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Starting a sublimation business is hard. Like really hard. And whether you’re a newcomer, or whether you’re a veteran, it’s hard to deny that getting off on the right foot is critical to your success. You don’t want to handicap yourself by using inferior products, so why would you handicap yourself by not using the best sublimation software?
What is the Best Deck Design Software Program? After reviewing the attributes of each of these software programs one of the biggest factors of deciding which works for you is what you need it for. If you are just planning on completing one deck project for a residential, personal back yard, one of the free software programs offered by one of. Here is a list of Best Free Pattern Design Software For Windows.These software are mainly used to design knitting, weaving, looming, beads, etc. Patterns.Patterns created by these software are mainly used to create patterned garments and fabrics. The best way to know which software would suit you best is to get hands-on with the tool and experiment with them. Each of the software is characterized by its features, ease of use, performance, cost, and availability. Many paid graphic design software provide a free trial for users to give them a better understanding of the product.
The design process is one of the most critical processes with your sublimation business. So why would you use a design software that isn’t the best for your needs? In this article, we’ll be taking a look into the design software available to you for your dye-sublimation business in 2020. We’ll be taking a deep dive into the software available, the pros and cons of each piece of software, and whether it’s the best option for you. And don’t worry, we’ll tell you what we’re using and why we’re using it.
So let’s hop right in and start talking about the best sublimation software out there!
A quick aside on sublimation
Maybe you’re more than familiar with dye-sublimation. But maybe you’re not. If you already know what you’re doing, feel free to skip this section.
Dye-sublimation is a process to transfer inks onto different types of garments. Whether it be t-shirts, hoodies, or socks, you can use dye-sublimation to transfer custom designs using a specialized ink.
The process works using a water based dye that bonds with the polymers in the garment. But what does that mean? Basically, the water based sublimation ink has some special properties that allows it to bond permanently with different types of fabrics and garments.
Okay, so it transfers onto the garments?
This bonding isn’t like one of those flimsy heat transfer papers either. No, this bonding of ink to garment is permanent. Once you imprint your design onto your garment of choice, it’s there forever. This fact allows you to create truly unique and special garments with custom designs. Plus the process is affordable, and is something you can do from your own home! You just need some designs, a printer that can handle the specialized ink, and something to transfer on to.
That’s the basics of dye-sublimation printing! This is by no means a complete run-down. We do have a complete run-down, if you’re so inclined. I’d highly encourage you to read more about dye-sublimation if you’re unsure about the process, or if you’d like to learn more. Once you have a chance to read up a little, head on back to this article to learn more about the softwares we’ll be going over.
How will we be grading the best sublimation softwares?
Understanding what we’re looking for in our list of the best sublimation softwares is critical for understanding why we ranked certain softwares. So let’s take a minute, and go over exactly what we are reviewing with each of the softwares we’ll be going into.
How capable is the software?
For starters, the most important thing is capability. If the software you use is lacking in some areas, then it likely won’t cut it for you or your business in the long run. You really want to make sure that you’re using a piece of software for your sublimation business that is able to handle everything you throw at it. Whether it’s some abstract designs, or if its a customized ICC color profile, you want to ensure that you aren’t using a piece of software that will hinder you more than help you.
How expensive is the sublimation software?
The next important piece of the puzzle is price. It’s been a recent (and annoying) trend for software companies to switch to subscription models. I personally hate this trend. You can no longer just own a piece of software, rather you rent it from some company. This can significantly increase the cost for a simple piece of software. It’s very important to me to use the best thing available, but to always be considerate of cost. Otherwise you may end up going over budget, or buying something you don’t need (looking at you Adobe cloud).
The final portion of our review will be sublimation specific. Whatever software you end up choosing, it has to support your sublimation needs. It needs to support customizable ICC color profiles, otherwise you’ll never quite get your colors right. This is critical to the quality of your prints, and shouldn’t be overlooked. Thankfully, most software already supports ICC color profiles. The pieces of software we’ll be reviewing are all capable of changing their color profiles.
One more thing: ICC color profiles
If you don’t know what an ICC color profile is, well you should.
