45 years ago, I built 2 aircrete domes. I used 30" dia weather balloons for the forms (about $20 back then). I built a 1 foot high berm around the perimeter. Placed the balloon inside the berm and added 1 foot of water inside the balloon to keep the bottom flat. I then sprayed 1/2" of foam on the balloon. After the 1/2" foam hardened, I built the foam up to 6". Then I sprayed aircrete on the outside of the foam. After it hardened, I cut in a door and sprayed the inside of the dome with aircrete. After that, I sprayed in and floated the floor. They turned out to be very strong and very well insulated buildings.
Wow, that's amazing and incredible, that you did all that 45 years ago! When you say 'foam', what would that be? Is that the kind of thing people use these days to fill in holes, etc? Like epoxy plastic type foam?
That very cool!! One thing is I think you where spraying shotcrete not Aircrete. The spray foam insulation is what I want to stay away from the main reason being cost. Thats why I'm using Aircrete and EPIC for insulation.
@@AircreteHarry be very careful what foam you use as there have been reports of Cyanide gas leaking out over time and some other gas that is HIGHLY CANCEROUS .There are expensive homes,that have been abandoned.
@@johnryan2193 Aircrete is basically aerated concrete (e.g. concrete with a lot of bubbles, a concrete 'sponge' if you will), there is no foam. It's been widely used as a building material for decades in Europe...
Though its a bit pricey, chain link fencing is ideal for reinforcing one of these domes due to is ability to stretch and flex in any direction. An old friend of mine used it on the outer coat on a 50ft monolithic dome.
Love the fact that you’ve figured out a legal build!! Kudos to you Harry!! Thank you for sharing what you’re cooking up!! Have you shared the process of adding windows to one of these structures?
For engineering purposes, wet concrete and wet soil weigh about 65 lb per cubic foot. That figure can be used to calculate the pressure that the poured concrete will exert on a form or what water-saturated soil will exert on a retaining wall. The pressure decreases linearly from the bottom to the top of the pour. Integrate from the bottom to the top of the form profile to calculate the total force on the form.
Saw some in Casa Grande, Az 40 years ago. Mid June , 120 outside, low 70s inside. Difference was concrete inside, roughly 12 to 18 inches spray insulation outside with solar protection. concrete inside gave it thermal mass with insulation keeping it cooler. It hadn't had the doors installed yet. impressive!!
I've been hoping to find someone building aircrete structures "to code." Thank you. I do believe there must be a lot of folks like me out there, so anyone providing courses on building with aircrete "to code" would probably have a big following! Thanks!
This is not an Aircrete dome But I do have a way to build an Aircrete dome that can meet code. The double dome shell with Aircrete can be made to code.
As a long-time building inspector, the first 2 solutions that come to mind are: Build under 200sf (states other than CA) and have an engineer calculate it out. FWIW I was an inspector on the "super adobe" CalEarth project in Hesperia, CA and a big fan of alternative methods, especially if they reuse construction waste or reduce materials.
Thank You Harry. After looking at all the different videos on dome homes , I always end up watching yours. Again and again. I'm ready to build but I'm having a hard time finding someone to help me.. Anyone out there in Northern Az.?
The reinforcement has been a concern even though I am a big fan of the air Crete dome potential without the expense and design limitations of the Monolithic Dome currently used. In Florida I want a shelter that can withstand hurricane force winds, long damp rains, and termites too - this has great potential. Friends in the concrete business shared info on self-repairing concrete adds that are now available making dome homes much more feasible with building code structural integrity! Looking forward to seeing your place unfold- dream big!
The guys I Italy Texas have been building shot creet domes for 25 years. Up to 1000 ft span, no interior supports. Happy to see someone else doing it as well. Hope you do well.
Yes, Monolithic Dome .. uses the outside to inside, process to create a professional, proven (and critically)safe and insulated dome.. their custom air forms are far more durable .re: this type... It is not easy to achieve consistent thickness using this method .. and since concrete is really only strong in compression. That is critical to the strength. Be careful people. When they collapse because they are made poorly it is ugly and tragic. Aircrete is very difficult to control the modulus when sprayed or hand applied.. casting/pouring is where it shines
Your ideas are brilliant Harry !!! You created an extra strong Air-crete system to code !!! That's the ticket right there !!! No one else has done this yet to my knowledge !!! There's some great dome builders out there, but no one is doing it to code using Air-crete, other then you !!! Congratulations !!! I can't wait to do this !!! Wish I could get your help, but I know your too busy with so many projects !!! God Bless You !!! 🎊👏👏👏👏🎆
Thank You very much for your very Meaningful Feedback Lisa!!! It is very Appreciated & Cherished!! We Welcome You to email us: Aircreteharry@gmail.com We will send you some Information & will keep in touch 👍 👍 It's a Pleasure!
aircreteharry.com/product/%e2%9c%85-online-dome-building-course-step-by-step-by-aircrete-harry-great-addition-for-everyone-who-cant-make-it-to-the-hands-on-workshop-as-well-as-for-eve/ My offer on the website. Very detailed Online Step-by-Step Video Tutorial Course.
There is a great advantage to understanding what you are doing as opposed to most who simply do what they are told, right Harry?! Battle on warrior!😎😎😎
I appreciate how you addressed code issues. Even with the silo house build, if your area has code requirements you have to get architectural and structural engineering approval (BEFORE starting)👍🏼
Around 1980 a guy built a house using parachutes and sprayed the inside. Then he removed the parachute from the outside. It was a combination of concrete and expanding foam. This was a demonstration for tourist tours and possible buyers for neighborhoods he planned for out west.It was called Xanadu and there is a book about it.
