My concern with using styrofoam is the long term environmental impact. In the short term it's great, we've managed to upcycle styrofoam and contain it in a building structure. But when that building eventually degrades or is demolished we now have fine styrofoam dust that would be impossible to contain. I might be wrong but this concerns me.

@KnowItAllTeen Aloha Eli,
Iʻm Thomas, new to this forum. I have had this same/similar idea I think. I want to create a plywood panel for a ceiling. I vision the plywood having tar paper as the moisture barrier, then aircrete covered with re-enforcement fabric with a painted on waterproof membrane over this and finally sod for a living roof. It seems plausible to me but I have no experience yet.
I am registered to attend the February workshop on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Your question is relevant to my own so Iʻll be following this post. Thanks for posing it.
Malama Pono,
Thomas

@Kia-Nasseh Lining aircrete molds with thin plastic sheets is a common practice. The use of vinyl, even ultra thin plastic kitchen wrap, is very helpful especially if the plastic is then coated with oil.

Hello
crack filling may only last one or two seasons depending on the cracks activity, crack sealing can last up to 8 years or more and is considered a permanent treatment. And it can be done on the temperature 40°F.

@KnowItAllTeen

I was thinking of using a product called quick Crete it’s a liquid concrete crack filler in a bottle and then gacco roof 100% silicon recommended by Steve Arreen he said hadjar was using it

@Ignacio-DHOME Do you cut the windows?

@KnowItAllTeen Pex is a flexible plumbing pipe, and that is not the geometry I was thinking of.

Something I think we need to consider is that the demand for single family homes are shrinking. Middle density neighborhoods, duplexes, multiplexes, etc. are rising in popularity. As the single family zoning laws get slowly rolled back, there will be more of what there is demand for. So what if you made these middle density building out of aircrete? It should be possible. Would you need wood for all the platforms for the floors? Could you use something else? What do you guys think?

By the way, sorry I have not been on for a while. I've been busy.

Hi to all AirCeters,
I just started to prepare blocks for our dome-project. And I put some samples to the material testing lab at the university of Costa Rica. The results are 3 kg/cm2. This means about 42.7 pounds / square inch. In the cross-section image of the E-Handbook there are noted 70 lb/si.
Can I use my blocks? Or what can I do to improve the strength of my blocks? (I use the original Domegaia recipe and form). Thank you very much for your comments.
Ralf

@KnowItAllTeen following

@Annesley and @Ignacio-DHOME :

would you build a ferrocement home with dome roof and earth sheltering in FL? As long as heat/moisture producing elements are already outside the enclosed space and indoor rooms have windows for ventilation and A/C for the hottest summer months? Would you still use a thick vapor barrier between the ferrocement roof/walls and the dirt sheltering it, or would the waterproofing in the ferrocement be enough as is? Thanks so much in advance! Do you know someone who could do the engineering/plans for our home?

@Ignacio-DHOME Also very curious to know this.

@Zander Thank you for your help. I'll explore other possibilities that can be done with speeding up the creation of domes. I understand it sounds like I'm in a rush. I am thinking a little more of an industrial process that can get as many people in as many high quality houses as possible. It's an idea that I am floating. Also, thank you for the welcoming.

@KnowItAllTeen Not fractals. But, yes, arches can readily branch and intersect with other arches at any angle, especially if the arches are of the same shape and size. Architecturally and structurally, domes do seems to be the perfect hub, node, or joint between arches.

@zDotEnergy You're right it's a leak. Well, I am just wondering if a solid dome from is plausible, eco-friendly and economical.

@knowitallteen Nevertheless, they're a company. Like all companies, they use the profit to expand their cause or business. So, when that cause is providing people skills and tools to build their own, you have something great that is rolling.

@lukechristensen said in New to aircrete and domes:

@zander would it be better to make one giant done or a few smaller ones

Only you can answer that question. There are pros and cons to both approaches. This question applies to dome homes similarly to how it would apply to any other building method.

Smaller structures are generally easier to build. This is particularly true with domes because they tend to get taller as they get wider. The more work that must be done from a ladder or scaffold the more risk of injury exists. Small structures are the best way to learn any building method. Perhaps the best approach to learning any building style is to first build a cat house, then a dog house, then a cabin, then a small home. Many people can't afford such luxuries of time and jump right into it. That works too.

Larger domes generally cost less per cubic foot, assuming the same wall thickness. This includes the cost of materials as well as labor.

Several smaller structures provide more autonomy and privacy for members of the household. Having multiple smaller specialized structures can better integrate with the terrain and encourage a more outdoor lifestyle. That being said, domes can be quite easily conjoined directly or via arched passages to create a seamless domeplex where each dome may be compared to a "room" in a modern "house".

I am sure there are many more factors that could be considered on this topic.

@ignacio-dhome By how much? Do you know?