This is an animation showing the steps used to build my backyard deck. First the pier blocks were set and aligned, then the upright posts were added. 2 by 8 cross beams were bolted in place, followed by the decking and hand rails. Finally a fascia board was added around the perimeter.

This animation was created with the 3D Toolkit from ElectricImage and dvGarage. Each of the item types, such as pier blocks, beams, decking, was grouped in a layer. A master material was created for each group, and the opacity (transparency) was animated over time. It took a few holding keyframes so that each 'fade in' occurred at the proper moment.

The final deck is nine feet wide by seven feet deep and sits just 15 inches above the ground. By previsualizing the deck in ElectricImage Modeler, I was able to get client approval (my wife's).