I hadn't seen one of your videos for a long time, then this popped up. Very interesting! While I was watching several ideas come to mind. One that I thought of was to make a smaller, garden shed, chicken coop, dog house out of light wood, 2x2 or furring strips, and light ply, that was out of plumb, trapezoidal, smaller at the top of the nearly perpendicular side walls, and a small portion, six inches or so, that could be taken off all the way around the bottom. I'm thinking that I could go over it, roof and all, just as you did the dome with tie-vec, stucco wire, hawk and trowel, or shotcrete aircrete, and so on, but if I left one end open (the end that would get the door, or become an open stable type shed), I could then go in, take that bottom six inches off of the shed form, and I should be able to lower it six inches, releasing it from the shell, and drag it out to use over and over. Or even to just pull out flush to the open end, raise back up and make the same shed 2,3,4 . . times longer. I also think that I could put in some windows, chicken doors, etc along the other three walls with a wood frame wired into the metal lathe to trowel right up too, and they could be finished right in place. I also wonder, if they weren't too heavy, and maybe made on a light channel piece of metal (a metal stud on it's side and tied across the door end threshold, maybe a few in the middle, if it could be drug around a bit carefully, without messing it all up? I might have to fix some cracks if the first one doesn't drag well. I'm a mason when I'm not a chicken herder, all my days off come when it's too cold and snowy outside in the Rockies for mortar. I'd like to make these sheds in the shop, then drag them out. Thanks for giving me some new ideas to think on Harry.
Harry, have you thought about doing the first steps to achieve the initial hard structure, then placing reinforcing materials (bending rebar or a few layers of mesh of some type) followed by covering it with a larger tyvek envelope that is designed to allow whatever thickness you want the dome to be, then pumping in aircrete, trapping it in a layer in between the outer envelope and the initial hard dome you made? (I don't think this would work with normal concrete given its weight, but I think aircrete should work. It would seem to me to be a good way to get your dome shape while avoiding needing to either put repeated layers of shot aircrete or using aircrete bricks. And you have already worked out the process (apparently) of making the tyvek envelope work for you. I really appreciate your persistent experimentation with this! - oops now I see another "part 2" video. Monolithic domes has two neat processes for building domes, but what you have done here is different, to some extent. And using aircrete vs normal shotcrete means the concrete is insulative, removing the need for open or closed cell insulation. By tailoring your forms to have windows and doorways built into them (which I expect you will be experimenting with in the future) it should make it easy to build a multidome connected structure. And your method isn't really limited to dome shapes per se - just to how you can shape the envelope. Keep this great work up! Cheers! JW
I already had that thought in 2017 and build a proof of concept dome. It does work and I will be building a new dome using that system. Check out the first dome. ua-cam.com/video/TlSqBiu7SJo/v-deo.html
Hello Harry. Im getting ready to build my dome. Now i have to find a builder to help me or do ot on their own. Your system is awesome. I'm a subscriber but not getting your notifications. You are awesome. Thank you Harry.
Thank You Michelle! Appreciate You 👍 👍 I left a follow-up comment under your other 2 posts. Email us: Aircreteharry@gmail.com (To get notifications, make sure to click the 🔔 BELL, here on my UA-cam Channel)
Amazing experiments you’re doing for all of us, Harry. Thank you! I know I’m Intrigued with your progress and I’ll be a considering your system with my build. Nice.
there has been talk about using graphene mixed in to all mixed like fiberglass but 10x stronger than steel. this would eliminate possible rebar rusting and expansion,
I love it Harry!.... The forms for the ring beam are fantastic!.... I personally like to put a groove in the top of the ring beam that holds cattle panels and that gives me a straight wall so I can use regular doors and windows without augments... I really like your low pressure airform and the first layer of fiberglass mesh. Maybe there is a way to install the stucco mesh with less work - I can't think of any improvements on your method though... I like basalt rope because it is so easy to work with.... At what point are you turning off your inflator? I saw a "Billy Goat" gasoline powered air blower that looked promising.... I am excited to see what you come up with in regards to the pump, we need something that will pump a sand mix thru a small diameter hose without plugging up.... Keep up the great work!
Thanks Jeff, The stucco mesh is easy to install. in the beginning I had to try a few ways. You will always have an augment no matter how small to keep water from coming into the window or door. After the wire mesh has been covered in cement and cures then I turn off the blower. The pump I'm in development of now will pump sand cement mix.
Welcome to the channel 👍 I teach the step-by-step technique during the workshops & my Online Course: aircreteharry.com/product/%e2%9c%85-online-dome-building-course-step-by-step-by-aircrete-harry-great-addition-for-everyone-who-cant-make-it-to-the-hands-on-workshop-as-well-as-for-eve/ For additional questions, email: Aircreteharry@gmail.com
Very inspiring progress! I've been watching you since before you built your first backyard dome in NY. It's very inspiring to see how the system has developed. Each time you create a new step, I am excited all over again and begin thinking of how I can use your system on my next build.
Harry... what a GIFT you’ve given people, with this video, that are interested in this type of construction. My dear friend turned kin, that’s also 99% of the labor, skill and instruction on my lil family’s (mostly) converted bus, sent me this link. -How beautiful is this, Harry? That you’d share, for free, the hard work you’ve put in to solving problems like, building to code, in the US, on alternative dwellings? Thank you. 🌺 I really hope that blessings are abundant in your project and in your life, in general, this brand new, not 2020 anymore, year. 😊 I would love to learn more and certainly love to see you profit off of your grand efforts. If there’s any other information, cost listing etc, I would be very interested.
Early '80's in Oklahoma city We used a similar methodology to build dome homes. however, we sprayed foam on the interior of the nflated dome form to a thickness of 4" then a tapered shotcrete layered 6" at the base 4" at the peak, inside of that. the shotcrete was a bit troublesome since we were using 9 sack shotcrete with 1.5" steel fibers (no rebar When the shotcrete hit the surface, the steel fibers would form a durable lattice ). This kept the thermal mass on the interior and the insulation on the exterior. for garage attachments we used half cylinder inflatable forms. later in a commune I worked with community members using a more basic method of a rebar skeleton and masonry cement hand troweled in to the lattice. These we buried in to hillsides .
How do you deal with the 6-8 overlapping layers of wire on the top of the dome? Couldn't you run 2 lengths of wire over the top at 90deg then cut shorter lengths that tie in without going over the top ?
Your way is the best way to build it . But my way just gives you a lot more reinforcing on the top. Ones everything is done it will have 8 inches of insulation on top and all the wire will be covered anyway.
