diff --git a/static/css/main.css b/static/css/main.css
index 58bbac7..1fa210a 100644
--- a/static/css/main.css
+++ b/static/css/main.css
@@ -491,6 +491,13 @@ iconify-icon {
     100% { transform: rotate(360deg); }
 }
 
+/* Zoom Wrapper - wraps cv-container for zoom functionality */
+.zoom-wrapper {
+    transform-origin: top center; /* Scale from top center */
+    transition: transform 0.08s linear; /* Smooth zoom response */
+    will-change: transform; /* Optimize for transforms */
+}
+
 /* Main CV Container */
 .cv-container {
     width: 100%;
@@ -498,9 +505,6 @@ iconify-icon {
     margin: 0 auto;
     padding: 20px 0 0 0; /* Top padding to prevent sticky action bar overlap */
     display: block; /* Changed from flex */
-    transform-origin: top center; /* Scale from top center - container stays anchored at top */
-    transition: transform 0.08s linear; /* Smooth, immediate zoom response */
-    will-change: transform; /* Hint browser to optimize for transforms */
 }
 
 /* Clean theme - no sidebars, centered content */
@@ -1700,9 +1704,6 @@ a:focus {
     padding: 20px 0;
     margin: 0;
     grid-column: 1 / -1; /* Span all columns */
-    transform-origin: top center; /* Scale from top center - footer stays anchored at top */
-    transition: transform 0.08s linear; /* Smooth, immediate zoom response */
-    will-change: transform; /* Hint browser to optimize for transforms */
 }
 
 .footer-content {
@@ -2578,8 +2579,8 @@ html {
     position: fixed;
     bottom: 2rem;
     right: 2rem;
-    width: 50px;
-    height: 50px;
+    width: 35px; /* Smaller default size */
+    height: 35px;
     background: var(--black-bar);
     color: white;
     border: none;
@@ -2596,7 +2597,7 @@ html {
 
 .back-to-top:hover {
     opacity: 1;
-    transform: translateY(-3px);
+    transform: translateY(-3px) scale(1.43); /* Grow to ~50px on hover */
     box-shadow: 0 6px 16px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
     background: #3a3a3a;
 }
diff --git a/static/js/main.js b/static/js/main.js
index fecbeab..905c7b3 100644
--- a/static/js/main.js
+++ b/static/js/main.js
@@ -273,9 +273,9 @@
     function initZoomControl() {
         const slider = document.getElementById('zoom-slider');
         const resetBtn = document.getElementById('zoom-reset');
-        const cvPaper = document.querySelector('.cv-paper');
+        const zoomWrapper = document.getElementById('zoom-wrapper');
 
-        if (!slider || !cvPaper) return;
+        if (!slider || !zoomWrapper) return;
 
         // On mobile, always use 100% zoom (zoom control is hidden anyway)
         if (isMobileView()) {
@@ -347,20 +347,15 @@
      * @param {boolean} saveToStorage - Whether to persist to localStorage
      */
     function applyZoom(zoomValue, saveToStorage = true) {
-        const cvContainer = document.querySelector('.cv-container');
-        const cvFooter = document.querySelector('.cv-footer');
-        if (!cvContainer) return;
+        const zoomWrapper = document.getElementById('zoom-wrapper');
+        if (!zoomWrapper) return;
 
         // Convert percentage to scale factor (100 = 1.0, 150 = 1.5, etc.)
         const scale = zoomValue / 100;
 
         requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-            // Use transform: scale() for true visual zoom without constraints
-            // This allows zoom to extend beyond viewport at >100%
-            cvContainer.style.transform = `scale(${scale})`;
-            if (cvFooter) {
-                cvFooter.style.transform = `scale(${scale})`;
-            }
+            // Apply zoom to wrapper - footer adjusts naturally below it
+            zoomWrapper.style.transform = `scale(${scale})`;
 
             // Update display
             updateZoomDisplay(zoomValue);
diff --git a/templates/index.html b/templates/index.html
index bc64f88..02bdb38 100644
--- a/templates/index.html
+++ b/templates/index.html
@@ -344,8 +344,10 @@
         </div>
     </nav>
 
-    <!-- CV Content Container -->
-    <div class="cv-container">
+    <!-- Zoom Wrapper (for zoom functionality) -->
+    <div id="zoom-wrapper" class="zoom-wrapper">
+        <!-- CV Content Container -->
+        <div class="cv-container">
         <main id="cv-content"
               class="cv-paper"
               role="main"
@@ -432,7 +434,8 @@
                 </a>
             </div>
         </div>
-    </div>
+        </div> <!-- End cv-container -->
+    </div> <!-- End zoom-wrapper -->
 
     <!-- PDF Export Modal -->
     <div id="pdf-modal" class="info-modal no-print" onclick="closePdfModalOnBackdrop(event)">