My wife and I don't plan to remain in our little white house forever, for while it is a serviceable dwelling, it isn't our dream home: a geodesic dome home.
This is an example of a wooden geodesic dome by Oregon Domes. Geodesic domes are built from a network of triangular panels that form a spherical shape, and enclose the most space with the least surface area: compared to the shell of a square house, a dome home of the same square footage requires one-third fewer building materials. The geodesic structure is incredibly strong and resists hurricanes, earthquakes, & tornadoes. They are more energy efficient than square homes, often cutting heating & cooling bills by half. They can be brighter inside than it is outdoors. They don't cost any more than square homes. And you can buy them in a kit and assemble them yourself—up to a 4000 square-foot home.
However, with our experiences with termites and wet rot in our current square home, our dream home isn't just a dome, it's a concrete dome.
This is a concrete geodesic dome by American Ingenuity Dome Homes. AI Domes are assembled from pre-made triangular panels. Each panel has two layers: ¾″ of steel-reinforced concrete, and 7″ of rigid foam insulation (R-28). The panels are placed over a temporary wooden framework to form the shape of the dome; then concrete is troweled into the seams to form a solid structure. The resulting home withstands 150 M.P.H. winds and magnitude 9 earthquakes.
Lastly, I'd like to mention the Monolithic Dome Institute. Their domes are not geodesic. They are built by inflating a large vinyl airform in the shape of the dome, and spraying the inside with 3″ of foam insulation. Steel rebar is attached to the foam, and 3″ of concrete is sprayed inside that. This is the strongest dome of all. It's even bullet-proof, if you have problems with that in your neighborhood. And of course, no one will make you paint it pink.
For us, we think that concrete is the way to go. Its advantages:
- No need for roofing; just paint or stucco. Roofing a dome can be a large expense because domes are mostly roof. You'll need shingles, tar paper, ice shield, vapor barrier, etc.. Monolithic Domes need stucco & paint; AI Domes need only paint. I've seen estimates of up to $12,000 for roofing a wooden dome with standard asphalt shingles.
- Made of concrete!
- No termites, beetles, or other insects will eat it.
- Mice, rats, squirrels, and birds can't move into the walls (due to the lack of hollow spaces filled with easily-disturbed fiberglass insulation).
- Concrete won't burn. And if you use steel studs & joists with sheetrock for the interior walls, they won't burn either.
- Concrete won't rot down around your ears if you get a water leak.
On the other hand, wooden geodesic domes are king with the do-it-yourselfer. One person could while away the months slowly building the home of his dreams from scratch, and at an unmatchable low price.
In the end, in a reversal from this web page of the past, our choice is now the Monolithic Dome. Why the change? Well, we remodeled our kitchen, and in the process I discovered that I'm not a carpenter. Previously, we wanted an AI Dome, because its panelized construction seemed easier for the do-it-yourselfer. Now that we know that our dome will be built by a contractor, there is little difference in price between Monolithic and AI, and we feel that the Monolithic Dome is the superior structure.
Here are some more of my favorite geodesic dome home sites:
If you'd like to talk with others about geodesic domes, join the Dome Homes mailing list. Their web page also has a photo gallery and dozens of links to other geodesic dome web pages.
These are wooden geodesic domes with a double-strut system for wall thicknesses up to 21″. This allows up to R-66 insulation with standard fiberglass batts, and provides a fully-ventilated shell to prevent condensation within the walls.
Another popular wooden geodesic dome manufacturer.