While I have no need of a deck (I have a sun deck and patio already), I did buy Joe’s Deck Plans because I wanted to see if this hugely popular product containing 2,440 deck plans and other outdoor yard structure blueprints is any good and worth the hype.
I know a lot of readers of this website have purchased the product so I wanted to get it, go through it and publish a review to help anyone considering buying this product.
Disclaimer: I purchased Joe’s Deck Plans and went through the materials. I did NOT build a deck or complete any of the woodworking projects in the product. My overview of this product is based solely on going through the materials… not actually using them.
Short Version:
Is the digital product Joe’s Deck Plans any good?
Short Answer: It’s a decent product. Because it’s so many plans and blueprints (2,440), it’s a lot to go through though (see my video below of me going through what’s included).
While they’re decently organized, the documents themselves are different in format… it appears that the plans are a collection from a variety of sources (which isn’t necessarily bad, but there isn’t a consistency across the format of the plans).
Video Revealing the Projects Included
=> to Learn More
Should you buy Joe’s Deck Plans?
- Yes, if you don’t mind sifting through a lot of content and information. It’s not concise given it’s 2,440 deck designs, projects and woodworking tips.
- No, if you’re looking for a straightforward deck plan – you can probably find this for free on the internet.
Here’s the deal – if you find one or two projects in the pack that you use, it’s worth the money. While it’s a large assortment of projects, most people looking to build a deck or other outdoor structures will find something useful in this product.
Long Version of My Review:
What is Joe’s Deck Plans?
Unfortunately the tag line stating “2,440+ decking designs & projects” is a tad misleading in that it’s not 2,440 deck plans. Instead it’s deck plans and other woodworking projects. That said, there are many deck plans in the product so you do get what you bargain for.
What do you get?
You get a lot.
If you skipped the video above, a brief listing of the types of plans, blueprints and designs you get are:
- Deck plans (many of them and all kinds of decks)
- Wood chair plans (folding/Adirondack)
- Fences (several fence plans)
- Garden/yard bridges (i.e. arched bridges)
- Cabins (several cabin plans)
- Sheds (several shed plans)
- Benches
- Steps
- Railings
- Bird house
- Dog house
- Chicken coop
- Smokehouse
- Boat shelter
- Gazebo
- Gates
- Window boxes
- Several woodworking guides & tips
The deck plans and other projects are comprised of a series of digital documents (PDFs) that you download. Some of the documents feature multiple plans while others feature a single project. This means you’ll need to spend some time combing through the many documents to find the right one(s) for you. The plus side with this style of organization is you don’t have to comb through a 5,000 page PDF which would take much longer.
In a nutshell, it’s a digital product you access after you buy it. There are many digital documents in the download area which are reasonably well organized.
Sample Deck Plans
Below are samples of images from two of the deck plans. Note, I removed the dimensions and instructions for copyright purposes. Also, it’s just one of many deck plans you get.
Free-Standing Deck
Spa Surround Deck
How skilled at woodworking must you be to use these plans?
One good thing about getting thousands of plans and projects is there are plans for all skill levels. If you’ve never built a deck, obviously even following a simple deck plan will require some effort. The point is there are plans for all skill levels (unless you’re a primary craftsman who can create your own designs).
Pros
Pros- Many deck plans – some which are fantastic.
- Plenty of blueprints for other outdoor structures – again some of which are fantastic.
- Decently organized (considering the sheer volume of documents). It’s multiple document instead of one massive document.
- Fairly low price given the number of plans and blueprints you get.
Cons
- Some of the plans are simplistic and not terribly easy to follow.
- Because there are so many documents you’ll need to open many documents to find what you’re looking for. The plus side is you’ll probably discover more projects you’ll want to build.