Your Tyvek & fiberglass layers are analogous to spacesuit construction, the gas membrane and restraint layer do the same to hold the gas and forces separately. A great example of convergent engineering!
it might be silica fume. an amazing strengthener that makes concrete or mortar waterproof. it also causes the mix to go off a lot quicker. it is used in some shotcrete blends.
@@gemrough He doesn't want to give away the secret sauce because maybe he can get a patent then license it. He invested a lot of time in this so why would he give it away and have others profit from it?
Hey Harry long time not seeing your videos, look thanks to your videos I came up with an amazing idea, ima make a video to show you the concept so you can also apply this to your domes. I just want everyone to know how to make their own house at a low price.
It's interesting that you said you wouldn't feel safe in an all aircrete home. All of the research and practical use studies I've found show aircrete to have superior impact and crush strength, as well as overall stability, as compared to standard construction concrete and/or the cinder blocks so often used in typical modern housing. So, why exactly would you feel it was unsafe? You've obviously been messing with it for a while, so I'm interested to hear your reasoning. I'll definitely check out the rest of your videos for more dome and aircrete content. Thanks for sharing this.
Looks good! ever thought of selling an online course about making that one from start to finish? With 6 more of these planned what a great opportunity to master the process and record it! You can message me if you need help with the online part. Thanks for sharing Harry and God bless you.
@@DesertNails I like Arizona, are there building codes in Cochise county? How big do you want to build? After seeing this video. ua-cam.com/video/RoGuvvzHY1A/v-deo.html I no longer want windows in every dome, now we'll be happy with dome skylights. Maybe some porthole windows in the domes if any.
I love the idea Harry and would love to try to get together at some point and take a lesson before the middle of the next year when I retire, but I have one suggestion, figure out an angled water catching roof that could easily be put on each dome and with 6-10 domes you should have your water covered for the year! I think 10 would be better then 8 as you could then have 2 center "connector" domes to expedite movement between2 groups of 4 domes, maybe Make 1 the dinning room and the other the gathering /living room ect... But really love what your doing!
Pretty neat to watch the process! Definitely going to keep watching and learning before I start experimenting, but this has certainly peaked my interest. 100% going to give this a try.
Very knowledgeable and very creative. I like the way you marry need with process. And I like the way you innovate things including designing different types of mixers.
This building is totally legal to build anywhere in the US... as long as they let you do it. This how America works these days. Thanks for the video: it shines a huge light on how illogical and repressive our local building code enforcement offices are. We are a people that will trade freedom for a feeling a safety every day of the week. Videos like yours expose the con job in real estate: choice is a threat to the current system, and they will use any draconian tactics to keep choices low and values high. So... keep it up, have a subscribe, and hopefully more people will open their eyes.
Oh, I totally agree. Monolithic domes are much more involved. I just thought if you were playing around with different reinforcement methods and material you might want to try it some time. Love the channel btw. Keep it up
Is that Mesa Redonda in the background? Thanks for the video. I am in the process of building my own house. I have a lot of land, so I will be building more homes on my property and may end up doing a aircrete dome.
These people are correct, aircrete and the concept have been used in building submarines for many many years, including using stretched cables on the interior for flexibility. In early persia, egypt, rome, and Mesopotamia era, they knew to add heavy seawater to their brick and mortar mix to increase its strength and hardness. That was 5,000 years ago.
OMG am I glad I stumbled across this you are going to be my new hero when I start working on my hobbit-hole on my parents land now that they have passed away I've been wondering how to make my hobbit-hole and you just gave me every idea I needed and I have got to get that late text aircrete recipe thank my higher power for coming across to you
Welcome Troy! Great idea indeed 👍 👍 Send me an email if you have any question. Here is a link for the recipe: aircreteharry.com/product/latex-cement-recipe-mixing-instructions-tools-needed-links-aircrete-harry/
"So anyway... The ide-EAR is..." (@ 9:20 ) Hey, man. Thanks for the content. I really enjoyed it and you've got the creative part of my mind started this morning. Keep up the good work, you never know who you'll inspire. You might even inspire them to give you some of their money!
I like your ideas. I could get the first layer done and work on it in steps on a regular schedule incase I didn't have all the money at once. I would like to build 2 one for a garage and storage and one for a wood shop. I would put alot of windows in mine for natural light with reinforced shutter system incase of emergency.
I'm just going to put this out there for you young man. I used to build custom oilfield equipment for clients worldwide & saw many Monolithic Dome projects all over the world. They have classes, they manufacture equipment for people and contractors. They also have a preferred contractor list for people looking to build dome homes, grain storage and many other projects. It would behove you to look into what they have going on. It could open a door for you to make some serious money because of the demand. They are the best in the business!
i'm building a dome tent out of a retired military parachute, making the dome frame out of remesh. the frame would be easily adaptable to an aircrete shell, and is completely free-standing and self supporting. i'd love to show you how
Yes, loft can be added. Aircrete is not sprayable, many confuse that. Aircrete is used for great insulation. I recommend using the Aircrete Thickening Agent, which is offered on my website, for greater results & better aircrete production. You may see my older videos proving the concept & showing the difference.
looks like all your metal mesh is aligned vertical with very thin overlap, be good to put some horizontal support loops too, the top of the dome has a lot of layers due to this layout. I think a better way to put the wire mesh is kind of like all 30 - 45 degrees, with cross overs, that way you get good overlap support from both vertical and horizontal loads, imagine a 3 frequency dome you will see there is some kind of pattern strips shapes around 30 degree angle from ground to top/offcenter then loops back to ground again, the top of the dome has minimal overlap too, its probably use less metal too when using both verti and hori loops, but more difficult to build, as long as you get few solid crossover, you can have some gaps that can be patch up with smaller pieces of mesh.
Welcome to the channel 👍 It holds up really well. I suggest using basalt Reinforcement which doesn't rust. Are you asking about a specific location that you have in mind for building?
Good evening - Steve, glad you do. You are welcome to reach out via email: AircreteHarry@gmail.com & we will happily follow-up with you. Have a great evening.
I love your building system Harry I think it’s a real winner but you know what I would really love to see someone build is a yacht out of air-crate, there are concrete ships, just wondering if it’s possible
I like the fact your using the same forming idea they used back in the 60s for a foam dome home in Main. They made the dome 18inches thick at the top and 24 inches around the bottom. As I remember it had no problem with the snow loads and heated cheaply. They used heavy vapour barrier taped together as the dome mold. what do you estimate your dome snow load is? Inside how do you propose hanging cupboards? Interesting idea I would like to see it in a year or two.
