Deck planning guide · 4 min readUpdated
Preview deck railings and framing in 3D
Compare wood, aluminum and glass railings, inspect the framing below the boards, and save the right file for a picture, printout or editable project.
Choose the railing before opening 3D
In Edges, enable Railing on this edge where needed. Under Railings → Default for the deck, choose Wood, Aluminum or Glass panels, then set height, finish and maximum post centres. Glass can use wood or aluminum posts and rails.
Enable Different railing on edge to override one side. Use default on every edge clears those overrides. House sides have no level railing; valid stair openings remove their own portion of the level rail. Stair railings use the style of their edge and the selected rail sides.
Railing heights, sections, panel sizes and connections must suit the selected system and location. The style presets are visual options, not approved guard assemblies.
Switch between the finished deck and its structure
Open 3D view above the plan. Finished deck includes the decking, railings, stairs, house-edge context and enabled framing. Framing hides the decking, railings, house and ground so the supports and foundations can be inspected.
Opening 3D from Framing plan starts with the framing view selected. If that view is unavailable, create a framing layout first. Drag to rotate, scroll or pinch to zoom, and use two fingers to pan. Framing mode lets you rotate beneath the structure.
Understand blue schematic members
Joists, beams, posts and footings remain visible when their dimensions have not been entered. Blue identifies categories using placeholder sizes. Those visual sizes are not written into the project, the schedule or the purchase list.
Enter Joist, ledger, rim & blocking size, Beam lumber, Post size and footing dimensions in Framing to replace the placeholders. Dropped-beam elevations also depend on joist depth, so enter all relevant sizes before interpreting vertical fit. A saved render keeps a note when schematic framing is present.
Choose the right kind of saved file
| Control | Result | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Save render | PNG image of the current 3D view | Sharing a visual; it cannot reopen the editable design |
| Print plan | Plan drawings and schedules through the browser print dialog | Paper or a PDF through your device’s print options |
| Download project | Editable UC project file | Reopening geometry, framing, stairs, railing settings and prices |
| Open project | Loads a downloaded UC project | Continuing or moving the design to another device |
Keep the model and the takeoff in context
The 3D view uses the same plan geometry as the designer. It is a planning model, not a photorealistic site survey or a construction detail. It does not add a stair-stringer cutting plan, fastener design, structural analysis or railing-system approval.
The priced purchase list covers decking and selected borders. Framing net runs and post positions are scheduled separately. Hardware, stair materials, rail stock allowances, tax and delivery need their own quantities and prices.
If the view is blank or unavailable
Wait for the view to finish loading, then use Reset 3D view to fit the model. Choose Framing if the boards hide the joists. Blue members mean missing size inputs, not missing geometry.
If the page reports that 3D is unavailable, use a browser and device with WebGL/hardware acceleration available. The 2D plans and editable project remain usable. After an interrupted 3D display, switch to a plan view and reopen 3D. Download the project before clearing browser data; recovery is local to that browser.