Colors, and computers, are very complicated..
Color is complicated. And the way we represent the colors on our computer screen, the way we represent colors in our printer, and the way our eyes interpret those colors are all very different from each other. It’s our duty as sublimation industry experts to make sure we understand these differences in colors, and how we can adjust our process to make sure we always have perfect color prints and transfers.
The ICC color profile is a software based representation of colors. Basically, it maps a piece of software into an actual color value. You can think of it turning the 1’s and 0’s into some RGB color that is represented on your monitor.
What ICC Color Profile am I using now?
The color profile you are currently using is likely sRGB, since this is the most common color profile around. And for the most part, it works great! But when you are dealing with dye-sublimation, you have to be more considerate.
The colors you decide to use for your design and transfer can change at a couple of different steps of the process, and this can change your final product. For starters, there’s the way it’s represented on your monitor. For example, if you’ve enabled saturation boosting on your monitor, then your colors might appear differently to you then they are actually represented.
To make sure you remain as consistent as possible with your color profiles, it’s highly recommended to create and install a custom ICC profile. This profile will be specific to your printer, your ink, and your computer. That way, you know it works perfectly for you.
Installing and using ICC Color Profiles
But creating and installing a profile can be time consuming and challenging. You can rest easy, we actually have downloadable ICC color profiles for some of the most popular sublimation inks around. You can use these profiles until you decide it’s time for a more custom solution.
We also have some guides on how to set up your custom color profile with Photoshop and Windows 10. This guide really steps you through everything you need to do to ensure you are using the correct color profile. I’d definitely recommend checking it out if you’re ready to get started with your custom profile.
Enough with the asides, let’s review the best sublimation software of 2020
Okay, okay. We’re all done talking about all that extra stuff. Let’s get into it, here’s our top few recommendations of the best sublimation software available to you in 2020.
1. Adobe Photoshop
This one may be a little unsurprising, but we love Photoshop. I mean, it’s easily one of the most popular design softwares ever made, so is it really that surprising that it’s our top rated sublimation software?
![What Is The Best Illustration Software What Is The Best Illustration Software](https://tecreview.tec.mx/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/iStock-648459478.jpg)
Photoshop has it all. It's easy to use. It’s easy to get started with. Literally everyone uses Photoshop, so it’s incredibly easy to find resources to learn and improve your skills with Photoshop.
If you’ve never used Photoshop, then no worries. Once you get it installed, you can follow along with the literal thousands of different tutorials online. It won’t take you long to get started with learning Photoshop, nor will it take you very long to become adequate at Photoshop.
My favorite part of Photoshop
Easily my favorite part of Photoshop, and of the Adobe suite in general, is how much carry-over there is between their different softwares. Whether you’re using Photoshop, Illustrator, or Premier, there is a ton of carryover between each piece of software. It’s almost as if learning one means learning them all. All of your hotkeys are similar, all of your icons are similar, and the general feel and flow of the applications are consistent.
Photoshop also has incredible support from Adobe. It will continue to receive updates for a very long time, so you don’t need to worry about your software becoming deprecated. If there’s a new feature you’re looking for, it’ll likely come in the future (if it’s not already there).
My least-favorite part of Photoshop
There’s only one issue I have with Photoshop, and admittedly it’s not a small issue: the price. Adobe ditched the flat rate model in favor of a subscription model a few years ago. And to say I'm not a fan of the subscription model would be the understatement of the year. Not only do you have to pay a monthly fee for your software, but you may even be required to bundle with other pieces of software you don’t need.
This is truly frustrating, but I put up with it. And why? Because even if Adobe is not great with their subscription model, they sure as shit are great at making software. Photoshop just works. It comes out of the box with everything you could ever need. It’s incredibly easy to use for anything, whether it be design work or mock ups or even photo editing. And it plugs and plays with ICC color profiles to be immediately useful to you and your sublimation business.
It's still the best
I genuinely can’t recommend Photoshop enough. And if you’re Adobe, please just let me buy Photoshop 2019 and stop paying that damn $30 per month.
2. GIMP
If you haven’t heard of GIMP before, then boy do I have a treat for you.