Hey Joe, I don't know what the number is for snow loads but being a dome with 3 layers of reinforcement I know it's very high. As for cupboards I can't wait to see how I do that as well. I can say this the plan is to use no wood, so it will be molded cement of some kind. Thanks!
This is very interesting, but have you ever considered a vertical ponywall,with the arch over that. The round structure has always failed because you can't put square cabinets and appliances close to the walls .a ponywall solves that problem and allows for a long structure
Hey Tom, visit AircreteHarry.com for mixing recipes & other products. For additional questions, reach out to us via email: Aircreteharry@gmail.com - happy to assist you if needed.
Harry, I think you have the formula. The light, thin, high rigidity shell will give you a solid foundation on which to lay the reinforcement and gradually build up the aircrete. I'll bet the interior looks great when you pull out the Tyvek!
1608 sq ft house for 40k is attractive. I'm going to El Salvador which is prone to earth movement and your thinking about the layers of reinforcement is in line with mine. I don't want chunks of concrete falling during an earth quake. The cracks can be repaired. I was looking at the price for polyester fabric coated with PVC but your Tyvek idea is much better. Are you sewing or gluing the Tyvek panels together?
@@joel6427 Welcome to the channel, Joel! Agree with you, one would want to avoid the falling parts of cement. The layers work well while providing a grip during the spraying process & reinforcement for the structure during the curing & moving forward. Sewing is the method I use. Varies sizes are available for custom order on our website - as well as video tutorials.
Yahoo! I knew this could be done! I got the idea from a paper mache egg that I made for my son's second Easter party I love this idea but that happens to me all the time I think of things and people make them. Love to see more videos
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45 years ago, I built 2 aircrete domes. I used 30" dia weather balloons for the forms (about $20 back then). I built a 1 foot high berm around the perimeter. Placed the balloon inside the berm and added 1 foot of water inside the balloon to keep the bottom flat. I then sprayed 1/2" of foam on the balloon. After the 1/2" foam hardened, I built the foam up to 6". Then I sprayed aircrete on the outside of the foam. After it hardened, I cut in a door and sprayed the inside of the dome with aircrete. After that, I sprayed in and floated the floor. They turned out to be very strong and very well insulated buildings.
Wow, that's amazing and incredible, that you did all that 45 years ago! When you say 'foam', what would that be? Is that the kind of thing people use these days to fill in holes, etc? Like epoxy plastic type foam?
That very cool!! One thing is I think you where spraying shotcrete not Aircrete. The spray foam insulation is what I want to stay away from the main reason being cost. Thats why I'm using Aircrete and EPIC for insulation.
@@AircreteHarry be very careful what foam you use as there have been reports of Cyanide gas leaking out over time and some other gas that is HIGHLY CANCEROUS .There are expensive homes,that have been abandoned.
@@johnryan2193 Aircrete is basically aerated concrete (e.g. concrete with a lot of bubbles, a concrete 'sponge' if you will), there is no foam. It's been widely used as a building material for decades in Europe...
Did you maybe mean 30’ balloons? Because 30” isn’t near as impressive.
Though its a bit pricey, chain link fencing is ideal for reinforcing one of these domes due to is ability to stretch and flex in any direction. An old friend of mine used it on the outer coat on a 50ft monolithic
dome.
Used chainlink sounds good to me!
Love the fact that you’ve figured out a legal build!! Kudos to you Harry!! Thank you for sharing what you’re cooking up!! Have you shared the process of adding windows to one of these structures?
For engineering purposes, wet concrete and wet soil weigh about 65 lb per cubic foot. That figure can be used to calculate the pressure that the poured concrete will exert on a form or what water-saturated soil will exert on a retaining wall. The pressure decreases linearly from the bottom to the top of the pour. Integrate from the bottom to the top of the form profile to calculate the total force on the form.
Saw some in Casa Grande, Az 40 years ago. Mid June , 120 outside, low 70s inside. Difference was concrete inside, roughly 12 to 18 inches spray insulation outside with solar protection. concrete inside gave it thermal mass with insulation keeping it cooler. It hadn't had the doors installed yet. impressive!!
I've been hoping to find someone building aircrete structures "to code." Thank you. I do believe there must be a lot of folks like me out there, so anyone providing courses on building with aircrete "to code" would probably have a big following! Thanks!
This is not an Aircrete dome But I do have a way to build an Aircrete dome that can meet code. The double dome shell with Aircrete can be made to code.
As a long-time building inspector, the first 2 solutions that come to mind are: Build under 200sf (states other than CA) and have an engineer calculate it out.
FWIW I was an inspector on the "super adobe" CalEarth project in Hesperia, CA and a big fan of alternative methods, especially if they reuse construction waste or reduce materials.
@@foyjamez Thanks! Good info. Much appreciated.
holly cow, even placing the video at .25 speed still going super fast...
Thank You Harry. After looking at all the different videos
on dome homes , I always end up watching yours. Again and again. I'm ready to build but I'm having a hard time finding someone to help me.. Anyone out there in Northern Az.?
Hi Michelle, email us: Aircreteharry@gmail.com 👍 👍
First look - fantastic.
Remembrances to David South, a pioneer in this field.
The reinforcement has been a concern even though I am a big fan of the air Crete dome potential without the expense and design limitations of the Monolithic Dome currently used. In Florida I want a shelter that can withstand hurricane force winds, long damp rains, and termites too - this has great potential. Friends in the concrete business shared info on self-repairing concrete adds that are now available making dome homes much more feasible with building code structural integrity! Looking forward to seeing your place unfold- dream big!
The guys I Italy Texas have been building shot creet domes for 25 years. Up to 1000 ft span, no interior supports. Happy to see someone else doing it as well. Hope you do well.
Thank You!
