Geodesic Dome Homes

[mariner]

Hi Guys,

Aubrey got me thinking about the house and heating system he would like in his new (maybe) retirement home. As you will see from my comments, I am in favour of the geodesic dome homes.
If I was in the position to build a home of my dreams I am pretty sure I would consider a dome home.

These homes can be made of a variety of materials and yet still retain the main positive attributes re: strength, thermal efficiency, adverse weather conditions etc.

Have any of you owned one of these buildings? If you have what is your opinion of them?

I thought that this would make for an interesting subject discussion as it could serve a very useful pose and be practical at the same time.

Just a though on my part - anyone interested or have opinions on this?

Thanks

mariner

[Ronmar]

My wife and I have been looking at domes for quite a few years now. We bought the property we did with the intent of eventually building our own new house. The house we are in now will make a wonderfull barn someday:)

I like the practicality and the structural efficiency of the domes, but they are not without their issues. If you are doing a traditional drywall interior finish, they are VERY labor intensive. they have the advantage of multiple identical panels, but they also have lots of angles and seams, which results in more expensive drywall finishing costs if you hire it done. But there are alternatives to this such as precut hardwood panels in various wood types, which is good as I hate doing drywall. You also need to be able to reach the entire inner surface of the structure which can be difficult on the inside of a 40' sphere. They also can be more complex to roof, and the shape may exclude some of the very nice cement tile and metal outer skins that last forever. they have the excellent advantage of being able to erect and put on the outer skin of the structure very quickly then complete the majority of the actual construction inside out of the elements.

Though they have a large internal volume, which can be used for large living areas, making use of some of the unusual shapes can be problematic. Upstairs areas have no exterior vertical walls, so places where things like showers, headboards and dressers can be placed against are typically limited to interior flat walls. This can really limit design and furniture placement. There are some things that go well with these outer walls such as large bathtubs. But because of the wall shapes, just about every pre-built shower, tub or cabinet will need to be adapted to fit. Or custom built for the application. This also increases the finish costs unless you do your own cabinetry. Closet space can also be difficult to accomidate, and will use up more floor space to get a traditional height against the sloping walls.

Windows can also be another issue. Adapting traditional windows to fit into triangular panels again takes more work and manhours. The custom triangular windows that some kit manufacturers provide are also pretty spendy. From the wifes perspective, how do you curtain a triangular window? Again, it is a custom application, so unless you sew...

They are extremely thermally efficient, less surface area = less area to loose heat, period. But managing the heating and cooling of a large open air space takes some finesse and carefull planning. The building system shown by www.domesnorthwest.com is intriguing. It allows for add-on frames from the main dome structure for walls that can be made to just about any thickness while still using 2X6 framing. I am also of the opinion that a well sealed inner vapor barrier with a breathable outer shell is the way to go in a damp climate, providing that adequate insulation is used. Just like the way to dress here, breathable rain gear over insulation layer. This allows you to control the internal humidity and the air exchange and filter for alergens if you have those issues. They also have pre cut insulation kits that will make that job go real fast.

Even with the listed drawbacks, I have always liked the idea of a dome, and that is what we have been planning towards over the past few years. But I also have all the skills and tools I need to do the custom work required so as to keep it within our budget.

My wife initially wasn't real big on the idea of a dome, but it has grown on her over the years. We have done a lot of looking online and she has seen a lot of pictures that had things that appealed to her. I also think my flair for the unusual has started to rub off after so many years:) One of her friends built one, and we went to visit them several times during construction and she reallay liked the open spaces.

They definitely are unique structures to live in.

[tuffytractor]

If you like high expansive interior ceilings and incredibly efficient insulated spaces, you might want to check out earth sheltered homes.

A friend of mine has just completed his shell, fairly amazing.

picasaweb.google.com/ccocallas/ESTHouse