Explore the standard paper sizes typically used in architecture, engineering, or construction offices and learn how they are employed for different tasks. Understand the relationship and functions of common paper sizes including 8.5 x 11, 11 x 17, 22 x 34, and 30 x 42 inches.
Key Insights
- While there are several paper sizes available, four standard sizes are predominantly used in architecture, engineering, or construction offices. These include the 8.5 x 11 inches, 11 x 17 inches, 22 x 34 inches, and 30 x 42 inches.
- The 8.5 x 11 inches paper is often used for word processing documents, faxes, and correspondence. The 11 x 17 inches paper, also known as tabloid or laser size, is ideal for small print jobs, while 22 x 34 inches, or ANSI-D sheets, are commonly used for architectural plans.
- The 30 x 42 inches, also known as an architectural E1 sheet, is the largest size and typically used for larger projects. The choice of paper size offers a scalable and functional solution, allowing for efficient use of paper when creating and printing various documents.
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In reality, there are four standard paper sizes that we use in an architecture, engineering or construction office. That would be 8.5 X 11 inches paper. We use it for Microsoft Word-type documents, for faxes, yes, people still do a lot of faxes, and also for notes and correspondence.
So, 8.5 X 11. We will use 11 X 17 for many small print jobs. I think we all know that almost all the printers we buy today are 11 X 17, so they can be called tabloid or laser.
We just call it 11 X 17. Then, we have 8.5 X 11. 11 X 17.
22 X 34 and 30 X 42. What happens is that most of the architectural plans that people take out for projects these days are 22 X 34. You can draw your plans on these ANSI-D sheets or 22 X 34 at the appropriate scale, as half an inch is equivalent to a foot.
What I can do is take this 22 X 34 and I can print it in half at 11 X 17. This allows me to make a verification set, which is a smaller representation of the drawings using 11 X 17 paper, which was legally scaled on the 22 X 34 sheet, but allows me to make my red line mark on a set of projects without having to waste a lot of paper. So, that's 8.5 X 11.
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11 X 17 and 22 X 34. Then, another sheet that is very common is 30 X 42, this is an architectural E1 sheet. These would be the largest sheets of paper used for larger projects.
If we look at the relationship, we have a sheet of paper of 8.5 X 11. So, 8.5 X 11 is essentially half the size of an 11 X 17. If I have my ANSI-D, I can get 1,2, 3,4, 11 X 17 in the area of ••a 22 X 34.
But, again, the most common sizes we use are 8.5 X 11,11 X 17,22 X 34, and 30 X 42. A long time ago, many people used the standard size of 24 X 36 inches. But now that people use 11 X 17-inch printers, many people make their drawings in 22 X 34 inches, and print a Z in half on an 11 X 17 sheet, this is scalable and very functional.