Yes, Monolithic Dome .. uses the outside to inside, process to create a professional, proven (and critically)safe and insulated dome.. their custom air forms are far more durable .re: this type... It is not easy to achieve consistent thickness using this method .. and since concrete is really only strong in compression. That is critical to the strength. Be careful people. When they collapse because they are made poorly it is ugly and tragic. Aircrete is very difficult to control the modulus when sprayed or hand applied.. casting/pouring is where it shines
If more people used domes as homes, weather issues would be so much less for a lot of people.
Your ideas are brilliant Harry !!! You created an extra strong Air-crete system to code !!! That's the ticket right there !!! No one else has done this yet to my knowledge !!! There's some great dome builders out there, but no one is doing it to code using Air-crete, other then you !!! Congratulations !!! I can't wait to do this !!! Wish I could get your help, but I know your too busy with so many projects !!! God Bless You !!! 🎊👏👏👏👏🎆
Thank You very much for your very Meaningful Feedback Lisa!!!
It is very Appreciated & Cherished!!
We Welcome You to email us: Aircreteharry@gmail.com
We will send you some Information & will keep in touch 👍 👍
It's a Pleasure!
aircreteharry.com/product/%e2%9c%85-online-dome-building-course-step-by-step-by-aircrete-harry-great-addition-for-everyone-who-cant-make-it-to-the-hands-on-workshop-as-well-as-for-eve/
My offer on the website.
Very detailed Online Step-by-Step Video Tutorial Course.
I've watched a lot of your experiments over the last couple years. So very cool to see the progress.
There is a great advantage to understanding what you are doing as opposed to most who simply do what they are told, right Harry?! Battle on warrior!😎😎😎
Yes. I do as I'm told.
@@harrymills2770 🤮
I appreciate how you addressed code issues. Even with the silo house build, if your area has code requirements you have to get architectural and structural engineering approval (BEFORE starting)👍🏼
That's correct! You know!
Around 1980 a guy built a house using parachutes and sprayed the inside. Then he removed the parachute from the outside. It was a combination of concrete and expanding foam. This was a demonstration for tourist tours and possible buyers for neighborhoods he planned for out west.It was called Xanadu and there is a book about it.
I hadn't seen one of your videos for a long time, then this popped up. Very interesting! While I was watching several ideas come to mind. One that I thought of was to make a smaller, garden shed, chicken coop, dog house out of light wood, 2x2 or furring strips, and light ply, that was out of plumb, trapezoidal, smaller at the top of the nearly perpendicular side walls, and a small portion, six inches or so, that could be taken off all the way around the bottom. I'm thinking that I could go over it, roof and all, just as you did the dome with tie-vec, stucco wire, hawk and trowel, or shotcrete aircrete, and so on, but if I left one end open (the end that would get the door, or become an open stable type shed), I could then go in, take that bottom six inches off of the shed form, and I should be able to lower it six inches, releasing it from the shell, and drag it out to use over and over. Or even to just pull out flush to the open end, raise back up and make the same shed 2,3,4 . . times longer. I also think that I could put in some windows, chicken doors, etc along the other three walls with a wood frame wired into the metal lathe to trowel right up too, and they could be finished right in place. I also wonder, if they weren't too heavy, and maybe made on a light channel piece of metal (a metal stud on it's side and tied across the door end threshold, maybe a few in the middle, if it could be drug around a bit carefully, without messing it all up? I might have to fix some cracks if the first one doesn't drag well. I'm a mason when I'm not a chicken herder, all my days off come when it's too cold and snowy outside in the Rockies for mortar. I'd like to make these sheds in the shop, then drag them out. Thanks for giving me some new ideas to think on Harry.
Amazing 😮…. Thank you 🙏🏾
Welcome to the channel 👍
My pleasure - appreciate your feedback!
Harry, have you thought about doing the first steps to achieve the initial hard structure, then placing reinforcing materials (bending rebar or a few layers of mesh of some type) followed by covering it with a larger tyvek envelope that is designed to allow whatever thickness you want the dome to be, then pumping in aircrete, trapping it in a layer in between the outer envelope and the initial hard dome you made? (I don't think this would work with normal concrete given its weight, but I think aircrete should work. It would seem to me to be a good way to get your dome shape while avoiding needing to either put repeated layers of shot aircrete or using aircrete bricks. And you have already worked out the process (apparently) of making the tyvek envelope work for you. I really appreciate your persistent experimentation with this! - oops now I see another "part 2" video.
Monolithic domes has two neat processes for building domes, but what you have done here is different, to some extent. And using aircrete vs normal shotcrete means the concrete is insulative, removing the need for open or closed cell insulation. By tailoring your forms to have windows and doorways built into them (which I expect you will be experimenting with in the future) it should make it easy to build a multidome connected structure. And your method isn't really limited to dome shapes per se - just to how you can shape the envelope. Keep this great work up! Cheers! JW
I already had that thought in 2017 and build a proof of concept dome. It does work and I will be building a new dome using that system. Check out the first dome. ua-cam.com/video/TlSqBiu7SJo/v-deo.html
I had almost this exact same idea when I was a kid but was never able to put it into action. Glad to see someone is developing this idea.
Your Welcome!
Bravo 👏 Don’t ever give up!!! I’ll be working with you one day. Dome structures are advantageous in so many ways
Sounds good!
Where are u located
correct me if im wrong but they are high wind & fire resistant? sooo many will be built in fire ravaged CA, Hurricane prone FL etc...
Hello Harry. Im getting ready to build my dome. Now i have to find a builder to help me or do ot on their own. Your system is awesome. I'm a subscriber but not getting your notifications. You are awesome. Thank you Harry.
Thank You Michelle! Appreciate You 👍 👍
I left a follow-up comment under your other 2 posts. Email us: Aircreteharry@gmail.com
(To get notifications, make sure to click the 🔔 BELL, here on my UA-cam Channel)
The shape is beautiful. You have really streamlined your process. I see you moving with purpose and confidence.
Best to you and the Mrs.
Thank You!!
I’m glad to see you’re use used bottled water to cap things. I too use it at my backyard
Amazing experiments you’re doing for all of us, Harry. Thank you! I know I’m
Intrigued with your progress and I’ll be a considering your system with my build. Nice.
there has been talk about using graphene mixed in to all mixed like fiberglass but 10x stronger than steel. this would eliminate possible rebar rusting and expansion,
Welcome to the channel Steve 👍
Yes, I'm aware of that information.