The GNU Image Manipulation Program, or GIMP, is a free and open-sourced piece of software aimed at, you guessed it, image manipulation. Yep, it’s basically a free, and open-sourced version of Photoshop!
GIMP has tons of capabilities, and a lot of them are similar to those in Photoshop. You can similarly do tons of design work, work with smart layers, photo-editing, and a ton more. But GIMP just doesn’t quite cut it in my book, and let me tell you why.
It was my first
When I first got started with dye-sublimation printing, I used GIMP. It was the first software I was using, and I thought it was going to be my last. But a good friend of mine really encouraged me to try the Adobe suite. So I did, and I’ve literally never used GIMP since.
GIMP is truly a lot like Photoshop, but just a little worse in every way. Whether it’s the resources out there, or the placement of their buttons, GIMP just doesn’t do it as well as Photoshop. And it’s not like any one feature is so significantly worse in GIMP than in Photoshop. No, not at all. Rather, GIMP is just a little worse with EVERY feature than Photoshop is. And these small frustrations can add up quickly.
When I made the switch to Photoshop from GIMP, everything ran smoothly for me. I felt like my work flow was much faster. I felt like I wasn’t putting in the same level of thought into everything I was doing. It was just plain old better.
GIMP belongs in second place, behind Photoshop
Now don’t get me wrong, I love GIMP. But GIMP is firmly in second place for me. If you’re looking to save a little money on the monthly cost of the Adobe suite, then GIMP is the man for you. If you want the best software out there, you’ll need to pick up a copy of Photoshop.
Don’t be afraid to try GIMP either! I mean it’s literally free. Free is my favorite price! It comes with all of the features you need, and is easy to set up for dye-sublimation printing. You can get started with it right away!
3. CorelDRAW
Rounding out our list of the best sublimation software available to you in 2020 is CorelDRAW.
I like CorelDRAW! It’s a very capable piece of software, and will assuredly handle everything you throw at it. Where is macintosh hd on macbook air. And want to know my favorite part about CorelDRAW?
No subscription model?
You pay a flat price. No monthly subscription, no package deals. Just one price, and it’s yours. And that’s nice.
But CorelDRAW doesn’t quite make the top of my list, and that’s for a couple of reasons.
For starters, in my experience, CorelDRAW tends to work better with vector images than it does raster images. Don’t know what those are? Well, vector images are basically mathematical representation of images. Rather than drawing a circle, you’re telling the computer a formula for drawing a circle. Then no matter the resolution, the computer can accurately draw that circle, since it’s just using a math formula.
Raster images on the other hand are the more traditional way of thinking about images. They’re a bunch of pixels, where every pixel has some color. They’re also what is most commonly used when it comes to photography and pictures on the web.
CorelDRAW is great, for vector work!
I think CorelDRAW is fantastic if you’re working with vector artwork. And maybe you are working with vector artwork! But I, and most other sublimation designers, tend to work with raster images more frequently. Because of this main reason, I believe that CorelDRAW is better served for those that like their artwork represented by vectors.
A quick summary of best sublimation softwares
The best sublimation software is hard to pick out. There are so many factors that can influence how and why you use certain softwares, but we’ve presented our list of our favorite sublimation softwares.
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We believe Photoshop is the best, and we don’t think we’re alone in that judgement. It’s been one of the most popular design software for decades, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. It comes out of the box ready to work with sublimation ICC color profiles, and has all of the support and features you could ever want. It’s genuinely one of the best sublimation softwares out there.
GIMP definitely deserves its place on this list. It’s a very capable piece of software with tons of features and functionality. But it just doesn’t quite meet the capabilities, support, resources, or functionality of Photoshop. Because of this, it lands as our second best piece of software. But it is free! And free is a pretty damn good price if I say so myself.
Rounding out our list is CorelDRAW. CorelDRAW is great, if you tend to work with vector artwork more than raster images. I, and most other sublimation professionals, tend to work with raster images a lot more often. Whether it’s photos, or different designs we’ve found online, working with raster images gives you more flexibility and capability when it comes to your business. That’s why we think CorelDRAW is worth a look, but we think it lands squarely in third place.
