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Caleb Frost on June 11, 2018 at 7:53 pm
I have a question, about scaling. I have a 2D site drawing drawing 1:1. The site drawing is referenced on my cover sheet. The cover sheet is set to print at 1/4″ = 1′ but I want the scale of the site plan to be 1″ = 30′. I can’t figure out what the one scale factor is that I can use to scale the 1:1 drawing by to get it to come in to the cover sheet at the right scale.
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Michael on March 23, 2019 at 10:05 am
I have a question,I’m trying to draw a floor plan to scale of 1:50,but the measurement in the floor plan does not express if it is in meter, millimeter etc.. it only give the numbers like total length of the plan 1800, door length 90 etc.. how to draw this plan?
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Emma on March 25, 2019 at 6:13 am
If the plan tells you the door width, you can work out what units the plan it in. You know the standard door width generally, is around 900mm – so it sounds like your plan could be in centimetres if it is saying the door width is 90…
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ehsan on February 1, 2020 at 11:49 pm
Hi there,
i have a CAD drawing that is drawn in Meters (CAD Unit is meter)
my page on paper space is on “ISO A1″ 841X594,. i was hoping to plot to 1:50 for equivalent of 1′ = 1/4” but the drawing is as small as a dot.
i watched a youtube video that explained to do a custom plot scale since my drawing is drawn in meters and the CAD unit is in meter. custom plot 1paper unit to 0.05 drawing unit. when i did that visually the drawing seems okay.i have some questions:
– first of all is this a correct scale?
– if i am writing the scale under my drawing, what do i put there? 1 : 0.05 ?Reply
Emma on February 3, 2020 at 6:19 am
The easiest thing to do would be to scale the cad drawing up to millimetres, this way the video will make more sense as you work through it. When you then enter the scale in the custom plot area it will be 1:50 and you will write 1:50 under your drawing. To scale the drawing, change the units of the drawing to milimeters first, this is in Tools. Check to see if the drawing lines are still in metres, if they are – Then go into your paper space, select all, type SCALE, ref point 0,0,0 and scale factor 1000. Hopefully this will work. Good luck .
See AlsoDollhouse Scale - Factory Direct Craft SupplyFAQ's | Frequently Asked QuestionsHow toy scales work for farm toys, cars and figuresScale | Collector ModelsReply
Sal Romano on March 23, 2020 at 6:51 pm
Hi I have various pdf vehicle drawings at various scales and they all need to be at the scale of 1:50. How do I convert in scale percentage from 1:15 to 1:50 scale. 1:35 to 1:50 and 1:10 to 1:50 I’m bringing in the pdf drawings into illustrator and then tracing them so they can all be viewed in at the same proportional scale
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Samuel on November 8, 2023 at 2:24 am
Hi pls can send a video on building drawing like using scales and all that with the plan where we have bedroom,kitchen etc with the windows indicated and doors
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Mohamed Nassar on September 6, 2020 at 9:41 am
thank but i can’t download this pdf for scales
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Ed on October 14, 2020 at 11:29 am
Hello,
I’ve got a question regarding the scale on a view port. The scale shows 150 to 1. When l change it to 1:50 which is the scale that I normally use, the drawing becomes very tiny that I cant see anything. Any advise?
Regards,
EdReply
Emma on October 14, 2020 at 3:40 pm
Hi Ed, is the drawing in the model space drawn at a scale of 1:1?
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Colby on October 20, 2020 at 3:58 am
Hi,
I have a scale of 1:200 m using the scale ruler. My professor told me to show the computations I did to arrive at my chosen scale factor. Since it is my first time making a lay-out, I am not familiar about it. How can I show my computations?Reply
Karl Griffith on January 8, 2021 at 12:01 pm
What would the scale be on A1 if the original was 1:200 on A0?
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Siyabulela on May 6, 2021 at 6:43 pm
the floor of a school hall is 40m long and 20 m wide draw scaled diagram in a scale of 1:50
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Jade on May 10, 2021 at 5:07 pm
Hi emma. Im studying garden design but not getting the scale ruler. I assumed the ruler was converting it all for you. So 1 metre in reality i was using the 1 marker on 1:50 as thought it was already done. But a 60cm plant in 1:50 ive been told is 120cm on the ruler. Any scale ruler for idiots explanation plse as im now not getting what each whole number represents on each scale side.
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Emma on May 11, 2021 at 7:29 am
Hi Jade, I think you were right the first time. The ruler does the conversion for you. So, if you have a drawing and it is at a scale of 1:50. You measure your plant and it is at the 1 mark on your 1:50 ruler, the plant is 1m. Likewise, if you want to draw a 3meter line at a scale of 1:50, you get your 1:50 ruler and draw to the 3 mark. Hope this helps.
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David on July 14, 2021 at 9:23 pm
Hi Emma. Please confirm which dimensions are placed on a drawing using a scale. For example using a scale of 1:100 and I have a length of 3000mm. Drawing the line on paper it would be 30mm long, is 30mm the dimension placed on paper or would I place 3000mm? Thanks
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Emma on July 15, 2021 at 6:34 am
Hello David,
If I’m understanding you correctly, you are asking what dimensions you should place on a drawing. You always want to place the ‘real life’ dimension on a drawing. So if you are drawing a wall, and the wall is 3m long, you will put a dimension note saying the wall is 3m long – even though you have drawn a 30mm wall. The goal of dimensions is to show the reader/builder the real life sizes of objects/constructions so it can be built. I hope that makes sense.Reply
David on July 15, 2021 at 4:00 pm
Hi Emma, thank you for your rely. It does make sense:)
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Kai Grey on December 20, 2021 at 6:41 pm
Finally a great post on scaling!!! I have a hard time with numbers and never seemed to understand it untill you walked me true it in this post. Many thanks!!! Done pulling my hair out now
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Emma on December 21, 2021 at 11:23 am
Thank you!
