Miniature Dollhouse Printables

How to Calculate Percentages for Correct Printouts

Many times when we print a miniature dollhouse printable's download our printouts are just a little off. They're either too large or too small. Printers are different and use different methods to translate a computer image into a printed image. We sometimes have to make adjustments to the percentage that the printer is printing the image at so we can enlarge/reduce our miniatures dollhouse printable's.

My miniature dollhouse printables, including the miniature lumber cut sheets, have a 1" reference square on the sheet somewhere. You will measure this 1" square to insure that your printer is printing to the same dimensions that I created the original to.

At the bottom of this page I have notes on how to calculate any percentage along with instructions on where to find a calculator on a computer using MS Windows.

You may want to refer to the conversion chart on my Miniatures Scale Calculator page to change fractions into decimals, as we use decimals for our percentage calculations. Click here to open chart in a new window

If you are using metric dimensions then follow the metric instructions (page down) as fractions are not necessary for your calculations.

For Inches...

If the reference square is less then 1" on your printout, convert the fraction into a decimal and divide 1 by that decimal. Round the results to two decimal places and multiply by 100. The answer, which is greater then 100, is the percentage you enter into the printer set-up to enlarge the image.

• Reference square measures 7/8".
• 7/8" = .875
• 1 divided by .875 = 1.14 (rounded to 2 places).
• 1.14 x 100 = 114%.
• Enter 114 into your printer set-up to enlarge the image and print.

If the reference square is larger then 1" then convert it into a decimal, divide 1 by that number. The answer will be less then 1" so just multiply the resulting number by 100 to find the percentage for size reduction. Enter this number into your printers setup to reduce the image.

• Reference square measures 1 1/8".
• 1 1/8 = 1.125.
• 1 divided by 1.125 = .89 (rounded to 2 places).
• .89 x 100 = 89%.
• Enter 89 into your printer set-up to reduce the image and print.

For Metric...(25.4 mm = 1 inch)

If the measurement is less then 25.4 mm then divide that dimension into 25.4 and multiply by 100 for a result that will be greater then 100 and that is the percentage you enter into your printer set-up for the enlargement of the image.

• Reference square measures 23 mm.
• 25.4 mm divided by 23 = 1.10 (rounded to 2 places).
• 1.10 x 100 = 110%.
• Enter 110 into your printer set-up to enlarge the image and print.

If the measurement is larger then 25.4 mm then divide that dimension into 25.4 and multiply by 100 for a result that will be less then 100. This is the number you enter into your printer set-up to reduce the image and print.

• Reference square measures 29 mm.
• 25.4 mm divided by 29 = .88 (rounded to 2 places).
• .88 x 100 = 88%.
• Enter 88 into your printer set-up to reduce the image and print.

Any Percentage...

Take the measured dimension, divide it into the "dimension it should be", multiply the answer by 100 and the result is the percentage you will enter into your printer's setup to enlarge or reduce an image. In our examples above 1" is the "dimension it should be".

MS Windows Calculator...

If you are using Windows there is a handy little calculator that you can use on your computer.

Click on Start , then All Programs . Locate Accessories , click on it and you will see one of the items listed there as Calculator . Click on it and a small calculator will pop up.

See Screen Shot...

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