Everything you need to know about A0 and A1 paper printing
A0 and A1 are the working sheet sizes of architecture and engineering. Drawings produced and shared at these sizes have specific paper, ink and storage requirements that office paper handling rarely covers. The first time a practice prints at A0, the differences from A4 surface immediately.
The dimensions and what they mean
| Size | Dimensions | Imperial | Relation |
|---|---|---|---|
| A0 | 841 × 1189 mm | 33.1 × 46.8 in | 1 m² area exactly |
| A1 | 594 × 841 mm | 23.4 × 33.1 in | Half A0 |
| A2 | 420 × 594 mm | 16.5 × 23.4 in | Quarter A0, half A1 |
| A3 | 297 × 420 mm | 11.7 × 16.5 in | Eighth of A0, half A2 |
The aspect ratio holds across all A series sizes: the ratio of long edge to short edge equals the square root of two, approximately 1.414. This means any A series page enlarged or reduced to the next size up or down keeps the same proportions, with no awkward edge cropping. The system was designed by Walter Porstmann in 1922 and adopted as the German DIN 476 standard, then as ISO 216 in 1975.
Paper weights for A0 and A1
A0 and A1 prints use specific paper weights depending on the application. Standard architecture and engineering work runs on bond paper at 80 to 90 gsm, the same as office A4 but in larger formats. Premium presentation work uses 90 to 120 gsm coated paper for sharper colour reproduction. Specialised drawing work uses tracing paper at 70 to 90 gsm for overlay work and translucent presentation.
| Use | Paper type | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Standard line drawings, blueprints | Bond paper, white | 80 to 90 gsm |
| Coloured renderings, presentations | Coated matte or satin | 90 to 120 gsm |
| Photo realistic renderings | Premium photo paper | 200 to 260 gsm |
| Overlay and tracing work | Tracing paper | 70 to 90 gsm |
| Outdoor signage, durability | Synthetic polyester | 120 to 180 gsm |
Why A0 paper weighs so much more than A4
An A0 sheet at 80 gsm weighs around 80 grams. An A4 at the same weight weighs 5 grams. The 16× weight difference reflects the 16× area difference. A 500 sheet ream of A0 bond paper weighs 40 kg; the same ream count at A4 weighs 2.5 kg.
Storage and handling at A0 scale brings practical implications. Floor storage of large paper stocks needs reinforced shelving. Manual handling guidelines apply to ream movement. Roll based supply (single roll of 50 m at 80 gsm weighs around 4 kg) is far more practical for high volume operations.
Roll versus sheet supply
A0 and A1 paper supplies come in two formats. Cut sheets in reams of 100 or 250 pieces suit low volume use and devices without roll feeders. Continuous rolls in widths matching the device (typically 24, 36, or 44 inch) suit higher volume use and any device with roll feed capability.
Cut sheet pros
No print length waste at the end of jobs. Easier to store partial stocks. Compatible with devices that lack roll handling. Can mix paper types in a single print queue.
Roll pros
Lower cost per square metre (typically 30 to 50% less). No reload during long runs. Better paper flatness because the roll has been stored under tension. Suits production volume.
Storage and humidity
A0 and A1 paper performs best when stored in stable environmental conditions. Temperature between 18 and 25 degrees C and humidity between 30 and 70% prevents the paper from warping or absorbing moisture that affects feed reliability and ink behaviour. Bond paper in sealed packaging holds these conditions; rolls and open reams should be stored in a dedicated paper cupboard rather than on open shelving in air conditioned spaces.
Cost per A0 and A1 print
Cost per print at A0 and A1 sizes depends on ink coverage, paper choice and device tier. Typical mid market architecture practice running an HP DesignJet T1700 or Canon TX-3100 on 90 gsm bond paper sees:
| Print type | A1 cost | A0 cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mono line drawing | €0.55 to €0.85 | €1.10 to €1.70 |
| Colour line drawing with shading | €0.90 to €1.40 | €1.80 to €2.80 |
| Full colour rendering | €1.80 to €3.50 | €3.60 to €7.00 |
| Coated paper rendering | €2.50 to €5.00 | €5.00 to €10.00 |
Folding and binding for A0 and A1 drawings
Large format drawings need folding for filing and transport. Two folding standards apply in Europe.
DIN 824 standard
The German standard for folding architectural drawings produces an A4 sized package with a binding tab. A0 folds to A4 plus a 20 mm binding strip; A1 folds to A4 with the title block visible. Most architectural file folders accept DIN 824 folded drawings.
Roll storage
For drawings that will be reopened repeatedly, roll storage in document tubes preserves the paper without fold creases. A2 cardboard tubes (52 mm diameter) accommodate A0 rolled with a few cm clearance.
Distribution and transport
A0 and A1 drawings are too large for most courier envelopes. Three transport options work. Folded to A4 according to DIN 824, drawings fit in standard A4 mailers and large envelopes. Rolled into document tubes, they travel as a parcel item with most couriers. Digitally as PDF for projects where signed paper originals are not required, eliminating transport entirely.
Long term archival
Architectural drawings often need to be kept for the life of the building plus a statutory period (typically 10 years after project completion in Spain, longer for public buildings). Two archival approaches work. Physical filing of drawings folded to DIN 824 in archive boxes provides direct access for hundreds of years if paper is acid free. Digital archival of scanned drawings as PDF/A preserves the data indefinitely and reduces physical storage cost; this is now the default for most modern practices.