# Printing to scale to use as a template **URL:** \ **Category:** SketchUp\ **Created:** [February 18, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619 "2016-02-18T00:01:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 2:28am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/21 "2016-02-19T02:28:41Z")
> [@jesse\_s](#): > > What seemed to help me was to do a zoom extents after setting parallel projection, then doing the print dialog. I wouldn’t do those things in any other order than that. ---
**Author:** ![slbaumgartner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/slbaumgartner/32/7302_2.png) [@slbaumgartner](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/slbaumgartner)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 2:35am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/22 "2016-02-19T02:35:33Z")
> [@AllenJ](#): > > I then zoomed out the screen image. Using exactly the same settings.You will note it now says 2 pages required. Why? Because it is printing an image of the screen contents, including whitespace, which due to the new zoom will not fit onto one sheet of paper. ---
**Author:** ![jesse\_s](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/jesse_s/32/10148_2.png) [@jesse\_s](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/jesse_s)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 2:35am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/23 "2016-02-19T02:35:34Z")
@DaveR, I totally agree. For a person that never printed from SU (which includes me, even though I’ve used it for years, I just print with LO), it may not be so intuitive because if you press the view button or use a shortcut for a front or side view, it looks orthogonal already if the model is simple, like the one we’re looking at here. So I can see how the problem might only present itself to an inexperienced one, like myself. @slbaumgartner, ultimately, if I set the scale, then the view, then parallel projection, then zoom extents, I didn’t need to set the window to match the paper layout. ---
**Author:** ![slbaumgartner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/slbaumgartner/32/7302_2.png) [@slbaumgartner](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/slbaumgartner)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/24 "2016-02-19T02:38:27Z")
> [@jesse\_s](#): > > @slbaumgartner, ultimately, if I set the scale, then the view, then parallel projection, then zoom extents, I didn’t need to set the window to match the paper layout. The key factor there is that you used zoom extents so there is no spurious whitespace around the contents. If as-scaled, the model needs 8 inches to print and you zoom so that there is excess whitespace around the model, the scaled print of the view will need more than 8 inches because it includes that whitespace. ---
**Author:** ![slbaumgartner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/slbaumgartner/32/7302_2.png) [@slbaumgartner](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/slbaumgartner)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 3:13am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/25 "2016-02-19T03:13:41Z")
To elaborate a bit more, here is my understanding of what SketchUp does to create a user-scaled print: 1. It calculates the length and width in paper space corresponding to the **viewport** based on the specified scale and the **size of the model as displayed in that viewport.**. In other words, if your model is 10 inches wide and it covers 1000 pixels on the viewport, then at a 1:1 print scale, 100 pixels = 1 inch. If the viewport itself is 1200 pixels wide, then print will cover 12 inches in paper space. Viewport pixels are square, so the height vs width of the model itself doesn’t change this calculation. To say that yet another way, SketchUp is printing an image of the viewport, not an image of the model per-se. **Whitespace matters in calculating the required paper space to print the viewport.** 2. It determines the number of sheets required to cover the paper space length and width calculated in step 1, given the selected size and orientation of the paper and allowing for margins. If more than one sheet is required, it tries to center the printout on the full set of sheets, which will cause it to seemingly waste a lot of paper, especially if the model wasn’t zoomed in or was off-center in the viewport. 3. It pads the viewport image with white space as necessary so that it completely fills those pages and then generates the print. ---
**Author:** ![jimhami42](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/jimhami42/32/1781_2.png) [@jimhami42](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/jimhami42)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/26 "2016-02-19T03:22:27Z")
> [@DanRathbun](#): > > Jim, if you check the “Use model extents” box in the “Print” dialog, … do you still have to resize the SketchUp application window? No matter what settings I use, I get the same results, unless I frame the window to eliminate the whitespace … @slbaumgartner explains it better than I did. ---
**Author:** ![jesse\_s](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/jesse_s/32/10148_2.png) [@jesse\_s](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/jesse_s)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 3:26am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/27 "2016-02-19T03:26:31Z")
All I can say is thankfully there is LayOut, for all our predictable printing needs! ---
**Author:** ![DanRathbun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/danrathbun/32/500_2.png) [@DanRathbun](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DanRathbun)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 5:20pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/28 "2016-02-19T17:20:10Z")
> [@jimhami42](#): > > > [@DanRathbun](#): > > > > Jim, if you check the “Use model extents” box in the “Print” dialog, … do you still have to resize the SketchUp application window? > > No matter what settings I use, I get the same results, unless I frame the window to eliminate the whitespace … @slbaumgartner explains it better than I did. @Tommy: There is nothing that explains what “ **Use model extents** ” does or does not do on this pages: [http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/3000154](http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/3000154) - PC [http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/3000151](http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/3000151) - Mac If it is obsolete, perhaps a note on the PC help page at least ? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/rick/32/8489_2.png) [@Rick](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 6:19pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/29 "2016-02-19T18:19:40Z")
