How to Draw Plans for Your Deck

Creating a plan for your new deck is a crucial part of the entire deck building process. When you don’t have any plans written down, it’s allowing you to walk into your project blind. This, in return, can cause some unexpected finances to arise, and delay your project deadline.

These basic supplies can get you started on drawing your decking plans.

These basic supplies can get you started on drawing your decking plans.

 

Items you need for your deck degn:

Graph Paper

#3 Pencils

Eraser

Ruler

Making a plan for your new deck is the most important part of decking. Without a detailed drawn out plan of your deck there is the potential that you may not get an approval from the building department.

The first step for making plans of your new deck is taking measurements. You’ll need to know the dimensions of your house. Make sure to include the measurements of any water valve, dryer vents, electrical outlets, and of course windows and doors. Also include your property lines so you know how far they are from your house.

Next, draw a site plan which includes property boundaries, the house, and other major features of your property on a piece of graph paper. Remember this is a rough draft so it doesn’t need to be perfect. Ensure your site plan incorporates the element measurements you took in step one.

After you make your rough draft, it’s time to make a neat and detailed drawn out plan of the site. This site plan should be so detailed you’re able to count how much lumber you need in the plans. Also, include a close up view of areas that are complicated to see. Doing this may seem tedious, but it will save you money and give you a better understanding of where everything is placed. Drawing out a detailed plan, that’s to scale, will assist you with ordering your supplies and determining the costs of your project.

Drawing an overhead view gives you another perspective to sort out any possible issues before construction begins.

Drawing an overhead view gives you another perspective to sort out any possible issues before construction begins.

 

In addition to the detailed plan, complete an overhead view of the deck. This shows you a combination of framing and decking. This also gives the exact location of piers, beams, and joists. More complex decks can be drawn on a separate piece of paper. Don’t forget all dimensions should be shown in an overhead view.

This drawing is critical in order to receive approval from the building department.

This drawing is critical in order to receive approval from the building department.

The final step is to draw the elements at an elevation view. This drawing is a side or front view of your deck. This will also include footing, post railings, built-in planter, and any benches or overhead structures you plan to incorporate into your design. Show the depth of footings, spans, posts, and railing. Also, don’t forget the height of the railing, this is critical to get approval from the building department.

A neat and detailed drawn out plan for a deck is crucial. Creating a neat plan not only helps you with approval from the building department, but allows you to detect any problems in your plan before construction begins. So, don’t get frustrated when drawing out a detailed deck plan, it will help you out immensely in the long run.

 

Leave a Reply

Home How to Build a Deck How to Draw Plans for Your Deck