Which grid to choose
- 1 mm graph paper (template "Graph paper, 1 mm grid"). Use it for engineering drawings, scale plans, physics graphs and anything you want to measure straight off the page.
- 1/4 inch graph paper (template "Graph paper, 1/4 inch grid"). This is the US classroom standard for maths, floor plans at 1/4" = 1 ft, quilting layouts and pixel art.
Because the grid is true to size, it doubles as a 2D ruler. A floor plan drawn at 1 square = 1 foot on the 1/4" grid becomes a 1:48 scale drawing.
- Pick the template and your paper size above. Letter is the US and Canada standard; most other countries use A4.
- Press Print, or Save PDF if you are printing from a phone or another computer.
- In the print window set Scale to 100% (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) or Actual size (Adobe Reader, macOS Preview). Turn off "Fit to page" and "Shrink oversized pages".
- Before cutting, lay a real ruler or a bank card on the scale-check bars. The 5 cm bar must be 5 cm and the 2 in bar 2 in.
Scale drawing quick reference
| Grid | Common scale | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mm | 1:100 | 1 mm on paper = 10 cm in reality, 1 cm = 1 m |
| 1 mm | 1:50 | 1 cm on paper = 50 cm in reality |
| 1/4 inch | 1/4" = 1' | Each square is one foot (1:48) |
| 1/4 inch | 1/8" = 1' | Each square is two feet (1:96) |
Frequently asked questions
Why are the 1 mm lines so light?
So that the 5 mm and 1 cm lines stand out and your own drawing stays readable. Choose the "Blue technical" style for classic blue engineering paper.
My printout is slightly too small. What went wrong?
Almost always the print window was set to "Fit to page", "Fit to printable area" or "Shrink oversized pages", which shrinks the page by 3–6%. Print again with Scale 100% or Actual size. See how to print at actual size for every browser.
Last reviewed 2026-10-07.