Common Drawing Scales

Architect’s Scale (SI)

Drawing Scale Common Use
1:1 Mockups / Samples / Small details
1:2 Construction details
1:5 Construction details
1:10 Construction details / Wall sections
1:20 Building sections
1:50 Building sections / Floor plans / Elevations
1:100 Floor plans / Elevations
1:200 Floor plans / Elevations / Site plans
1:500 Site plans
1:1000 Area plans

Architect’s Scale (Imperial)

Drawing Scale Ratio Common Use
Full scale 1:1 Mockups / Samples / Small details
3″=1′-0″ 1:4 Small details
1 1⁄2″=1′-0″ 1:8 Small details
1″=1′-0″ 1:12 Small details / Construction details
​“3⁄4″=1′-0″” 1:16 Construction details / Wall sections
​“1⁄2″=1′-0″” 1:24 Building sections
3⁄8″=1′-0″ 1:32 Wall sections / Building sections
1⁄4″=1′-0″ 1:48 Building sections / Floor plans / Elevations
​“3⁄16″=1′-0″” 1:64 Floor plans / Elevations
​“1⁄8″=1′-0″” 1:96 Floor plans / Elevations / Site plans
​“3⁄32″=1′0″” 1:128  
​“1⁄16″=1′-0″” 1:192 Site plan

Engineer’s scale (Imperial)

Drawing Scale Ratio Common Use
1″=10′-0″ 1:120 Details
1″=20′-0″ 1:240 Details / Working plans
1″=30′-0″ 1:360 Working plans
1″=40′-0″ 1:480 Working plans
1″=50′-0″ 1:600 Working plans
1″=60′-0″ 1:720 Working plans
1″=100′-0″ 1:1200 Area plans