Terra-Dome Earth Shelter Build

[nimbus]

Sam -- I joined this forum after stumbling across your incredible discussion thread on your Terra-Dome build.

Wow. What a gold-mine of information. I'm about two years out from embanking on my own Terra-Dome project.
I've been doing a lot of research, but still really kind of felt like I was out there on my own as far as finding any
sort of documented hands-on experience with a Terra-Dome design. (As I think was mentioned in one of the many
posts on this thread, Terra-Dome really seems to view itself as a concrete construction contractor, and you are
pretty much on your own for the rest of the details such as water proofing, sub-slab plumbing, etc.)

So needless to say, I was thrilled to find your discussion thread. Thank you so much for taking the time to
document your progress -- successes and problems -- and keeping this thread going throughout your busy schedule.
I've been working my way through the thread, about 10 pages per evening, with a lot of furious note-taking and
researching into the ideas and products you and many of the other posters brought to light.

I definitely had my concerns about the possible water-proofing issues associated with a Terra-Dome, and I have
no doubt that your discussion thread has saved me many mis-steps and costly corrections.

Congrats on your build. Sounds like you can see the light at the end of the tunnel on your project.

I'm just scratching the surface. Over the last month I've had a 1,000' driveway slashed into my property in
the Missouri Ozarks. Site pad clearing and grading is the next step.

Attached is a pic of the general layout of my floor plan. Three 28x28 modules. Three half-modules, and a
11'x60-ish "box". A future separate module may be added later on to provide an additional two-car garage
and storage for a tractor, skid steer loader, and other assorted farm-related goodies. But I'll have to see how
our money stockpile holds out before I sink another $30K into the build.

 

[arkbound]

Hey Nimbus,
You may be interested in these products for waterproofing. Some on this thread have used them.
Videos | Concrete Waterproofing
and also Penetron - Integral Crystalline Capillary Concrete Waterproofing Protection-2012-10-23 I believe the TD people can order them at wholesale prices. It should be a no brainer for any basement as well. You may also be interested in products such as UGL drylock as a paint/waterproofer either inside or outside. Good luck on the TD build. What part of the Ozarks will you be located? I will be over near Grove, OK and heading there soon. I gave up on AR as the tax situation is better for me over in OK. lol I am on a ridge at 1040ft msl and I think the western most ridge on the Springfield Plateau. :thumbsup:

 

[nimbus]

Hey Nimbus,
You may be interested in these products for waterproofing. Some on this thread have used them.
Videos | Concrete Waterproofing
and also Penetron - Integral Crystalline Capillary Concrete Waterproofing Protection-2012-10-23 I believe the TD people can order them at wholesale prices. It should be a no brainer for any basement as well. You may also be interested in products such as UGL drylock as a paint/waterproofer either inside or outside. Good luck on the TD build. What part of the Ozarks will you be located? I will be over near Grove, OK and heading there soon. I gave up on AR as the tax situation is better for me over in OK. lol I am on a ridge at 1040ft msl and I think the western most ridge on the Springfield Plateau. :thumbsup:

Hey Arkbound,

Thanks for the links. I'll definitely check them out.

I ran across the crystalline waterproofing somewhere earlier on in this thread, and that
certainly perked my interest. I'd never heard of that before. Given the problems that
Sam and others encountered with their water-proofing issues, I consider that to be a
top priority to getting a Terra-Dome done correctly. At this point my current waterproofing
plan is as follows:

1. Be on the Terra-Dome guys like a bad rash during the construction to make sure that
there's no flat spots or low points cast into the roof. I've designed a roof contour plan
to provide positive drainage at all points. It might take some extra concrete to complete.
I'll point it out to Terra-Dome and make sure they include that in their bid. And then --
by golly -- I'm gonna do my level-headed best to make sure they stick to that plan.

2. First layer of water-proofing is a treatment of that crystalline treatment you mentioned.

3. Next a coating of some sort of traditional paint-on water-proofing. A bituminous coating
or something similar. Based on numerous previous posts in this thread, I'll double and
triple coat in areas of cold joints and valley locations. And I'll apply a mesh into the
coating at those critical areas also. I don't view this layer so much as a waterproofing layer
as a water-vapor barrier. Concrete cracks. Always has, always will. And I have little faith
in the ability of this coating to bridge that crack, particularly in the long term. So I view this
as mainly a barrier to stop moisture from migrating through the concrete, but having questionable
effectiveness at stopping water intrusion at valley points, cold joints, and cracks.

4. Then I'll dump down some granulated bentonite in the areas of the cold joints and valley areas.
If all my other methods fail, hopefully the bentonite will step in and seal up some minor cracks.

5. Not a water-proofing layer, but next layer is the foam insulation board.

6. Over the foam board I'm going to lay down EPDM roofing or pond liners. The liner will also
be placed on the walls, and the the liner from the roof will be extended out several feet past the
wall lines. This is going to be a pricy upgrade, but after what I've read from other people's
experience, I'm convinced it's money well spent.

7. 4" flexible drain pipes bedded in clean gravel will then be installed along all the valleys,
and run out to daylight about 10' past the wall lines.

8. The soil in the area has a lot of chert rock in it, that's razor sharp when broken. So unfortunately,
I think I'm going to have to pay to have some clean top soil or other non-sharp backfill material
brought in. I'll layer that down over the EPDM liners a few inches thick just to buffer it from the
rocks in the regular fill.

9. Finally, the regular backfill goes on over everything, paying attention to maintain positive drainage
in that final grading.

10. And as you mentioned, the inside will get painted with a layer of dry-lock, just as a final precaution.

11. If it still leaks after all that, I think I'll just break down and cry. :confused3:

Is it over-kill? Maybe. I'm convinced at this point that just painting on a waterproofing layer is not adequate.
And digging the whole mess back up to try again sounds like a nightmare. I'd rather just throw money at
the problem in the hopes of getting it done right the first time. I was sort of leaning in this direction anyway,
but the additional costs were concerning. But after what I've read, I think it's money well spent.


Location: I'm just a tad south of Warsaw, on the west side of Truman Lake.
(Not actually "on" the lake, but within a couple of miles.)

 

[SamWalton]

Great plan on water proofing. We haven't had any leaks yet.

 

[SamWalton]

I was planning on installing a Goodman heat pump but because they didn't provide the discount I have started installing the Green Wood boiler

 

[SamWalton]

We purchased our Goodman heat pump and are prepping for install. We also purchased 10 240 watt solar panels and two Outback charge controllers. We are still working out the install details

 

[dave1949]

Hi Sam, good to hear from you again.

 

[jinman]

Sam, how has the house been this winter for warmth and moisture collection? Are your heating coils in the floor working out? I'm sure the heat pump will help with moisture removal. Reducing humidity has always been a slight concern with the earth-shelter design.

 

[EddieWalker]

Did you get any snow? How does the concrete do with it? Can you even tell it's snowing outside when you are inside?

Eddie

 

[SamWalton]

Hello to all and thanks Dave I will be checking in from time to time to keep you all updated.