A great place to start is www.decks.com. They have plenty of designs and how-to guides. For the materials the best bets are Lowe's and Home Depot, and they may have additional resources to help you with deck building as well.
To start looking for design plans for building a new deck try lowes.com or homedepot.com. They have many online resources for building decks and cost estimators.
There are many deck building websites like decks.com that offer plans for design. The diynetwork.com website has step by step videos that helps with choosing deck building designs, as well as, building the entire deck.
You can buy deck design software at your local bookstore and home improvement stores. Some stores let you design it in the building supplies department.
Building a deck in the rain is not recommended for safety and quality reasons. Wet conditions can make the construction process more dangerous and may compromise the integrity of the deck. It is best to wait for dry weather to ensure a safe and high-quality build.
There are many books on deck design. I liked "The Deck Book: Inspirational Design Ideas" by Melissa Cardona on amazon or check your local library. Intructable.com also has a nice design for an octagonal deck.
When building a low deck in a backyard, consider factors such as the slope of the land, drainage, materials for durability, and any necessary permits. Ensure the deck is level, properly supported, and meets local building codes. Additionally, think about the deck's size, shape, and how it will blend with the overall landscape design.
Lowes has a six-part video series on YouTube on building a deck. The series takes the viewer all the way from design to finishing the deck in five minute chunks.
Pressure-treated lumber is the best choice for building a deck due to its durability and resistance to rot and insects.
www.ideasfor deckdesigns.com has a lot of different deck designs and pictures to choose from. By looking at the pictures they will help you visualize your deck design better.
If you want to install an outdoor deck and live in a climate that gets a lot of rain or extreme weather your best bet is to use treated lumber, almost every type of lumber can be bought pre treated, so whatever your deck design is it will coordinate.
Lowes has a six-part video series on YouTube detailing the building of a deck. The video series starts with the design stage and ends with finishing the deck.
You can find deck design ideas in home renovation or deck building books. You can find them in home improvement stores such as lee valley or home depot. They do not only provide the correct building techniques but also very stylish and modern designs.