You can then draw the line to the desired measurement using the scale ruler. When you are drawing a plan, you select the scale you intend to use by turn the ruler to the appropriate side. Using a scale rule is pretty easy when you know how. Scale rules have varying number of scales on them, depending on their intended use. The scale ruler comes in different shapes, flat or triangular but they all provide sets of graduated numbered spaces, that establishes a proportion of one unit to the specified unit, i.e. It is always best to use a ’round’ scale, i.e., one of the scales mentioned below, and not make up your own.Ī scale ruler is a tool that architects, engineers and designers use to draw their designs at an appropriate scale that it fits on a piece of paper and is in proportion to accurately convey the scheme. As a student, you need to make these decisions based on industry standard. For example, they may only use layout sheets of either A3 or A1 – depending on the scale of the project and information that is being represented. If you are working in practice there will often be office standards. The general requirement of a scaled drawing is to convey the relevant information clearly with the required level of detail. These scale bars show what one unit represents at different scales. Once you gain an understanding of scales, it is easy to understand which scale is most suited to which type of drawing. For example, it is common practice to produce floor plans at a scale of 1:100 (dependent on size of project and paper).

In architecture, we use a collection of standard scales to represent our designs. Working with scales for architectural representation You may want to represent a site plan at a scale of 1:500, but perhaps show floor plans at 1:100 for example. The image above shows an example of a drawing set with different scales to demonstrate different aspects of the design. Similarly, if a drawing is in mm, at 1:200 – one mm unit in the drawing will represent 200mm in real life. So, if a drawing is at 1:50 in cm, 1cm in the drawing will be equal to 50cm in real life. It is worth noting that scale drawings represent the same units. A drawing of 1:200 is representing 200 units for every one unit – and therefore is showing the elements smaller than the 1:50 drawing. This is because in a drawing at 1:50 there is 1 unit for every 50 unit in real life. 1:50 – 1:200, the elements in the drawing actually get smaller. You could also say, 1 unit in the drawing is equal to 10 units in real life.Īs the numbers in the scale get bigger, i.e. A drawing at a scale of 1:10 means that the object is 10 times smaller than in real life scale 1:1. In the real world, one meter is equal to one meter. As we gain a better understanding of scale, we can view a drawing in a particular scale and instantly recognise and understand the spaces, zones and gain a quick understanding of the existing or proposed spatial relationships. If something is ‘drawn to scale’ we expect that it has been drawn, or printed, to a common scale that is used as standard in the construction industry. When a drawing is described as ‘to scale’, it means that each element in that drawing is in the same proportion, related to the real or proposed thing – it is smaller or indeed larger by a particular percentage. Scale drawings allow us to accurately represent sites, spaces, buildings and details to a smaller or more practical size than the original. Follow First In Architecture on Pinterest!.Plan drawings – floor plans, elevations, sections.Working with scales for architectural representation.Understanding the concept of architectural scales and scale drawings.

Revit print to scale