About Deck & Site Designer
Choose Open in Plan Sheets. The design lives in a plan set, and Plan Sheets draws its sheets from it: the deck plan with dimensions, the framing plan and schedules, elevations, a section through the deck, the plot plan and the material list, each at a real scale, ready to print or export as a true-scale PDF.
By the ToolFluency team · Updated November 2026
Design a deck, the house, the lot and driveways by dragging or typing sizes. Joists, beams and posts are checked against OBC Part 9 tables. Free, sends to Plan Sheets.
How to use
- Pick the plan set at the top. The designer opens the plan set you were last working on in Plan Sheets; choose another from the list, or click + to start a new one.
- Add a deck. Choose Add, then a 12' x 16' deck against the house, an L-shaped or wraparound deck, or Draw a deck outline and click its corners. Drag a corner or an edge to reshape it, or select an edge and type its length, such as 18'6".
- Add what is around it. From the same Add menu, place the existing house, a garage or shed, a pool, a driveway, a walkway or a patio, and the property lot. Drag them into place, or type their sizes. Type the lot lines from your survey and name the street.
- Set up the framing. In the panels on the right, choose the joist size, spacing and species, the decking, the ledger edge and the beams and posts, then the railings and stairs. Click the arrow on the deck to flip the joist direction.
- Read the code checks under the canvas. They compare the framing against the Ontario Building Code Part 9 span tables as you work and point out anything to look at.
- Choose Open in Plan Sheets. The deck plan, framing plan and schedules, elevations, section, plot plan and material list are drawn from your design on titled sheets at a real scale. Add your own notes and markups there, and print the true-scale PDF. Come back here any time; the sheets redraw when the design changes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get permit drawings from my design?
Choose Open in Plan Sheets. The design lives in a plan set, and Plan Sheets draws its sheets from it: the deck plan with dimensions, the framing plan and schedules, elevations, a section through the deck, the plot plan and the material list, each at a real scale, ready to print or export as a true-scale PDF. Change the deck here and every sheet redraws.
Does it check my joist, beam and post sizes?
Yes. The Code checks panel compares the joists, beams, posts and footings against the Ontario Building Code Part 9 span tables as you change the deck, and says what passes, what to look at and what needs an engineered design. The checks help you prepare drawings; the designer of record is still responsible for the design.
Can I draw the house, the lot and a driveway too?
Yes. Add the existing house, a garage, a shed, a pool, a driveway, a walkway or patio, or draw the outline of any other structure. Add the property lot and type its lines from your survey, so the plot plan shows the setbacks and lot coverage.
Where is my design saved?
In this browser, inside the plan set it belongs to, and it saves as you work. Pick another plan set from the list at the top, or start a new one with the + button. In Plan Sheets, Save file keeps a portable copy of the whole set, design included.
Does it add an engineer's seal or approve my deck?
No. Nothing it produces is reviewed or approved. Ask your building department what drawings they need, and use a licensed designer where the code or the department requires one.
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