Larro goes underground

[hunt4570]

Nice project... looking forward to the read...

 

[Larro Darro]

Nice project... looking forward to the read...

Thanks. I'll be learning as I go. This is a first for me.

 

[hunt4570]

Thanks. I'll be learning as I go. This is a first for me.

Yeah, I do that a lot..

You going to pour a concrete floor in it?

 

[Larro Darro]

Yeah, I do that a lot..

You going to pour a concrete floor in it?

I've been looking into soil concrete. That is where you add dry concrete to the dirt already there, till it up, then soak it down. It has one more step I can't remember {some sort of hardener}, then has to be treated with a water sealer. I'm trying to do this as cheap as possible, and that seems to be a low cost option.

 

[hunt4570]

I've been looking into soil concrete. That is where you add dry concrete to the dirt already there, till it up, then soak it down. It has one more step I can't remember {some sort of hardener}, then has to be treated with a water sealer. I'm trying to do this as cheap as possible, and that seems to be a low cost option.

Cool.I've heard of that never new anyone that tried it. Cant wait to see how it does.

 

[rd_macgregor]

An hour or two with a skid steer and that hole would be ready to go...of course, you'd miss out on all that excercise!
Are you planning on solid walls? If so, what kind of foundation/footing will they have? As long as traffic/load won't be too heavy, I think your concrete-soil mix idea might work...but I don't have personal experience with that technique.

I don't think I have the patience (or energy) to do what you've taken on. I'd be more likely to take a shortcut, like this:
LiveLeak.com - Building In A Bag.

The Concrete Canvas web site shows how you can also cut holes for additional windows, in case you don't like living in a cave.

 

[Garycw]

Looks like a cool project. I've read through most of the post, but still trying to figure out the main purpose of the camp is?
Sorry if I missed something.

 

[Larro Darro]

An hour or two with a skid steer and that hole would be ready to go...of course, you'd miss out on all that excercise!
Are you planning on solid walls? If so, what kind of foundation/footing will they have? As long as traffic/load won't be too heavy, I think your concrete-soil mix idea might work...but I don't have personal experience with that technique.

I don't think I have the patience (or energy) to do what you've taken on. I'd be more likely to take a shortcut, like this:
LiveLeak.com - Building In A Bag.

The Concrete Canvas web site shows how you can also cut holes for additional windows, in case you don't like living in a cave.

Wow! That house in a bag is pretty impressive. When it gets to be mass produced and the price comes down, I might have to have one.

I'm using concrete blocks from an old corncrib for the walls, as far as they go. I will fill some of the block with cob {clay, sand and straw} but not all of them. And I will do the regular concrete footer for the walls, with gravel laid down beside it at a lower depth for drainage. Not exactly sure what I will use to finish the walls with, but some sort of wood. I'm planning on windows up near the ceiling on at least three of the walls. And maybe a small covered peep hole on the north wall {toward the road}.

 

[Larro Darro]

Looks like a cool project. I've read through most of the post, but still trying to figure out the main purpose of the camp is?
Sorry if I missed something.

Summer is long gone and fall isn't here for much longer. My gardening is done for the year, so I have three months to fill. Plus my camps on the river and creek have too much traffic for my taste. And since it looks like the pond is going to dry up again, other than cousins coming down to pick huckleberries in the spring, there is no need for anyone to head that way.

And I want to learn how to build underground. Margie and I have talked about a storm shelter, but she doesn't trust my building and although I'm not one of those crazy prepper types, I wouldn't want folks to know about my shelter. So if I have one, I want to build it myself. If I can build this camp so it doesn't fall on my head, I may get started on a shelter.

 

[Garycw]

Well, whatever the use, i'd like to have one too. Hunting or hidden storage of some sort. As long as I can keep the critters out including brown recluse & black widow spiders. When I was a kid, we had a nice under ground camp"fort". I think it must have been a old cement cistern or something. 10'x10'. Also made what I called soddies. Branch frames covered with sod. I've got a bunch of left over cement #10 blocks to do something with.