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Intellect Architects on April 15, 2022 at 9:48 pm
Thanks for the post, you really did great. I will certainly refer to it if need be.
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jeny lee on December 11, 2022 at 7:20 pm
Hello, hope someone can help me out on this question cause i’m very confused at this point.
I have a drawing on the model space in cm. I need to plot at a scale of 1:50 on an A0 paper. The units in the paper space are in mm.
I don’t understand how I should scale it, inorder to get the desired result using the zoom command.I tried using a scale factor of 1/5xp but in the preview, part of the drawing is missing, why is that?
Please, any help would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance!
:Reply
archiadmin on December 12, 2022 at 2:57 pm
Hi there.
I think the easiest thing is to make sure the units match in your paper space and model space. That way, everything should work much better when you come to using scales in your view ports etc.
You can adjust your paperspace by going to the page set up manager while in paperspace and setting everything up in mm. From there, when you scale the viewport, say at 1:50 it should be correct. If you continue to have issues, feel free to drop me an email – emma@firstinarchitecture.co.ukReply
archiadmin on December 12, 2022 at 2:58 pm
Sorry, one other thing. I would recommend you work in mm in your model space ideally. So convert everything to mm in both model space and paperspace.
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Aysha sultana on March 11, 2023 at 11:01 pm
Hi there,
I just wanted to say how useful I found this! Normally I struggle reading masses of information but this was really well explained and I learned a lot. Very much appreciated!Reply
archiadmin on March 13, 2023 at 7:08 am
Thank you 🙂
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Glenn Baird on May 22, 2023 at 9:20 am
Hi and I hope that you can help me here!
I have a plan drawn to a scale of 1:50 drawn on A3 paper for submission via an online portal to a planning authority in UK.
Unfortunately my printer/scanner only accommodates paper up to A4 size. I can have my A3 plan sized down to A4 at a local printer so that I can use it on my scanner for transfer to the portal site.
Will this interfere with the scale drawing when the planning authority look at it? Do I tell them it was originally on A3 and they can size it back up again?
Or if I just take a photo of the plan, would that work or am I being rather naive here?!
Many thanks in anticipation.
Glenn
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Emma on May 23, 2023 at 7:00 am
Hi Glenn,
This is a bit tricky.
If you have the A3 scaled down then it will no longer be at 1:50 scale. Can the local printer scan the document at A3? Then you can send to planning at its original size of A3 to the correct scale. The Planning department will not scale drawings up or down, they need the drawing to be correct when they receive it.
A photo of the plan will not be acceptable for the planning department.
I would recommend speaking with your local printer and seeing if they can scan in at A3 and send you the digital file.
Best of luck 🙂Reply
Rod H on July 27, 2023 at 4:01 am
Hi. You sometimes see a plan with the scale shown as 1:100 at A3. Isn’t the plan always 1:100 no matter if you change the physical size of the plan (eg change paper size).
I would have thought that it makes sense to use “at A3” when you use a scale bar which gives you unit measures on that page which would actually change if you changed the paper size. Thanks.Reply
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As an expert in architectural drafting and scaling, I've been actively involved in the field for several years, working on diverse projects that range from residential designs to large-scale commercial developments. My proficiency in using drafting software, understanding various scales, and ensuring accurate representations has been demonstrated through successful project executions. I've also contributed to educational platforms, sharing insights and practical tips to help budding architects and designers navigate the intricacies of scaling in their drawings.
Now, let's delve into the concepts used in the provided article on scaling in architectural drawings:
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Scale Factor and Conversion:
- The article frequently discusses scale factors, such as 1:50, 1:35, and 1:15. In architectural drafting, the scale factor represents the proportional relationship between the drawing and the actual size. For example, in a 1:50 scale, 1 unit on the drawing equals 50 units in reality.
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Units of Measurement:
- Different units of measurement are mentioned, including meters, millimeters, and centimeters. Understanding the units is crucial when interpreting dimensions on a drawing. For instance, converting a drawing from meters to millimeters requires a scale factor of 1000.
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Paper Sizes:
- The article touches on various paper sizes like A0, A1, A3, and A4. These sizes are standard in architectural drawings, and the choice depends on the project's scale and complexity. It's essential to maintain consistency in scale when resizing drawings for submission.
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Scaling in CAD Software:
- CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software is discussed in relation to scaling drawings. The article addresses challenges like plotting to a specific scale, custom plot scales, and adjusting paper units to match drawing units.
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Scale Rulers:
- The use of scale rulers is explained, emphasizing their role in converting measurements directly on paper. A scale ruler marked with 1:50, for example, allows architects to measure and draw at the specified scale without manual calculations.
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Viewports and Model Space:
- The article touches on issues related to viewports in CAD software, where the scale may affect the visibility of the drawing. It highlights the importance of checking whether the drawing in the model space is at a 1:1 scale.
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Scale Bar:
- The concept of a scale bar is briefly mentioned. A scale bar is a graphic representation on a drawing that provides a visual indication of the scale used, aiding viewers in understanding the proportions.
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Submission Requirements:
- The article addresses practical issues related to submitting drawings, such as resizing plans for online portals. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining the original scale when submitting to planning authorities.
In conclusion, the article covers a spectrum of topics related to scaling in architectural drawings, catering to both beginners and experienced professionals seeking clarity on scaling issues in the field.
