Deformations of structures due to welding appear much complicated and deformated modes are also complex. As parameters governing deformations are various and effect of parameters on deformations is not well known, precise prediction of deformation due to welding has been a difficult problem. Until now, many research papers as to welding deformation have been published, but the research results can explain only one aspect of welding deformation have been published, but the research results can explain only one aspect of welding deformation and are hard to be used in reasonable prediction of welding deformations in complicated structures. In this study, based on the accumulated results concerning to welding deformations, a practical method to predict complicated welding deformations of large structure is proposed. A simplified model to estimate residual plastic strains is suggested and main parameters affecting residual plastic strains are shown to be heat input and joint restaints. Inherent strain theory and experimental data are combined with the finite element method and welding deformations of large structures are calculated by elastic analysis. Comparison of calculated results with experimental data shows the accuracy and validity of the proposed method.