Can we talk about how I used to draw up deck plans by hand

Back when I started building decks in 2008, I would sketch everything out on graph paper with a pencil and ruler. Every measurement had to be perfect because if I messed up, I had to erase and start over. Now I use a free online deck design tool that lets me drag and drop joists and beams in about 20 minutes. It even checks the load calculations for me, which used to take me an hour with a calculator and a code book. The change happened about three years ago when my buddy showed me the software on his tablet while we were sitting at a jobsite in Nashville. I still keep a pad of graph paper in my truck for quick notes, but I haven't drawn a full plan by hand since that day. Has anyone else made the switch from paper to digital for their backyard builds?

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patricia_hayes1d ago

Hold on now, is it really that serious to call it a "switch" when you're just building a deck in your backyard? I still do quick sketches on scrap paper for most small jobs and only break out the fancy software when a customer wants some wild multi-level design. A pencil and a tape measure have never let me down for a basic 12x16 platform.