Glad you made the post.
I love it Harry!.... The forms for the ring beam are fantastic!.... I personally like to put a groove in the top of the ring beam that holds cattle panels and that gives me a straight wall so I can use regular doors and windows without augments... I really like your low pressure airform and the first layer of fiberglass mesh. Maybe there is a way to install the stucco mesh with less work - I can't think of any improvements on your method though... I like basalt rope because it is so easy to work with.... At what point are you turning off your inflator? I saw a "Billy Goat" gasoline powered air blower that looked promising.... I am excited to see what you come up with in regards to the pump, we need something that will pump a sand mix thru a small diameter hose without plugging up.... Keep up the great work!
Thanks Jeff, The stucco mesh is easy to install. in the beginning I had to try a few ways. You will always have an augment no matter how small to keep water from coming into the window or door. After the wire mesh has been covered in cement and cures then I turn off the blower. The pump I'm in development of now will pump sand cement mix.
I love this system
thx man, you turned me around to wanting to build a dome again...will be stayin tuned. love ya too...peace
Me too. Just got out my dome book. And dB 2.
Awesomeness!!! We Love You, too!!!!!!!!!
How do you make your tyvec domes and the mesh??
Welcome to the channel 👍
I teach the step-by-step technique during the workshops & my Online Course:
aircreteharry.com/product/%e2%9c%85-online-dome-building-course-step-by-step-by-aircrete-harry-great-addition-for-everyone-who-cant-make-it-to-the-hands-on-workshop-as-well-as-for-eve/
For additional questions, email: Aircreteharry@gmail.com
Very inspiring progress! I've been watching you since before you built your first backyard dome in NY. It's very inspiring to see how the system has developed. Each time you create a new step, I am excited all over again and begin thinking of how I can use your system on my next build.
That's great to hear!! That's why I make the video. :-)
Harry... what a GIFT you’ve given people, with this video, that are interested in this type of construction. My dear friend turned kin, that’s also 99% of the labor, skill and instruction on my lil family’s (mostly) converted bus, sent me this link. -How beautiful is this, Harry? That you’d share, for free, the hard work you’ve put in to solving problems like, building to code, in the US, on alternative dwellings? Thank you. 🌺 I really hope that blessings are abundant in your project and in your life, in general, this brand new, not 2020 anymore, year. 😊 I would love to learn more and certainly love to see you profit off of your grand efforts. If there’s any other information, cost listing etc, I would be very interested.
Thank for for the kind words. I will have a how to build a dome video course coming out soon with all the details.
Awesome, you are getting my mind moving on this!
Cool keep it moving and make one. I'll have a how to build a dome video coming out soon.
Early '80's in Oklahoma city We used a similar methodology to build dome homes. however, we sprayed foam on the interior of the nflated dome form to a thickness of 4" then a tapered shotcrete layered 6" at the base 4" at the peak, inside of that. the shotcrete was a bit troublesome since we were using 9 sack shotcrete with 1.5" steel fibers (no rebar When the shotcrete hit the surface, the steel fibers would form a durable lattice ). This kept the thermal mass on the interior and the insulation on the exterior. for garage attachments we used half cylinder inflatable forms. later in a commune I worked with community members using a more basic method of a rebar skeleton and masonry cement hand troweled in to the lattice.
These we buried in to hillsides .
Very Cool!
How do you deal with the 6-8 overlapping layers of wire on the top of the dome?
Couldn't you run 2 lengths of wire over the top at 90deg then cut shorter lengths that tie in without going over the top ?
Your way is the best way to build it . But my way just gives you a lot more reinforcing on the top. Ones everything is done it will have 8 inches of insulation on top and all the wire will be covered anyway.
Your Tyvek & fiberglass layers are analogous to spacesuit construction, the gas membrane and restraint layer do the same to hold the gas and forces separately. A great example of convergent engineering!
Thanks for that example!
Couple of inches of exterior foam and then a second shell to cover?
You could do that. I'm using my EPIC cement mix to save money on insulation.
Bucky Fuller of the 21st century. BRAVO
Thanks! I'll take that.
This is great, and it looks kinda fun too!
Thanks, I just learned a lot of new stuff.
Your Welcome!
Looks good guys. Looks like the right way to do the main structure. Of corse you can burry it now with aircrete for maximum insulation. 👍
Forgot to mention that around the outside of the ring beam I'm going to pour about 8inches for insulation.
Wow! You've really been dialing in this process--that's great.
My buddy Dale Hibbs, his father invited this type of home structure years ago. Glad to see what it looks like now
I'm happy to show it.
that's cool you got christopher walken to narrate this
I've always loved Dome Homes, to me this is the best way to do one, that I've seen, when you figure the cost. Wish you were in my area.
I maybe having a workshop in TX. Maybe you want to host one?
Awesome Aircrete Harry! How can we find out about that ingredient that thickens aircrete?
likely xanthan gum... cooking ingredient...
Yea... why make a video and not tell the ingredients!
it might be silica fume. an amazing strengthener that makes concrete or mortar waterproof. it also causes the mix to go off a lot quicker. it is used in some shotcrete blends.
@@gemrough He doesn't want to give away the secret sauce because maybe he can get a patent then license it. He invested a lot of time in this so why would he give it away and have others profit from it?
Coming soon
I really like your method. Sure looks more doable than the earthbags. I will look forward to more videos.
aircreteharry.com/workshops/
Oh no.. earthbag dome is more durable.
Hey Harry long time not seeing your videos, look thanks to your videos I came up with an amazing idea, ima make a video to show you the concept so you can also apply this to your domes. I just want everyone to know how to make their own house at a low price.
Sounds good to me I'm ready.
It's interesting that you said you wouldn't feel safe in an all aircrete home. All of the research and practical use studies I've found show aircrete to have superior impact and crush strength, as well as overall stability, as compared to standard construction concrete and/or the cinder blocks so often used in typical modern housing. So, why exactly would you feel it was unsafe? You've obviously been messing with it for a while, so I'm interested to hear your reasoning. I'll definitely check out the rest of your videos for more dome and aircrete content. Thanks for sharing this.
