Dome in the Maryland Woods
Building the Dome 1: from ground up
backhoe digs a 30' circle
back hoe operator Al Woolfolk was very careful not to hurt trees.
preparing to pour foundation concrete
Jean Marc Sellen of Metz, France, white shirt; John Bentley, of Ontario Canada, turquoise shirt,was an engineering student. He now works for a construction company. He has also been a school teacher. The people who helped me were wonderful friends and did not get paid - they did if for friendship and joy of creation.
pouring the concrete
the cinderblock ring on which the house sits
the crawl space is fairly big. I am very tall, but i can't stand up in it, but if I crawl I don't come close to bumping my head
installing the sill
the universe was tilted that day
concrete parged, bottom sill set
that sill is 3 layers of 2x12 bolted together, except 5 layers (equivalent to 10x12) in the central span. the parging prevents entry of moisture. There is also a French drain around the bottom
putting in the floor
2x12 joists