Wide-format paper prints of architectural drawings and construction blueprints are still useful even when robust software programs are used to share and preview designs online.

Here are five good reasons to consider printing blueprints and architectural drawings.

1. Digital Files May Be Unreadable  

Not everyone who needs to know about how the building will be constructed will have access to the CAD software and file formats used to digitally create the design files. Some building owners, investors, legal teams, or building inspectors may not be able to open the design files.   

Plus, properly stored prints remain tangible and readable, even after advancements in computer-based drawing and modeling technologies render current software obsolete.

And if digitally stored drawings are destroyed in a cyber-attack, archived paper documents can be re-scanned into the newest file formats.  

To help minimize the risk of losing documents to calamities such as fires or floods, keep some copies of the prints at other locations.    

2. Information Must be Shared at Job Site  

Hard copy prints are essential on sites where it’s difficult to set up a large screen on which everyone can view all the details of the designs. Having one set of prints on-site ensures that everyone on the team is viewing the latest, owner-approved version.   

Printed construction documents with specific details highlighted in color can more effectively communicate modifications to fast-tracked design-bid-build projects. 

3. Complex Documents and Drawings Must Be Proofread

Printed copies of a drawing are often easier to thoroughly proofread – especially if you have already spent most of the day staring at your computer. When you print out sets of drawings, you can verify that the formatting is correct and details are accurate.   

4. Preserving Your Firm’s Reputation and Legacy Matters

The records retention policy differs within every company, but it basically boils down to these questions: “What do you want to preserve? And for whom do you want to preserve your work?”  

Most firms keep records to protect themselves from legal liability if problems crop up after the project is completed.

Some firms want to preserve lasting legacies of the firm’s accomplishments and contributions to the community – even after the building has been torn down at some point in the future. 

You can turn over archives of printed drawings to libraries that consider architectural documents as a key part of cultural heritage collections.   

5. Clients Appreciate a Tangible Memento

A well-produced, signed hard-copy print of an architectural rendering reminds clients that architecture is an art. A framed gift print of the rendering on archival fine-art paper can be a lasting memento of the building project.  

If the client displays the print in an office or home, visitors may ask: “Who did this design work?”  

Freedom Paper Offers Varieties of Wide-Format Papers

Freedom Paper sells wide-format rolls of

• Uncoated and coated CAD papers for printing inexpensive drafts
• Inkjet vellum for archive copies
• Clear films for overlays
• Adhesive-backed photo papers for visual presentations

We also sell Canon imagePROGRAF printers for technical and general office applications.

Call us at 866-310-3335 or chat with us online. We will be happy to suggest the perfect papers for the print project you have in mind.