Looks good! ever thought of selling an online course about making that one from start to finish? With 6 more of these planned what a great opportunity to master the process and record it! You can message me if you need help with the online part. Thanks for sharing Harry and God bless you.
Yes, I have that in mind to do. Thank You!
@@AircreteHarry id like to do the class as im planning to buy some raw land and im just one person
@@DesertNails In what state?
@@AircreteHarry Arizona. Im planning to buy in Cochise county. Extreme heat desert climate.
@@DesertNails I like Arizona, are there building codes in Cochise county? How big do you want to build? After seeing this video. ua-cam.com/video/RoGuvvzHY1A/v-deo.html I no longer want windows in every dome, now we'll be happy with dome skylights. Maybe some porthole windows in the domes if any.
I love the idea Harry and would love to try to get together at some point and take a lesson before the middle of the next year when I retire, but I have one suggestion, figure out an angled water catching roof that could easily be put on each dome and with 6-10 domes you should have your water covered for the year! I think 10 would be better then 8 as you could then have 2 center "connector" domes to expedite movement between2 groups of 4 domes, maybe Make 1 the dinning room and the other the gathering /living room ect... But really love what your doing!
I’m getting ancient wisdom vibes. This is sooo cool.
Cool!
Pretty neat to watch the process! Definitely going to keep watching and learning before I start experimenting, but this has certainly peaked my interest. 100% going to give this a try.
AWESOME KAYCE 👍👍
We Enjoyed your company today.
Glad - gave you a tour & had a great chat.
Keep in touch Brother!!
Glad to see the channel growing. Keep it up! A lot more cool vids to come!
Very knowledgeable and very creative.
I like the way you marry need with process.
And I like the way you innovate things including designing different types of mixers.
why dont you use basalt twine and wind it around? like monolithic domes does on some of their small domes. is suppose to be super cheap.
Not as strong as this system and the rope is more work with all the anchors.
@@AircreteHarry true but that wire is much more expensive?
These are great! It's essentially a Air-Ferrocement Dome
Yes!
Monolithic Dome in Italy, Texas has been doing this for decades and up to code in every city in the country.
What!!!??? You mean to tell me a dude on UA-cam, didn't invent this building process? LOLOL!!!
@Kyle Towers So, he's pissing up a rope! Go figure.
ua-cam.com/video/majSFV6dzG4/v-deo.html
@@monkeyCmonkeyDoo ua-cam.com/video/majSFV6dzG4/v-deo.html
@@txdjay ua-cam.com/video/majSFV6dzG4/v-deo.html
This building is totally legal to build anywhere in the US... as long as they let you do it. This how America works these days. Thanks for the video: it shines a huge light on how illogical and repressive our local building code enforcement offices are. We are a people that will trade freedom for a feeling a safety every day of the week.
Videos like yours expose the con job in real estate: choice is a threat to the current system, and they will use any draconian tactics to keep choices low and values high. So... keep it up, have a subscribe, and hopefully more people will open their eyes.
Welcome to the channel 👍 👍
Glad to have you join!!
Words of wisdom. Thank you - keep the comments coming.
Happy to read powerful words. Truly.
I love that you're working concrete while strapped with a pistol. :)
Amazing! I'm in rural Texas, this would be great! 👍👍
Pretty cool.
Thanks! A little deferent then monolithic domes. This is a much easier way for anyone to build.
Are you
@@AircreteHarry about ready yet I know she
You should get Mr n Mrs Honeydo making more videos 😁
Oh, I totally agree. Monolithic domes are much more involved. I just thought if you were playing around with different reinforcement methods and material you might want to try it some time. Love the channel btw. Keep it up
Is that Mesa Redonda in the background? Thanks for the video. I am in the process of building my own house. I have a lot of land, so I will be building more homes on my property and may end up doing a aircrete dome.
Excellent Harry! Do you have your mixes in your store yet? Can't wait:) your system rocks
Thank You!! Mixes coming soon.
@@AircreteHarry is it soon yet?
These people are correct, aircrete and the concept have been used in building submarines for many many years, including using stretched cables on the interior for flexibility.
In early persia, egypt, rome, and Mesopotamia era, they knew to add heavy seawater to their brick and mortar mix to increase its strength and hardness. That was 5,000 years ago.
It seems to me these could be built offsite in sections and assembled on site for a whole lot less money and expertise
I agree with you, and it's something that I'm thinking about.
how did you expand or blow it up with what ?
bouncy house blower.
" Some Cracks Give ya Gold, other Cracks Give ya 18 years of Arguments, Welfare, and Debt..."
OMG am I glad I stumbled across this you are going to be my new hero when I start working on my hobbit-hole on my parents land now that they have passed away I've been wondering how to make my hobbit-hole and you just gave me every idea I needed and I have got to get that late text aircrete recipe thank my higher power for coming across to you
Welcome Troy! Great idea indeed 👍 👍
Send me an email if you have any question. Here is a link for the recipe:
aircreteharry.com/product/latex-cement-recipe-mixing-instructions-tools-needed-links-aircrete-harry/
So you’re saying I can air Crete
a
bouncy castle
If you do it right yes!
but it wont fly away!
Seems very elaborate at first, but it is simple, just multi staged and seems very affordable and strong as hell.
That's correct!
"So anyway... The ide-EAR is..." (@ 9:20 )
Hey, man. Thanks for the content. I really enjoyed it and you've got the creative part of my mind started this morning. Keep up the good work, you never know who you'll inspire. You might even inspire them to give you some of their money!
Your Welcome. And any money I receive will go to good uses.
I like your ideas. I could get the first layer done and work on it in steps on a regular schedule incase I didn't have all the money at once. I would like to build 2 one for a garage and storage and one for a wood shop. I would put alot of windows in mine for natural light with reinforced shutter system incase of emergency.
Yes it will work great to build in steps.
Not sure how I found you but I'm a BSCE interested :)
I'm just going to put this out there for you young man. I used to build custom oilfield equipment for clients worldwide & saw many Monolithic Dome projects all over the world. They have classes, they manufacture equipment for people and contractors. They also have a preferred contractor list for people looking to build dome homes, grain storage and many other projects. It would behove you to look into what they have going on. It could open a door for you to make some serious money because of the demand. They are the best in the business!
