What Is Architectural Scale?
Architectural scale is the ratio between the size of a drawing and the actual size of the building. For example, 1/4" = 1'-0" means every quarter inch on paper represents one foot in real life.
Common Scales
- 1/4" = 1'-0" (1:48) — Floor plans
- 1/8" = 1'-0" (1:96) — Large buildings
- 1/2" = 1'-0" (1:24) — Details
- 1" = 1'-0" (1:12) — Millwork details
- 3" = 1'-0" (1:4) — Fine details
Metric Scales
- 1:100 — Floor plans
- 1:50 — Detailed floor plans
- 1:20 — Section details
- 1:5 — Construction details