Plot Scales vs.
Drawing Limits
In the table below, are several common “Plot Scales” and “Drawing
“Limits” listed, for the most commonly used architectural sheet sizes. To use the
table, you must know the scale at which you would like to plot your drawing, and
the size of paper on which your drawing will be plotted. The cell, on which the
sheet size and the plot scale intersect, will contain the numeric values to be used
as your drawing limits.
ARCHITECTURAL SHEET SIZES
PLOT SCALE A-SIZE B-SIZE C-SIZE D-SIZE E-SIZE
FULL SIZE 8 1/2 X 11 17 X 11 24 X 18 36 X 24 42 X 30
HALF SIZE 17 X 22 34 X 22 48 X 36 72 X 48 84 X 60
3" = 1'-0" 2'-10" X 3'-8" 5'-8 X 3'-8" 8'-0" X 6'-0" 12'-0" X 8'-0" 14'-0" X 10'-0"
1-1/2" = 1'-0" 5'-8" X 7'-4" 11'-4" X 7'-4" 16'-0" 12'-0" 24'-0" X 16'-0" 28'-0" X 20'-0"
1" = 1'-0" 8'-6" X 11'-0" 17'-0" X 11'-0" 24'-0" X 18'-0" 36'-0" X 24'-0" 42'-0" X 30'-0"
3/4" = 1'-0" 11'-4" X 14'-8" 22'-8" X 14'-8" 32'-0" X 24'-0" 48'-0" X 32'-0" 56'-0" X 40'-0"
1/2" = 1'-0" 17'-0" X 22'-0" 34'-0" X 22'-0" 48'-0" X 36'-0" 72'-0" X 48'-0" 84'-0" X 60'-0"
3/8" = 1'-0" 22'-8" X 29'-4" 45'-4" X 29'-4" 64'-0" X 48'-0" 96'-0" X 64'-0" 112'-0" X 80'-0"
1/4" = 1'-0" 34'-0" X 44'-0" 68'-0" X 44'-0" 96'-0" X 72'-0" 144'-0" X 96'-0" 168'-0" X 120'-0"
3/16" = 1'-0" 45'-4" X 58'-8" 90'-8" X 58'-8" 128'-0" X 96'-0" 192'-0" X 128'-0" 224'-0" X 160'-0"
1/8" = 1'-0" 68'-0" X 88'-0" 136'-0" X 88'-0" 192'-0" X 144'-0" 288'-0" X 192'-0" 336'-0" X 240'-0"
3/32" = 1'-0" 90'-8" X 117'-4" 181'-4" X 117'-4" 256'-0" X 192'-0" 384'-0" X 256'-0" 448'-0" X 320'-0"
1/16" = 1'-0" 136'-0" X 176'-0" 272'-0" X 176'-0" 384'-0" X 288'-0" 576'-0" X 384'-0" 672'-0" X 480'-0"
1" = 10' 85' X 110' 170' X 110' 240' X 180' 360' X 240' 420' X 300'
1" = 20' 170' X 220' 340' X 220' 480' X 360' 720' X 480' 840' X 600'
1" = 25' 212.5' X 275' 425' X 275' 600' X 450' 900' X 600' 1050' X 750'
1" = 30' 255' X 330' 510' X 330' 720' X 540' 1080' X 720' 1260' X 900'
1" = 40' 340' X 440' 680' X 440' 960' X 720' 1440' X 960' 1680' X 1200'
1" = 50' 425' X 550' 850' X 550' 1200' X 900' 1800' X 1200' 2100' X 1500'
1" = 60' 510' X 660' 1020' X 660' 1440' X 1080' 2160' X 1440' 2520' X 1800'
1" = 100' 850' X 1100' 1700' X 1100' 2400' X 1800' 3600' X 2400' 4200' X 3000'
Text Heights in CAD Drawings
The following table lists the text heights to be used in your CAD drawings,
at the most commonly used plot scales. To use the table, you must know the
scale at which your drawing will be plotted, and the height you want your text to
be on the plotted drawing.
PLOTTED TEXT HEIGHTS
PLOT SCALE 1/16" 3/32" 1/8" 3/16" 1/4"
FULL SIZE 0.0625" 0.09375" 0.125" 0.1875" 0.25"
HALF SIZE 0.125" 0.1875" 0.25" 0.375" 0.5"
3" = 1'-0" 0.25" 0.375" 0.5" 0.75" 1"
1-1/2" = 1'-0" 0.5" 0.75" 1" 1.5" 2"
1" = 1'-0" .75" 1.125" 1.5" 2.25" 3"
3/4" = 1'-0" 1" 1.5" 2" 3" 4"
1/2" = 1'-0" 1.5" 2.25" 3" 4.5" 6"
3/8" = 1'-0" 2" 3" 4" 6" 8"
1/4" = 1'-0" 3" 4.5" 6" 9" 12"
3/16" = 1'-0" 4" 6" 8" 12" 16"
1/8" = 1'-0" 6" 9" 12" 18" 24"
3/32" = 1'-0" 8" 12" 16" 24" 32"
1/16" = 1'-0" 12" 18" 24" 36" 48"
1" = 10' .625' .9375' 1.25' 1.875' 2.5'
1" = 20' 1.25' 1.875' 2.5' 3.75' 5'
1" = 25' 1.5625' 2.344' 3.125' 4.6875' 6.25'
1" = 30' 1.875' 2.8125' 3.75' 5.625' 7.5'
1" = 40' 2.5' 3.75' 5' 7.5' 10'
1" = 50' 3.125' 4.6875' 6.25' 9.375' 12.5'
1" = 60' 3.75' 5.625' 7.5' 11.25' 15'
1" = 100' 6.25' 9.375' 12.5' 18.75' 25'
