How to Send Blueprint Files for Printing

A PDF exported from AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Chief Architect or whatever you draw in keeps the lines sharp at any size. That's the file we want.

A few things that save a phone call:

• One PDF per set, sheets in order. Cover sheet first, then A, S, M, E, P or however your set runs. If you send 30 separate files, name them so they sort in order.
• Embed the fonts. Most programs do this by default. If your notes come out as boxes or odd characters, the fonts weren't embedded.
• Export, don't print to PDF from a viewer. Printing a PDF to another PDF can shrink the page or flatten it to a low-resolution picture.

Image files (TIFF, JPG, PNG) work when that's all you have, like a scan of an old drawing. Scan it at full size and at 300 dpi or higher. A small photo of a big drawing won't print sharp at 24 x 36, no matter what.

This is where most blueprint problems come from, and it's almost always the export, not the printer.

If a 24 x 36 drawing gets saved as an 8.5 x 11 PDF, everything on it has been shrunk. When we blow it back up, it's close but not exact, and "close" doesn't work when someone's measuring off the page with a scale ruler.

How to check your PDF before you send it:

1. Open it in Adobe Reader or any PDF viewer.
2. Go to File, then Properties (or Document Properties).
3. Look at the page size. It should say 24 x 36 in, 22 x 34 in, or whatever your sheet size is.

If it says 8.5 x 11 or 11 x 17 and your drawings are supposed to be bigger, go back to your program and change the paper size in the plot or export settings before you export again.

Two more habits that help. Put a graphic scale bar on each sheet, since it stays correct at any print size. And in your plot settings, turn off "fit to page" or "scale to fit." That setting is the number one reason drawings come out a little off.

If the page size in your file doesn't match the sheet size you asked for, we'll call you before we print instead of guessing.

Not sure what size your drawings are? Check the title block, or open the PDF and look at the page size like we described above.

Half-size sets are easier to carry on a job site and use less paper. The catch is the scale. A drawing that's 1/4" = 1'-0" at full size becomes 1/8" = 1'-0" at half size. If your sheets have a graphic scale bar, it shrinks right along with the drawing and stays accurate.

Tell us "half size" in your email and we'll print it that way. You send the full-size PDF. Don't shrink it yourself.

Most building departments and job sites are fine with black and white, and it keeps thin lines crisp.

One thing to watch: if your drawing has colored lines that are supposed to print black, a color printer will print them in color, and a black and white print can turn light colors into faint gray lines that are hard to read. In your CAD plot settings, pick a monochrome plot style (like monochrome.ctb in AutoCAD) and every line comes out solid black. If you're not sure, tell us what you want and we'll check the file before we run the whole set.

Freehold Township, Freehold Borough, Manalapan, Marlboro and Howell each have their own requirements, and they change. Some want a certain number of paper sets, some want digital, and some want both. Ask before you print so you only make one trip.

If your plans need an architect's or engineer's seal and signature on them, that happens after printing. Leave time for it.

Big sets with lots of sheets, or anything with photos or scans in it, can be too large for email. A share link gets around that. Make sure the link is set so anyone with the link can view and download it, or we won't be able to open it.

You can also bring the files on a thumb drive.

That's everything we need to get started without calling you back with questions.

This is handy for old house plans, a set with handwritten markups you want to keep, or a drawing where nobody has the file anymore.

Timing depends on how many sheets and sets you need and what else is on the printer that day. Email the files in the morning and a small set is usually ready that afternoon, but that's an estimate, not a guarantee. If you're on a deadline, call us at 732-730-5230 and tell us when you need it.

Need the set on a job site or at an office out of town? We can ship it from our counter by FedEx or USPS. Delivery dates are carrier estimates. More on our blueprint printing service.