Karl .Gates company name / location.?
@@del5629 Monolithic dot org In Italy Texas. I attended a training session there in April 2019.
Fun to see the progress! Thanks for sharing.
2 Questions:
Could you build these domes on stilts for areas prone to flooding?
Are they hurricane resistant?
Welcome Ogram,
Yes & Yes.
Thanks Harry! Great seeing your progress over the years. Really appreciate you sharing all this
Your Welcome!
This is really interesting! Curious to see the finished product.
Thanks. You will.
i'm building a dome tent out of a retired military parachute, making the dome frame out of remesh. the frame would be easily adaptable to an aircrete shell, and is completely free-standing and self supporting. i'd love to show you how
Sounds Good! Send me photo to my Email address Aircreteharry@gmail.com
Hello! Great video! May I ask how do you make the air form and type of tyvek homewrap? Kind regards!
Thanks Mauricio 👍
Email me for details: Aircreteharry@gmail.com
Talk soon ✌️
Looking forward to a workshop. Appreciate you found a legal way to build
I'd have to put a rebar shell around the dome and then spray on the thickened aircrete. Because I'd want a loft sitting area.
Yes, loft can be added. Aircrete is not sprayable, many confuse that.
Aircrete is used for great insulation.
I recommend using the Aircrete Thickening Agent, which is offered on my website, for greater results & better aircrete production. You may see my older videos proving the concept & showing the difference.
looks like all your metal mesh is aligned vertical with very thin overlap, be good to put some horizontal support loops too, the top of the dome has a lot of layers due to this layout.
I think a better way to put the wire mesh is kind of like all 30 - 45 degrees, with cross overs, that way you get good overlap support from both vertical and horizontal loads, imagine a 3 frequency dome you will see there is some kind of pattern strips shapes around 30 degree angle from ground to top/offcenter then loops back to ground again, the top of the dome has minimal overlap too, its probably use less metal too when using both verti and hori loops, but more difficult to build, as long as you get few solid crossover, you can have some gaps that can be patch up with smaller pieces of mesh.
The mesh is tied together so it's like one wire mesh hat on the dome.
Loved the video. Could you please share how you welded the pieces of the Tyvek together? Thanks
Looking good Harry. Looking forward to the new formula to make aircrete workable. Keep up the hard work.
Have you tried Helix rebar added into the mix?
Welcome to the channel,
Yes, I've spoken about Helix micro rebar in many of my videos.
@@AircreteHarry Thanks for the reply, I am considering doing a Dome home, possibly underground in Thailand. Hoping to make it a Net Zero Home.
How does this structure hold up against saltwater?
Welcome to the channel 👍
It holds up really well. I suggest using basalt Reinforcement which doesn't rust.
Are you asking about a specific location that you have in mind for building?
Love it… can I purchase your
system spec’s
and mentor info
Good evening - Steve, glad you do. You are welcome to reach out via email: AircreteHarry@gmail.com & we will happily follow-up with you. Have a great evening.
Idea: Make a dome or quanzet out of cheap pvc pipe. Cover the dome with tyvek and wire mesh. Spray with aircrete.
I love your building system Harry I think it’s a real winner but you know what I would really love to see someone build is a yacht out of air-crate, there are concrete ships, just wondering if it’s possible
I think you could add Aircrete but better off with a type of concrete for a yacht.
@@AircreteHarry Yes I agree
I like the fact your using the same forming idea they used back in the 60s for a foam dome home in Main. They made the dome 18inches thick at the top and 24 inches around the bottom. As I remember it had no problem with the snow loads and heated cheaply. They used heavy vapour barrier taped together as the dome mold. what do you estimate your dome snow load is? Inside how do you propose hanging cupboards? Interesting idea I would like to see it in a year or two.
Hey Joe, I don't know what the number is for snow loads but being a dome with 3 layers of reinforcement I know it's very high. As for cupboards I can't wait to see how I do that as well. I can say this the plan is to use no wood, so it will be molded cement of some kind. Thanks!
This is very interesting, but have you ever considered a vertical ponywall,with the arch over that. The round structure has always failed because you can't put square cabinets and appliances close to the walls .a ponywall solves that problem and allows for a long structure
Yes I have considered a ponywall I just never knew that was the name. Thanks!
Hey Harry,like to hear about some of your formulas of your mixes.
Hey Tom, visit AircreteHarry.com for mixing recipes & other products. For additional questions, reach out to us via email: Aircreteharry@gmail.com - happy to assist you if needed.
Harry, I think you have the formula. The light, thin, high rigidity shell will give you a solid foundation on which to lay the reinforcement and gradually build up the aircrete. I'll bet the interior looks great when you pull out the Tyvek!
Yes! Interior walls come out smooth.
When you don't pour it all in one go, there is poor adhesion to the layers reducing the strength significantly!
1608 sq ft house for 40k is attractive. I'm going to El Salvador which is prone to earth movement and your thinking about the layers of reinforcement is in line with mine. I don't want chunks of concrete falling during an earth quake. The cracks can be repaired. I was looking at the price for polyester fabric coated with PVC but your Tyvek idea is much better. Are you sewing or gluing the Tyvek panels together?
@@joel6427 Welcome to the channel, Joel!
Agree with you, one would want to avoid the falling parts of cement. The layers work well while providing a grip during the spraying process & reinforcement for the structure during the curing & moving forward. Sewing is the method I use. Varies sizes are available for custom order on our website - as well as video tutorials.
Where do you get the fiber glass mesh?
The local hardware store.
Yahoo! I knew this could be done! I got the idea from a paper mache egg that I made for my son's second Easter party I love this idea but that happens to me all the time I think of things and people make them. Love to see more videos
I have a workshop coming this July. You want to talk about an egg check this out. ua-cam.com/video/cjq4PMC9B-I/v-deo.html
I lived on a ferrocement boat for 20 years... type 5 cement. How do you make the tyvek balloon? It looks really good
Yes. A key ingredient is getting that balloon the proper dimensions.
Thanks for your hard work experimenting and developing quality and affordable housing.
Your Welcome!