Let’s round it up!
Okay, so in this article we’ve reviewed some of the best sublimation softwares out there. We hope that you can take this information, and really make strides in improving your workflow with your sublimation business!
We think it’s critical to use the right tool for the right job, and we hope that this article has helped you find the right tool for your business needs. Check out some more of our sublimation resources below!
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Here’s our 15 best free & paid deck design software programs to help you create your ultimate outdoor living space.
Looking to do a DIY Deck and don’t know where to start? Check out these programs to create a unique design for your dream deck! Many of these programs will help with permitting, materials & brand selection, pricing and even quantities of material needed. Not to mention the amazing visualization tools that are included to help you see your design layout and how it will look in your backyard.
Looking to do a DIY Deck and don’t know where to start? Check out these programs to create a unique design for your dream deck! Many of these programs will help with permitting, materials & brand selection, pricing and even quantities of material needed. Not to mention the amazing visualization tools that are included to help you see your design layout and how it will look in your backyard.
Here our the best deck design software programs we could find in 2018 listed in no particular order. If you’re looking for interior design software click here.
1. Aztek Deck Designer (Free)
Through TimberTech, by AZEK Building Products you can find inspiration and create a 3D layout. This program has 140+ products that can be chosen from using AZEK and TimberTech’s lighting, railings, decking, accessories and anything else needed when creating an outdoor deck! They allow users to test out the software and it is available in the app store for IPads.
This program has features such as the snapshot feature, which allows you to attach your own photo. There are plenty of options from previously designed templates to showing the design in an augmented reality state.
The only real downside to this program is that is only allows the products that are part of the brand and is only available for IPads. To properly use this software is it recommended to use chrome, firefox, safari or Microsoft edge. This program is free after creating an account.
See a Aztek tutorial video here:
Website: https://timbertech.com/inspiration/deck-designer
2. SmartDraw (Paid)
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SmartDraw’s Deck designer gets a 5 star rating from CNET Editors. This program allows quick dragging and dropping of elements such as boards, railings, planters and you can even add furniture.
They include graphics for elevation posts, support and surface boards, planters and flowers, hot tubs and Jacuzzis, umbrellas, patio furniture, and benches. Groupspro 2 2 – contact groups and mailing list management. They also have a complete landscape package that can turn a deck project into an entire backyard design.
Watch the video on how to setup a Smartdraw floorplan:
Website: https://www.smartdraw.com/deck-design/deck-designer.htm
3. Decks.com Deck Designer (Free)
This Deck Designer software is also sponsored by TREX, therefore will use many similar features and materials. Deck Designer will allow you to drop in shapes for the deck, add multiple level and add stairs where needed.
This deck design software will get a plan to submit for permitting and create a material list for your project. To use this software, you will be required to register to create and save project. This is a free program and can be found at decks.com
Decks.com custom deck designer video:
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Website: https://www.decks.com/deck-designer
4. Lowes Deck Designer + Planner (Free)
To use the Lowes designer and planner you must have Java 1.4 and Adobe Acrobat 3.0+, no worries if you do not, it will allow them to download.
Once downloaded you will be prompted to either start from scratch or to start with one of the pre-designed decks that are previously loaded. From there you can design your dream deck with planks, railings, stairs etc. This is a free program.
Build a deck design and layout video:
Website: https://www.lowes.com/cd_Deck+Designer+Planner_733683095_
5. The Home Depot: Do-it-Yourself Deck Designer
The home depot offers a wide variety of “Do-it-yourself” tools which means they have some experience in this department. This program starts you off with over 70 built in templates to help get started. The program will then print out a list of all the items you will need for the entire project including the price you will pay for supplies and materials.
To run this program you will need Windows system with Intel 17 Quad Core CPU, 4GB of available Hard Drive Space, and internet connection. This is a free program powered by Edgenet outdoor projects.