I’m interested in printing to scale as well (from Sketchup). Would it clear a lot of stuff up if there is an official tutorial and how to print to scale? At least for Lay-Out or is it not even necessary because it’s easy to print from Lay Out? ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/30 "2016-02-19T18:23:19Z")
Rick, it’s pretty easy to print to scale from LayOut. Create a scene in SketchUp with camera set to Parallel Projection and a standard view (Top, Front, etc.) Then use that scene in LO and set it to the desired scale in the SketchUp inspector window. For those who have LayOut, there’s really no point printing scaled drawings directly from SketchUp. If you want I’ll send you a link or two to tutorials I’ve done in the past about printing patterns for templates. ---
**Author:** ![mac7595](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/mac7595/32/650_2.png) [@mac7595](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/mac7595)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 6:45pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/31 "2016-02-19T18:45:13Z")
Cannot address Layout but the reason the tiled print appears the way it does Su does not have a centering algorithm like some other programs. The SU print set up gives the info you need if you want to print using say like Gimp; to copy image there, scale and then make sure you select the centering option. Pay attention to what SU is telling what the print size is which is the screen not the model precise. Su takes the model size, knows what the screen and printer properties are ,uses that to determine what size so reason you need to make sure you need to try match what you print to screen. Su allocates tool bar margins etc also. Sorry: Steve did not scroll up far enough to see you fine explanation.😢 ---
**Author:** ![Anssi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/anssi/32/105_2.png) [@Anssi](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Anssi)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 7:37pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/32 "2016-02-19T19:37:22Z")
The “Use model extents” checkbox on the Print dialog works, for some obscure reason, only with models larger than about a foot/300 mm across. Anssi ---
**Author:** ![jimhami42](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/jimhami42/32/1781_2.png) [@jimhami42](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/jimhami42)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 1:44am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/33 "2016-02-20T01:44:33Z")
> [@DanRathbun](#): > > There is nothing that explains what “Use model extents” does or does not do on this pages BTW, I found this explanation in the SketchUp 6 guide: _ **Use Model Extents:** The Use Model Extents option is used to print only the model as_ _viewed using the Zoom Extents Tool. This option might discard any surrounding_ _empty background._ ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/rick/32/8489_2.png) [@Rick](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 3:02am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/34 "2016-02-20T03:02:01Z")
Thank you Dave. I will try it soon. ---
**Author:** ![Tommy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/tommy/32/22258_2.png) [@Tommy](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Tommy)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 12:17am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/35 "2016-02-23T00:17:49Z")
> [@DanRathbun](#): > > There is nothing that explains what “Use model extents” does or does not do on this pages: I took a look in our bug database and found that this is a known issue. Specifically, the ‘Use model extents’ button does not work correctly when the view is zoomed in close to the model. The view stays the same in the print preview window if the current view is inside the model extents. Eng-wise, we need to look closer at the issue, but I can update the article to note this quirk. ---
**Author:** ![gregnier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e79b87/32.png) [@gregnier](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/gregnier)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 3:09am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/36 "2016-02-25T03:09:44Z")
You have a printer scale adjustment problem. I use a utility called “BigPrint”. This utility puts a grid on the drawings that allows you to precisely adjust the printer so that X and Y measurements are exactly to scale. [http://woodgears](http://woodgears),ca This should solve your problems. ---
**Author:** ![AllenJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/77aa72/32.png) [@AllenJ](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/AllenJ)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/37 "2016-02-26T00:58:25Z")
Thanks, but I’m working on a Mac. ---
**Author:** ![hikerider](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/hikerider/32/15431_2.png) [@hikerider](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/hikerider)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/38 "2016-02-27T15:59:12Z")
I am a near-novice and suffered thru this problem. I watched 3 tutorials, one being the Sketchup Knowledge base. Only one got it right. That was Design Student Savvy. I suggest you watch their youtube video or get it on their website. I believe jesse\_s provided the key piece when he noted the “tabbing out” step. It is non-intuitive and easy to miss. Try Design Student Savvy, tutorial titled “Print a Floor Plan to Scale from SketchUp”. It worked on my Mac. ---
**Author:** ![childofpluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@childofpluto](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/childofpluto)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619/39 "2016-08-23T20:01:48Z")
What jimhami42 said! It solved my problem! THAT!! Thank you! I never comment, but I’ve created an account just to write this! I’ve been trying to print a template that I knew would fit onto a letter-size page. For some reason **Page size** and **Scale** in Print Preview dialog are linked; every time I would set the paper to 11"x8.5" (printing in landscape) it would mess up the scale. At the next step in the preview window it would only use half the page, leaving huge margin on one side (on the left for page 1 and on the right for page 2); the parts that would print were the right size at least. Following your advice I minimized the window and played around with it’s size until the dimensions in the page size of preview dialog matched the letter size. IT WORKED!!! Thanks so much!! [Previous page](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/printing-to-scale-to-use-as-a-template/20619.md?page=1)