template gives you a pre-configured workspace to start drawing in. If you’re wondering about where to find AutoCAD templates, as far as I know, there’s no one-stop shop with different AutoCAD templates (the way there is for blocks). 

However, you can get some basic architecture, civil engineering, and mechanical engineering templates from the official AutoCAD website. Generally speaking, the official AutoCAD website is a good place to start, alongside online tutorials.

If you’re looking for templates of a specific variety, I’d recommend a Google search. You might find what you’re looking for; it should be a “.dwt” file!

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Recommended AutoCAD Libraries for Designers and Engineers

Fortunately, it is a lot easier to find high-quality AutoCAD libraries than it is to find templates. Whether you’re an architect, engineer, or interior designer, a lot of the same libraries can come in handy. An AutoCAD library is a collection of related blocks, symbols, and more.

There are numerous sites that you can get libraries from and it all depends on what you’re looking for. Do you need a library with hundreds of furniture blocks? Do you need one that contains a bunch of different vehicles? Perhaps you’re looking for nothing but bathroom fixtures. Pages like MeasuredSurvey365, cad-blocks.net, and freecads.com have a very wide selection of specialized block libraries, so you’ll likely find what you need.

Conclusion 

The benefit of using AutoCAD assets is that you get work that is potentially of a higher quality than anything you could make, and of course, you get to entirely save the time it would take for you to make them in the first place.

It’s hard to make an exhaustive list of the best assets you can use for AutoCAD, as it really comes down to exactly what your project needs. However, knowing the right places to get blocks, libraries, and templates can make all the difference. If we’ve missed any favorite assets or sources of yours, share them in the comments. They can certainly come in handy for others!

FAQs:

1. How much does AutoCAD cost?

   • A one-year AutoCAD 2025 license costs $1,350 and a three-year license costs $4,050.

2. What’s the best way to improve my AutoCAD knowledge?

   • The best way to learn more about AutoCAD is through online resources. There are thousands of free and excellent AutoCAD courses and tutorials available online.

3. What file format do AutoCAD assets come in?

   • AutoCAD templates are in the “.dwt” format. AutoCAD blocks are typically in the “.dwg” format. An AutoCAD library is a collection of AutoCAD blocks, so you may find them as folders containing individual files.

4. How can I create my own AutoCAD template?

   • Ensure that your drawing is exactly how you want your template to be. Click the “A” icon, choose “Save As”, and then click “Drawing Template”. Name and save the “.dwt” file.

5. Can I use my AutoCAD drawings in other CAD software?

   • Yes, you can use AutoCAD drawings in other CAD software like SolidWorks, provided they support “.dwg” or “.dxf” files.