Home Depot’s free deck design software video:
Website: http://homedepot.bighammer.com/cqdesignstartneo/
6. SketchUp & Sketchup Pro (Free & Paid)
Sketchup is commonly used in educational and professional settings. Sketchup is available in a free version and a pro (paid) version. The free version is available in a web browser. This will allow the user to draw, push and pull extrusions, orbit the screen and add colors and objects. The free version is available at app.sketchup.com where you can immediately start sketching. It also has features that allow collaboration and sharing qualities. This can be used to leave replies and comments or assign tasks to others as well as seeing a history of changes made.
Sketchup Pro has even more features and even a free trial version of that. Pro can be used on Windows or MAC operating systems. Pro requires 3D class video graphics by NVDIA or AMD, they do not recommend Intel based graphics just yet but are working to include that. Sketchup Pro can create endless drawings, including scaled drawings, sealed drawings, presentation documents, walkthroughs, as well as having them be highly accurate and detailed.
Sketchup Pro can be purchased for $695. There are also options for upgrades, renewals, and discounts for educational licenses.
Watch the building a deck with Sketchup Pro video:
Website: https://www.sketchup.com/buy/sketchup-pro
7. MoistureShield Dream Deck Designer (Free)
Moisture Shield Dream Deck Designer is another program that is quick and easy to use and will allow you to print a list of the materials needed for the designed project. The software will be a tool in creating and saving multiple designs if you are unsure the best choice, it also will let you choice the size, shape, and color of the deck.
You can also place the deck on an image of your home to see the true impact of adding a deck. This program is only available in windows, a minimum of 64 MB of memory, Java, Javascript, and Adobe Reader 5.0 or better.
Website: http://www.moistureshield.com/deck-design-tools/design-a-deck/
8. Menards Deck Estimator (Free)
Menards Deck Estimater will allow you to create your dream backyard in 3D on any computer or in any Menards store. This program will create a list of materials needed for your backyard project. This is an online software and will require a Java application, which can be downloaded on the site listed later.
Menards Design it Center Deck Estimator is a free program.
Website: https://www.menards.com/main/menu12/design-it-center/deck-estimator/c-13779.htm
9. Punch! Landscaping Design (Paid)
Punch! Landscape Deck and Patio version 20 can be used to create and design outdoor living spaces with a complete set of tools to plan, design, and visualize the desired space. This program has some new features including high quality rendering for 2D geometry and text, customizable drawing styles, the ability to import and export from AUTOCAD 2018, custom rich text options and a modify tool bar.
This software requires 1GB of RAM and 3GB of haard disk space. Internet service is required to use the program. Punch! Landscaping software will run you about $39.99.
Website: https://www.punchsoftware.com/punch-landscape-deck-patio-v20-download-windows
10. Home Designer Landscaping Software by Chief Architect (Paid)
Chief Architect is one of the leading developers and publishers of 3D Architectural home design, and have also developed a software for landscape design that is just as up to par. This is often used by architects, interior designers, landscape designer and home designers, even DIYers. As this is a large program it requires a PC or Mac with at least 4GB of memory and 5 GB of available hard disk space as well as internet access.
This program can be rented for $49/mo and can be found at https://www.homedesignersoftware.com. This program is also available as a trial version as well as for purchase. Prices range depending on which version you choose Pro being $495.00.
Decks and Landscaping can be done in the versions Suite, Architectural and Professional, professional and architectural being rated better. https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/products/product-chooser.html is a good reference for deciding which program best works for you, detailing features that are available per each version of the program.
Website: https://www.homedesignersoftware.com
11. Idea Spectrum (Paid)
Idea Spectrum is an easy to use program that the Architect version will create 3D landscape designs, design over a photo of your current landscape, add water features (pools ponds, waterfalls) and create landscape plans as well as CAD drawings and includes 17,000 design items.
Other features (but are not limited too) that all versions have access to are: pre-built pools and spas, 15 national brands, ability to import sketchup models, designing single and multistory decks and adding patios, retaining walls and edging. By far one of the programs with the most opportunity.
This is a free trial or paid version that can be found at https://www.ideaspectrum.com/. The Architect 2018 software will cost $399.95, Pro $99.95 and Plus $79.95. This will be a one time purchase, with future upgrades usually being available for a discount.
