diff --git a/custom_components/houseplan/frontend/houseplan-card.js b/custom_components/houseplan/frontend/houseplan-card.js
index 0593785e..48a2336d 100755
--- a/custom_components/houseplan/frontend/houseplan-card.js
+++ b/custom_components/houseplan/frontend/houseplan-card.js
@@ -1064,9 +1064,12 @@ const t=globalThis,e=t.ShadowRoot&&(void 0===t.ShadyCSS||t.ShadyCSS.nativeShadow
       stroke-width: 3;
       fill: rgba(255, 193, 77, 0.25);
     }
+    /* Owner 2026-08-04: the grid is a HINT, not content — at full strength the
+       dots argued with the plan on white paper. Both levels are muted, the
+       hierarchy is kept (major still denser than fine). */
     .griddot {
       fill: var(--hp-accent);
-      opacity: 0.75;
+      opacity: 0.35;
       stroke: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.35);
       stroke-width: 0.4;
     }
@@ -1074,7 +1077,7 @@ const t=globalThis,e=t.ShadowRoot&&(void 0===t.ShadyCSS||t.ShadyCSS.nativeShadow
        bigger, more opaque dot, so zoomed far out the grid still reads as a
        grid instead of a grey wash. */
     .griddot.major {
-      opacity: 1;
+      opacity: 0.5;
       stroke-width: 0;
     }
     .seg {
diff --git a/demo/srv/assets/houseplan-card.js b/demo/srv/assets/houseplan-card.js
index 0593785e..48a2336d 100755
--- a/demo/srv/assets/houseplan-card.js
+++ b/demo/srv/assets/houseplan-card.js
@@ -1064,9 +1064,12 @@ const t=globalThis,e=t.ShadowRoot&&(void 0===t.ShadyCSS||t.ShadyCSS.nativeShadow
       stroke-width: 3;
       fill: rgba(255, 193, 77, 0.25);
     }
+    /* Owner 2026-08-04: the grid is a HINT, not content — at full strength the
+       dots argued with the plan on white paper. Both levels are muted, the
+       hierarchy is kept (major still denser than fine). */
     .griddot {
       fill: var(--hp-accent);
-      opacity: 0.75;
+      opacity: 0.35;
       stroke: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.35);
       stroke-width: 0.4;
     }
@@ -1074,7 +1077,7 @@ const t=globalThis,e=t.ShadowRoot&&(void 0===t.ShadyCSS||t.ShadyCSS.nativeShadow
        bigger, more opaque dot, so zoomed far out the grid still reads as a
        grid instead of a grey wash. */
     .griddot.major {
-      opacity: 1;
+      opacity: 0.5;
       stroke-width: 0;
     }
     .seg {
diff --git a/dist/houseplan-card.js b/dist/houseplan-card.js
index 0593785e..48a2336d 100755
--- a/dist/houseplan-card.js
+++ b/dist/houseplan-card.js
@@ -1064,9 +1064,12 @@ const t=globalThis,e=t.ShadowRoot&&(void 0===t.ShadyCSS||t.ShadyCSS.nativeShadow
       stroke-width: 3;
       fill: rgba(255, 193, 77, 0.25);
     }
+    /* Owner 2026-08-04: the grid is a HINT, not content — at full strength the
+       dots argued with the plan on white paper. Both levels are muted, the
+       hierarchy is kept (major still denser than fine). */
     .griddot {
       fill: var(--hp-accent);
-      opacity: 0.75;
+      opacity: 0.35;
       stroke: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.35);
       stroke-width: 0.4;
     }
@@ -1074,7 +1077,7 @@ const t=globalThis,e=t.ShadowRoot&&(void 0===t.ShadyCSS||t.ShadyCSS.nativeShadow
        bigger, more opaque dot, so zoomed far out the grid still reads as a
        grid instead of a grey wash. */
     .griddot.major {
-      opacity: 1;
+      opacity: 0.5;
       stroke-width: 0;
     }
     .seg {
diff --git a/docs/CANVAS.md b/docs/CANVAS.md
index 4eb70f5e..00feab19 100644
--- a/docs/CANVAS.md
+++ b/docs/CANVAS.md
@@ -288,6 +288,12 @@ wash. `gridLevels(pitch, pxPerUnit, minPx)` (pure, unit tested) picks:
 The grid rectangle also follows the **view**, not the old `view_box`,
 so it is there wherever you pan.
 
+The dots are a **hint, not content** (owner 2026-08-04): at full strength
+they argued with the plan on white paper. `.griddot` is `opacity: 0.35`,
+`.griddot.major` `opacity: 0.5` (styles.ts) — both muted, the CAD
+hierarchy kept, coarse nodes still denser than fine ones. The grid lives
+in the editors only; View never draws it (`smoke_grid_fade`).
+
 ## §8 Toolbar
 
 The middle button of the zoom control was "Reset zoom" (`_resetZoom`,
diff --git a/src/styles.ts b/src/styles.ts
index 503edda7..60355852 100644
--- a/src/styles.ts
+++ b/src/styles.ts
@@ -1061,9 +1061,12 @@ export const cardStyles = css`
       stroke-width: 3;
       fill: rgba(255, 193, 77, 0.25);
     }
+    /* Owner 2026-08-04: the grid is a HINT, not content — at full strength the
+       dots argued with the plan on white paper. Both levels are muted, the
+       hierarchy is kept (major still denser than fine). */
     .griddot {
       fill: var(--hp-accent);
-      opacity: 0.75;
+      opacity: 0.35;
       stroke: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.35);
       stroke-width: 0.4;
     }
@@ -1071,7 +1074,7 @@ export const cardStyles = css`
        bigger, more opaque dot, so zoomed far out the grid still reads as a
        grid instead of a grey wash. */
     .griddot.major {
-      opacity: 1;
+      opacity: 0.5;
       stroke-width: 0;
     }
     .seg {