How can you successfully build a dome home? Shelter Dome will elaborate on the pre-construction preparations, guide you step by step through the construction process, remind you to pay attention to the key details, and finally share how to perform effective maintenance. Make sure your dome house stands tall for a long time and becomes your ideal home.
Preparations Before Building a Dome House
A series of careful preparations are indispensable when building a dome house. These preparations ensure a smooth construction process.
Terrain and Environmental Considerations
Flat land is often ideal because it simplifies the complexities of foundation construction. If the land has a slope, additional land grading work will be required to ensure the stability of the dome house. It is necessary to examine the local vegetation cover, soil type, and whether there is any risk of natural disasters. In earthquake-prone areas, building a dome house requires the use of stronger building materials and earthquake-resistant design.
Material Pretreatment
Arranging the materials to be assembled in an orderly manner according to the order and rules of structural assembly will make your construction work more efficient. Compare the component list in the appendix to check whether the materials are complete and intact. If abnormal problems occur at the factory or during transportation, it can be resolved in a timely manner.
Tool Preparation
Familiarity with the correct use of tools can save time and effort during your installation work, including basic hand tools such as hammers, pliers, saws, screwdrivers, etc., as well as more professional power tools such as electric drills, cutting machines, and welding equipment.
Safety Warning
Wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as a hard hat, gloves and safety glasses. For high risk links such as high-altitude operations, additional safety measures should be taken, such as the use of safety nets, safety belts, scaffolding and other auxiliary installations.
How to Build a Dome Home？
The process of building a dome home can be divided into three main steps: the assembly and installation of the skeleton, the covering and fixing of membrane materials, and the processing and sealing of details. Each step requires precision.
1. Skeleton Assembly and Installation
Use professional connectors and fasteners to connect the various parts of the skeleton. During the connection process, a torque wrench should be used to ensure that the tightening strength of all connecting parts is consistent to avoid structural deformation caused by uneven force. Build a dome house step by step according to the design drawings, ensuring that the skeleton is vertical and horizontal.
2. Membrane Covering and Fixing
When building a dome house, membrane coverage is very important because it determines whether water leaks will occur. The laying of the membrane should start from the bottom and gradually extend upwards, ensuring that each part is smooth and wrinkle-free. Use special film-fixing clips or tape to fix the film on the frame, while leaving enough tension to make the film fit tightly to the frame.
3. Detail Processing and Sealing Work
After the frame and membrane are installed, all joints, edges, and openings need to be carefully inspected and processed. Sealants should be used to seal areas where leaks may exist, such as door frames, windows and vents.
Key Points for Building a Dome House
Structural Connections and Fastening
For each connection node of the skeleton, specially designed connectors should be used. These connectors can withstand forces from different directions to ensure the stability of the structure. Under extreme weather conditions, such as strong winds, heavy rain, or snow, loose connections should be retightened in time to prevent water leakage caused by improper tightening.
Membrane Tension Adjustment
In areas with large temperature changes, the membrane material may undergo tension changes due to thermal expansion and contraction. At this time, the membrane material needs to be appropriately tightened to maintain the best tension state.
DIY Dome Home Ideas
Can I have a lush green dome? Can I have a minimalist dome? Can I add my favorite furniture to my dome? The answer is yes. You can create your own dome house in any way you like.
Interior Decoration Style
- Simple Style
The simplicity of building a dome house lies in minimalist lines and bright space. You can choose white or light-toned walls to avoid too many decorations and details to make the space look more spacious and bright.
- Modern Style
Building a modern dome house focuses on fashion and technology. In terms of decoration, you can choose decorations made of metal, glass, etc., such as metal lamps, glass vases, etc., to add a modern feel to the space.
- Eco Style
The ecological style of dome homes emphasizes the concepts of nature and environmental protection. You can choose decorations made of natural materials, such as bamboo baskets, rattan furniture, etc., and match them with green plants and flowers to create a vibrant ecological space.
Equipment Installation and Configuration
Ventilation and air conditioning systems are an essential part of a DIY dome home.
The ventilation system includes natural ventilation and mechanical ventilation. Natural ventilation uses the design of doors, windows and vents to achieve air circulation, while mechanical ventilation uses the installation of exhaust fans to force air exchange.
For the air conditioning system, you can choose split air conditioners or central air conditioners. Split air conditioners are suitable for small spaces, while central air conditioners are suitable for larger dome homes.
Furniture Selection and Material Selection
The selection of furniture should take into account its functionality and rational use of space. Materials should be chosen for their durability, environmental friendliness and ease of cleaning and maintenance. Choosing furniture made from recycled materials is not only environmentally friendly, but also easier to dispose of when it may need to be replaced in the future.
Dome House Maintenance and Upkeep
Dome houses also face some special challenges when it comes to maintenance compared to traditional buildings. Building a dome house requires special attention to roof drainage and ventilation.
Routine Maintenance and Inspection
1. Roof inspection: Conduct a thorough roof inspection regularly to remove accumulated leaves, branches and other debris to prevent leakage problems caused by rainwater retention.
2. Structural inspection: Regularly check the structural integrity of dome house, including walls, connecting nodes and supporting structures, and repair damaged parts promptly.
3. Electrical system inspection: Ensure the safe operation of the electrical system and prevent fire risks caused by circuit faults.
Frequently Asked Questions and Solutions of Building a Dome House
Q1: Why Does Leakage Occur? How to Deal with It?
Dome house leakage problems are usually caused by aging or damaged sealant at the roof joints. In addition, if the drainage system is not properly designed or maintained, it may prevent rainwater from being drained effectively. Seams can be resealed using a waterproof sealant.
Q2: Why Do Dome Houses Warp?
The deformation of the dome house may have been caused by uneven settlement of the foundation. Minor deformations can be corrected by adjusting the internal support structure. If deformation is severe, foundation reinforcement or the reconstruction of the entire structure may be required.
Summary
When building a dome house, from site selection, and design to construction, every aspect needs to be handled carefully to ensure structural stability and living comfort. Regular maintenance and upkeep is key to ensuring the long-lasting durability of your dome house. If you encounter difficulties during the construction process, you can seek help from the professional dome house construction team.
