diff --git a/backend/src/spicebook/engine/schematic.py b/backend/src/spicebook/engine/schematic.py
index 0603bb1..bcf0fb8 100644
--- a/backend/src/spicebook/engine/schematic.py
+++ b/backend/src/spicebook/engine/schematic.py
@@ -990,7 +990,7 @@ def _render_connected(parsed: ParsedNetlist, layout: ActiveLayout) -> str:
     return d.get_imagedata("svg").decode()
 
 
-# ── SVG Annotation ────────────────────────────────────────────
+# ── SVG Post-Processing ───────────────────────────────────────
 
 # Prefixes whose values are numeric/SI-unit and make sense to edit inline
 _EDITABLE_PREFIXES = {"R", "C", "L", "V", "I", "E", "G", "F", "H", "B", "S"}
@@ -998,6 +998,94 @@ _EDITABLE_PREFIXES = {"R", "C", "L", "V", "I", "E", "G", "F", "H", "B", "S"}
 # SVG namespace
 _SVG_NS = "http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
 
+# Graph paper grid constants (fixed spacing like real engineering paper)
+_GRID_MINOR = 10       # minor grid cell size in SVG user units (pt)
+_GRID_MAJOR = 50       # major grid cell = 5× minor
+_GRID_BG = "#f8faf6"   # warm off-white canvas
+_GRID_MINOR_CLR = "#d4e4d4"  # light sage green
+_GRID_MAJOR_CLR = "#b0ccb0"  # medium sage green
+
+
+def _add_graph_paper_bg(svg_str: str, pad: float = 15.0) -> str:
+    """Add Mims-style graph paper background behind schematic content.
+
+    Injects a subtle green grid pattern (minor 10pt, major 50pt) on a
+    warm off-white canvas — evoking Forrest Mims' hand-drawn engineering
+    notebook aesthetic.  Adds *pad* units of margin around the existing
+    viewBox so the paper extends beyond the circuit.
+    """
+    ET.register_namespace("", _SVG_NS)
+    try:
+        root = ET.fromstring(svg_str)
+    except ET.ParseError:
+        logger.warning("Failed to parse SVG for graph paper background")
+        return svg_str
+
+    # ── Determine canvas bounds ──────────────────────────────
+    viewbox = root.get("viewBox")
+    if viewbox:
+        vb_x, vb_y, vb_w, vb_h = (float(v) for v in viewbox.split())
+    else:
+        vb_x, vb_y = 0.0, 0.0
+        vb_w = float(re.sub(r"[a-z]+$", "", root.get("width", "600")))
+        vb_h = float(re.sub(r"[a-z]+$", "", root.get("height", "400")))
+
+    # Expand viewBox by padding for a "drawn on paper" margin
+    vb_x -= pad
+    vb_y -= pad
+    vb_w += 2 * pad
+    vb_h += 2 * pad
+    root.set("viewBox", f"{vb_x} {vb_y} {vb_w} {vb_h}")
+
+    # ── Build <defs> with nested grid patterns ───────────────
+    ns = f"{{{_SVG_NS}}}"
+    defs = ET.Element(f"{ns}defs")
+
+    # Minor grid: thin sage lines every 10 units
+    minor_pat = ET.SubElement(defs, f"{ns}pattern", {
+        "id": "sb-grid-minor",
+        "width": str(_GRID_MINOR), "height": str(_GRID_MINOR),
+        "patternUnits": "userSpaceOnUse",
+    })
+    ET.SubElement(minor_pat, f"{ns}path", {
+        "d": f"M {_GRID_MINOR} 0 L 0 0 0 {_GRID_MINOR}",
+        "fill": "none", "stroke": _GRID_MINOR_CLR, "stroke-width": "0.3",
+    })
+
+    # Major grid: contains minor grid + thicker lines every 50 units
+    major_pat = ET.SubElement(defs, f"{ns}pattern", {
+        "id": "sb-grid-major",
+        "width": str(_GRID_MAJOR), "height": str(_GRID_MAJOR),
+        "patternUnits": "userSpaceOnUse",
+    })
+    ET.SubElement(major_pat, f"{ns}rect", {
+        "width": str(_GRID_MAJOR), "height": str(_GRID_MAJOR),
+        "fill": "url(#sb-grid-minor)",
+    })
+    ET.SubElement(major_pat, f"{ns}path", {
+        "d": f"M {_GRID_MAJOR} 0 L 0 0 0 {_GRID_MAJOR}",
+        "fill": "none", "stroke": _GRID_MAJOR_CLR, "stroke-width": "0.6",
+    })
+
+    # ── Background rects (behind all schematic content) ──────
+    bg_rect = ET.Element(f"{ns}rect", {
+        "x": str(vb_x), "y": str(vb_y),
+        "width": str(vb_w), "height": str(vb_h),
+        "fill": _GRID_BG,
+    })
+    grid_rect = ET.Element(f"{ns}rect", {
+        "x": str(vb_x), "y": str(vb_y),
+        "width": str(vb_w), "height": str(vb_h),
+        "fill": "url(#sb-grid-major)",
+    })
+
+    # Insert at front: defs first, then bg, then grid overlay
+    root.insert(0, grid_rect)
+    root.insert(0, bg_rect)
+    root.insert(0, defs)
+
+    return ET.tostring(root, encoding="unicode")
+
 
 def annotate_svg(svg_str: str, parsed: ParsedNetlist) -> str:
     """Add data attributes to SVG text elements for interactive editing.
@@ -1124,7 +1212,8 @@ def netlist_to_svg(netlist_text: str) -> SchematicResult:
     if svg is None:
         svg = _render_grid(parsed)
 
-    # Post-process: annotate SVG with data attributes for interactivity
+    # Post-process: graph paper background, then data attributes
+    svg = _add_graph_paper_bg(svg)
     svg = annotate_svg(svg, parsed)
     component_map = build_component_map(parsed)