Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

homestead - Re: [Homestead] Storm cellars, was Unpreparedness

homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Homestead mailing list

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Storm cellars, was Unpreparedness
  • Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2007 17:40:24 -0700

My ground is pretty flat, Gene. But I suppose that if one dug into the
ground a ways, the dirt from the hole could be used to cover the top
of a shelter and create a little hill of sorts. I guess that would cut
down, a little, on the depth of the needed excavation?

Sounds like you might best make a small attached room out of something substantial, like concrete blocks, reinforced and filled, perhaps with a concrete barrel vault roof, either formed and poured or made of ferrocement. For less weight and therefore less footing requirement, frame the walls with two-by-sixes or two-by-eights to allow for lots of insulation, heavy nail plywood to the outside for strength and rigidity, staple on roofing paper, then a couple layers of chicken wire, then apply three or four heavy coats of stucco, which is really just mortar mix. Add colorant to the final coat and never have maintenance. If drainage conditions allow, make the dirt floor a step or three down into the earth, which will help retain coolth for food storage as well as provide a lower profile to high winds. The simplest entry is to remove an existing window and frame in a door at that point. Done well, you have excellent root cellar, food pantry and wine cellar, as well as a fraidy hole for twister protection. The homestead ideal: one item doing several jobs.







Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page