Wooden structures are popular among those who love nature and value eco-friendly living, and wooden domes are no exception. Many homeowners who seek a natural lifestyle and unique design often consider wood domes as an option for long-term housing. However, building a dome from wood presents several challenges that can outweigh its benefits.
Things People Might Not Consider When Building Wooden Domes
The building of a wooden dome is not as simple as it seems. Due to the characteristics of wood and the uniqueness of the dome structure, there are several challenges that may be faced during the building process:
Structural Challenges
Domed structures require a high level of consistency in their design, which natural wood alone cannot fully provide. Building a wooden dome house involves careful design, precise measurements, and assembly of multiple wooden pieces. Complex designs, like geodesic domes, need even greater precision and high-quality materials. Even small errors can compromise the structure's stability.
Waste of Material
The material efficiency of wooden domes is relatively low due to several factors. First, wood naturally has defects like knots and cracks, which often lead to waste during the manufacturing process. Second, to ensure structural strength, a large amount of wood is needed to create the main components and parts, meaning a single piece of wood might only be used for a few pieces.
Additionally, the use of scrap wood is limited, especially when bending is involved. The need for precise shapes can result in more waste. On top of that, the low level of modularity in wood domes increases material loss during production. Without a complete recycling system for wooden products, manufacturers may end up discarding a lot of waste generated during the production process.
Unavoidable Gaps
Building a wood dome requires joining multiple pieces of wood, which makes it very hard to completely avoid gaps. First, the complex and detailed woodworking process can lead to small errors, creating gaps where the pieces connect. Second, wood naturally expands and contracts due to changes in humidity, temperature, and the environment. This movement can make gaps even worse over time. These unavoidable gaps not only affect the dome's overall seal but also make it harder to achieve proper waterproofing and insulation.
High Building Costs
Building a wooden dome house requires professional help with design, planning, manufacturing, and assembly. While wooden builders are relatively common, specialists in wooden domes are much harder to find. A basic wooden dome kit from a professional manufacturer costs at least $10,000. However, in most cases with this price, only the frame is made of wood, while other parts are built from different materials.
If you choose to build a wooden dome yourself, it’s important to know that the process is complex. Tasks like design, sourcing materials, cutting, transportation, and assembly are difficult to manage alone. Hiring professionals is almost unavoidable.
For domes intended for long-term living, additional factors like local climate and geography need to be considered. In extreme weather areas, the dome may require reinforcement or extra protective measures. These often involve precise components and detailed fabrication, which add to both the cost and complexity of the project.
Long-Term Maintenance
Since wood is a natural material, wooden dome homes require ongoing, careful maintenance, just like other wooden buildings. These tasks can be time-consuming and must be done regularly to keep the structure stable and safe. Maintenance includes waterproofing, moisture control, fireproofing, rot prevention, and pest control. Any neglect or oversight could lead to structural instability or safety risks, and in some cases, it could result in serious damage.
Alternative Solution-Composite Dome
Unlike the wooden structure, the dome structures offered by Shelter Dome, are innovative and versatile composite dome-shaped buildings designed for various applications, in which one of them is for accomodation. These domes are known for their durability, portability, and sustainability features, making them suitable for both temporary and semi-permanent use.
Durable & Reduces Long-Term Maintenance
Compared to wood dome homes, composite dome house are primarily made of fabric coverings and metal frames. Both components play a crucial role in ensuring the dome's durability and long-term use.
- Metal Framework
The Shelter Dome's frame is made from Q235 steel pipes. This type of steel is strong and durable, ensuring the dome stays stable and safe for a long time. The steel is also coated with powder or galvanized for extra corrosion resistance, which helps reduce maintenance needs and costs over time. This durability makes the steel-frame dome a reliable choice for temporary and semi-permanent setups.
The frame is designed to withstand various weather conditions, including strong winds up to 120km/h, heavy rain, and snow up to 0.5kn/m².
- PVC Fabric Cover
The composite dome is covered with high-quality PVC fabric, offering comprehensive protection against various weather conditions. It features both 950g/m² transparent PVC and 850g/m² colored PVC. The transparent PVC provides excellent visibility, keeping the interior bright and connected to the outside while blocking harmful UV rays. On the other hand, the colored PVC comes in a range of shades, offering customization options and ensuring privacy. Both fabrics are waterproof, fireproof, and UV-resistant, making PVC covered domes durable and reliable for various environmental challenges.
Precision Structure
Our composite domes are built with a geodesic dome structure. The main components include struts, connectors, and fabric covers. The design is simple, and we use advanced CNC machines for precise manufacturing. This ensures smooth production, packaging, and assembly. No complex rework or adjustments are needed.
Efficient Material Utilization
Our composite domes are designed with precision using professional CAD software. We use a modular production process, and both the steel pipes and PVC fabric are cut with advanced machinery to minimize waste. Even any small leftover material is recycled and reused, ensuring that all resources are efficiently utilized without any waste.
Innovative Sealing Technology
Our dome has a simple design with 100% waterproof PVC fabric that keeps most moisture out. We also use a bottom sealing strip and a moisture-resistant floor to ensure a tight seal with no gaps.
Modular Design
Our dome kits are fully modular and precisely manufactured using advanced factory equipment. If you have special environmental needs, we can customize specific components to ensure long-term durability. No matter how complex the design, our domes are easy to assemble. For example, a 6-meter diameter dome can be set up by 2-3 people in just half a day, saving both time and labor costs. Plus, our domes are priced affordably, making it easy for you to create your dream living space.
Conclusion
In summary, while wooden domes have a certain aesthetic appeal, they come with significant drawbacks, including building complexity, maintenance challenges, low material utilization and gaps problem. In contrast, composite domes offer a more practical and efficient solution. For those considering building a dome, opting for a composite structure is a more sensible choice, providing better long-term benefits and usability. If you need our domes, feel free to contact us.
