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Deck design templates

Nine complete, buildable starting points. Pick the one closest to your yard, see the real spec, and render it on your own photo before changing a thing.

The templates

  • Ground-level lounge — Low cedar platform that hugs the yard — no railing, no stairs, just deck. Estimated installed cost: $4,200 – $6,700.
  • Classic raised deck — The bread-and-butter build: 16×12 composite, aluminum balusters, boxed stairs. Estimated installed cost: $8,600 – $13,400.
  • L-shaped wraparound — Picture-frame border on an L footprint with cable railing and open stairs. Estimated installed cost: $12,600 – $19,600.
  • Two-level entertainer — Main deck stepping down to a lower lounge with wide platform stairs. Estimated installed cost: $14,000 – $21,800.
  • Herringbone showpiece — Premium herringbone field, glass panels, and lit picture-frame stairs at dusk. Estimated installed cost: $11,500 – $17,300.
  • Floating island — Freestanding platform set at an angle in the yard — diagonal coastal boards. Estimated installed cost: $6,300 – $9,800.
  • Skirted porch deck — Charcoal diagonal boards with full skirting, access door, and an entry landing. Estimated installed cost: $6,300 – $9,800.
  • Poolside platform — Wide, low driftwood platform with breaker boards and string lights for evenings. Estimated installed cost: $9,000 – $14,000.
  • Evening glow deck — See the deck after dark — lit post caps, stair risers, and under-rail glow. Estimated installed cost: $8,600 – $13,400.

Common questions

Are these real buildable designs or just pictures?

Each template is a complete deck spec — dimensions, height, railing, stairs, materials — produced by the same geometry pipeline the PaperPlan Design Studio uses. The page numbers are read from the spec itself.

Can I customize a template?

Yes — that is the point. Open any template in PaperPlan, render it on your own backyard photo, then change the size, material, railing, or layout from a working starting point instead of a blank screen.

What do these decks cost to build?

Each template page shows an installed-cost range computed from its real square footage and material class, using 2026 North American survey rates. Treat it as a starting point — site conditions move any number ±20%.

Do I need the templates to use PaperPlan?

No. You can upload a photo and design from scratch. Templates exist to skip the configuration and get to a finished-looking deck in one tap.

Deck planning guides