| When the best site has been determined
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| | map which is a plan of the existing house
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| for the construction of the deck, it is
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| | and property. If it is possible to locate
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| time to put possible ideas down on paper
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| | architect's drawings or deed maps that
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| in the form of an initial deck design.
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| | show the actual dimensions and
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| Gather as much information as possible.
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| | orientation of the property, this step
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| Study deck designs in how-to-design-it
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| | can be eliminated.
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| books. Browse through home improvement
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| | Certain base map data is important.
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| magazines for additional information and
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| | Measure the area where the deck will be
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| ideas. Visit the decks of relatives,
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| | located. Make a rough sketch first and
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| friends and neighbors for inspiration.
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| | then transfer the information to a more
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| Take photographs if needed.
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| | refined scale drawing. The dimensions of
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| The important task is to design a deck
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| | the lot, the location of the house and
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| that works. Good looks are never enough
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| | other structures such as a pool, garage,
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| with such an outdoor living space. The
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| | storage shed or hot tub, the position of
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| deck must survive harsh weather
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| | doors, windows and interior house walls,
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| conditions, blend in with the
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| | the path and direction of the sun,
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| architectural style of the home,
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| | fencing or privacy screens, utility lines
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| coordinate in some manner with interior
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| | such as water, gas, sewer and
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| rooms and be sturdy enough to last for
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| | electricity, the direction of prevailing
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| years to come. To achieve all of these
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| | winds, existing trees, shrubs and garden
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| goals it will be necessary to use
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| | beds and any obstructions beyond the lot
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| appropriate materials and construction
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| | that might affect sunlight, the view or
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| techniques. Durable and affordable
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| | privacy should be included.
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| materials that comply with the local
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| | Place a sheet of tracing paper over the
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| building codes and provide the look that
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| | base map and sketch in a possible deck
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| is right for the house are a must.
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| | shape or configuration. Examine it and
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| Ensure that the plans are as complete as
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| | evaluate its strengths and weaknesses.
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| possible to minimize confusion later no
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| | Repeat the process trying different
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| matter whether the construction is being
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| | configurations or modifying ones that
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| done by a homeowner or by a contractor or
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| | seem to have possibility. Don't confine
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| builder.
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| | ideas to rectangles or single level
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| It is not necessary to be an artist in
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| | decks. They may not be the best or most
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| order to design a deck. The process is
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| | interesting choices in the long run.
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| more science than it is art. The deck's
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| | Experimentation and imagination will pay
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| basic surface pattern and substructure
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| | off eventually in a more satisfactory
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| should be drawn in plan view as seen from
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| | deck design.
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| above, looking straight down. The
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| | Once a deck shape that seems to work has
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| arrangement of the deck substructure
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| | been created, figure the deck's actual
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| should be drawn in plan view as well as
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| | size and confirm its shape and placement
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| elevation view in which it is seen
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| | on the site. Refine the scale drawing.
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| straight on from 1 side. Railings and
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| | Consider traffic patterns. People should
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| other vertical deck parts are best drawn
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| | be able to move smoothly from the house
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| in elevation view. Any attachments or
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| | to the deck and from the deck to the
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| detail features should be drawn from the
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| | yard. If necessary, open up a house wall
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| view that most clearly shows their
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| | to improve circulation. Avoid creating
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| construction. Three dimensional detail
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| | traffic patterns that run through the
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| sketches can often work best for these.
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| | middle of outdoor spaces. Plan them so
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| To reduce the deck's plan to paper size,
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| | they flow along the perimeters of these
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| it should be drawn to scale. A typical
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| | deck spaces.
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| scale might be 1 foot of actual deck
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| | Taking the time to do the research, to do
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| reduced to 1/4 or 1/2 inch depending upon
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| | careful planning and using some
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| the size of the deck. A simple way to do
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| | imagination in the intial deck design
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| this is to use graph paper where a
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| | process will eventually lead to the
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| certain number of squares would equal 1
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| | creation of an outdoor living space that
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| foot on the deck. If a larger drawing
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| | will satisfy the needs and lifestyle of
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| area is needed, tape sheets of graph
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| | family members and guests for years to
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| paper together.
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| | come.
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| Initially, take the time to draw a base
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