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Watch the Idea Spectrum Realtime Landscaping Architect video:
Website: https://www.ideaspectrum.com/
12. Planner 5D (Free & Paid)
Planner 5D is a versatile program that can be used to design backyard decks as well as patios, landscaping and other areas within the home. The program itself offers the ability to design in 2D and then see your work in full 3D for a complete picture of how the design will look.
There is also a large database of user created designs for ideas and inspiration. The app can be downloaded to your device via Apple Store or Google Play.
Website: https://planner5d.com/?prcode=53ca04
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13. TREX Deck Designer (Free)
TREX is a designer tool that is available in both desktop version as well as a mobile app. This will create easier access and more options for users to use. To use either of these tools you will, choose deck dimensions and railings, then pick out TREX materials and finishes. The system then makes you a list of the items you will need. This program also has a section for ordering sample boards to help make sure you get exactly what you want!
The only con of this tool is as most others the only materials and finishes loaded into the project are TREX brand, which can cut down the options. To run the desktop version you must be using a windows operating system. Also required is adobe reader 5.0 or higher, Java 6 update 10, Javascript, and a 3D capable graphics card with a minimum of 64 GB of Memory. This program is free and can be found at
Website: https://www.trex.com/build-your-deck/envision-your-deck/
14. Fiberon Deck Designer (Free)
This program includes easy drag and clip options to create a quick and easy custom deck that will allow you to add color materials to the 3D drawing.They offer a gallery of deck plans, a contractor gallery and product gallery to help with your design ideas.
Fiberon tool will produce 3D deck design, installation checklist, and a list of local retailer and contractors near you. This is a free program. You can also download a free deck planning guide with information including deck design options, materials needed and budgeting.
Watch the video on using the Fiberon deck planning tool:
Website: https://www.fiberondecking.com/design-tools/deck-design-tool
15. MiTek Deck Designer (Free)
This deck design software program is easy and fully customizable. MiTek Deck Designer will allow you to add multiple levels, plank direction, size and color, plus many other options. At the end you will be provided with printouts of required materials, cut lists as well as permit submission.
This program does not require any added plug ins and can be saved as a CDV file. This is a free online program
Website: http://tools.diyonline.com/servlet/GIB_Base/usp_startpage.html
Bonus Pick: Simpson Strong-tie Deck Planner (Free)
This simple program will allow you to complete deck designs quickly. It is an easy to use program as well as completely web based to avoid large downloads. The program allows you to design a deck, and then from there print the materials list and permits.
Deck Planner will give recommendations and allows you to see the materials you wish to use for the deck. This program is available on Mac or windows operating systems, and must have a graphics card with at least 64 MB of memory. This is a free program.
Here’s a video detailing the Simpson deck planning software in action:
Website: https://www.strongtie.com/products/go/software/deckplanner
What is the Best Deck Design Software Program?
After reviewing the attributes of each of these software programs one of the biggest factors of deciding which works for you is what you need it for. If you are just planning on completing one deck project for a residential, personal back yard, one of the free software programs offered by one of the big general home construction brands will probably work best for you.
These deck design software programs tend to be more structured to individuals with a little less of a background on designing and building things. This will mean that the software will require less manual work and will be quicker and easier for users, but that takes away a little of the customization, and directions that you can go into.
Two of the most popular standout programs are Smartdraw and Sketchup, while Planner5D is versatile for designing not only decks, but backyard landscaping and patios as well.
For architects, or professional deck builders, the programs that are paid to use or paid by subscription will be better utilized. These will give experienced users access to more customization and options to complete many different projects including deck design. Often the paid versions are used by people who will be designing decks, patios and even landscapes in a professional capacity.
As you notice in the descriptions get more advanced and have more loaded I features, the price goes up. Even some professionals will not need all the possible features, which is why some programs offer different levels at different pricing, to further cater to the individual and individual’s projects. Big or small, any project can be tackled quick and easy with the help of computer aided design and these ones in particular are the top of the market and worth checking out.
For even more design inspiration check out our gallery of backyard deck designs and ideas here.