How to draw to scale online
In CAD you do not shrink anything while you draw. You draw at real size — a 4-metre wall is 4000mm — and choose a scale such as 1:50 only when you print. This guide shows how that works in BenCAD.
START DRAWING — FREEReal size first, scale later
On paper you divide every measurement by 50 or 100 as you draw. In CAD the computer does that for you at the end. Draw everything at its real size, and the drawing can be printed at any scale without redrawing it.
Step 1: set what a grid square means
In the side menu, under Scale, set 1 grid = how many millimetres one grid square stands for. 100mm suits a room; 500mm suits a whole house. This only changes how the grid reads — lengths are always real millimetres. See units and scale.
Step 2: draw at real lengths
Draw with lines and rectangles. Lengths show in millimetres as you drag. For an exact length, use resize and type it in. Snapping keeps corners exact.
Step 3: dimension it
Add dimensions so anyone reading the drawing has the numbers, not just the picture. Dimensions are the true measurement whatever scale you print at.
Step 4: print at a scale
Open the print-ready sheet, pick A4, A3 or A2 and a scale. At 1:50, 1 metre measures 20mm on paper; at 1:100 it measures 10mm. BenCAD adds a scale bar, and the PDF is the exact paper size.
Which scale should I use?
| Drawing | Common scale |
|---|---|
| Room layout, kitchen, bathroom | 1:20 or 1:50 |
| Floor plan of a house | 1:50 or 1:100 |
| Site plan | 1:200 or 1:500 |
| Location plan | 1:1250 or 1:2500 |
| Small part or detail | 1:5 or 1:10 |
Check it with a ruler
Print at 100% or "actual size", never "fit to page". Then measure a known length with a ruler: a 4000mm wall at 1:50 should measure 80mm. The scale bar on the sheet is a quick check too.
Questions
What does 1:50 mean?
One unit on paper equals 50 of the same unit in real life. 1mm on the drawing is 50mm in reality, so a 4-metre wall is 80mm long on paper.
Can I change the scale after drawing?
Yes. Because you draw at real size, you can print the same drawing at 1:50 today and 1:100 tomorrow.
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