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A Quick Guide to Dome Homes: the New House Structures

July 28, 2022   Home Improvement

A dome home is a structure with a rather unconventional shape. A dome home is eccentric because it deviates from the regular structural construction basics.

Dome home has walls, a floor, a roof, doors, and windows.  However, they are round or spherical. A dome home uses a shell framework during construction. Domes have been in the construction space for a long time. Spherical rooms are more spacious than regularly shaped houses. This is because a dome home encloses more volume within a small surface. Consequently, fewer building materials are used, thereby reducing construction costs.

A dome home is resistant to wind and solid enough to withstand substantial force. Dome homes are ideal in regions prone to intense storms and heavy snowfall.

Types of dome homes

There are different types of dome homes.

    1. Geodesic- The type of dome home structure lies on interconnected triangles. A triangle is a rigid shape ideal for building the toughest joints. However, the internodes are prone to frequent flooding. But the roof, walls, and joints make it a sturdy structure that can last for decades.
    2. Monolithic- A monolithic dome home is made with a single layer of concrete and other thick materials. The single layer of concrete makes it resistant to bug infestation and other forms of deterioration. The exterior details are uniform, making it airtight, sturdy, and tough.
  • Yurts: This is probably the mother of all dome homes. Yurts are ancient shelters with straight roof rafters tied to lattice walls. Modern yurts have compression roofs, sphere shapes, and lattice walls. They’re also made from modern building materials and use steel fasteners and lightweight insulation. They are low-cost and therefore become popular rental accommodation units.

Advantages of modern dome homes

  1. Versatile-Domes are designed to fit various architectural needs such as cabins, bulk storage, churches, arenas, gymnasiums, and stadiums. Dome structures can be constructed on dry land, by the beach, underground, in mountainous regions, and underwater.
  2. Durable- Dome homes can withstand many natural disasters such as wind and snow. A dome-shaped house only allows wind to move around, which has lesser impact than flat, surfaced walls.
  3. Energy-efficient- A dome home is an energy-efficient space. The spherical shape makes the sun refract within the dome, warming the space sufficiently. A dome home decreases the need to heat and light the house constantly. Therefore, a dome home is an eco-friendly housing solution.
  4. Strong and sturdy- Geodesic homes are increasingly popular due to climate change and associated weather catastrophes. The structural shape of a geodesic dome makes it stable to withstand storms. A dome or sphere is more durable than a square and rectangle. Consequently, a dome home is proportionally bigger, stronger, and more durable than conventional homes.
  5. Affordable- a dome home is a low-cost structure. It has less surface area than conventional homes. Typically, geodesic domes consume fewer building materials, keeping your total building cost low. Many dome homes use fast-drying a combination of foam and cement. Other materials used are timber, steel, and aluminum.
  6. Provides housing solutions – for all a geodesic home is simple to build and maintain. Although it is not a conventional living space, it provides quality housing options for many homeless people.
  7. Unique-A dome home is not your convection house. A dome home makes a personal statement about your taste, style, and preferences.

Disadvantages of geodesic dome homes

Dome homes are popular because they’re cost-effective and a viable housing solution. However, there are some downsides to this housing option.

  • Hard to furnish

It is challenging to find furniture pieces to fit a dome home. A dome home is spherical, and so its corners are curved. One has to request custom-made furniture because the market rarely has ready-made pieces for a geodesic home. Similarly, wall arts and other interior décor are hard to find in the conventional market. Therefore, owning a dome home may be more expensive than buying an ordinary house.

  • Privacy issues

A circular home is an excellent environment-friendly housing option. It allows adequate air circulation and maximizes solar energy. However, it echoes and allows noise to travel around the house, causing noise pollution. Noise pollution becomes more significant with the size of the house: the smaller it is, the more noise circulates within the dome.

  • Construction red tapes

Building a geodesic home may look easy. However, its architectural details make it complicated. Building a geodesic home comes with a lot of red tapes. For instance, it isn’t easy to find doors and windows to fit a dome home. Homeowners associations rarely approve dome homes because the geodesic housing option is unconventional. Homeowners may take years to obtain a homeowners’ association approval.

  • Weak links

A geodesic home has hundreds of joints between the triangles. Therefore, a dome home frequently leaks roofs and windows, especially during wet seasons. Further, depending on the location, a dome home can increase the risk of growing mold and compromise the air quality.

  • Hard to sell

A home is a permanent structure. Therefore, it should be easy to dispose of when you want to move to a new neighborhood. Selling a geodesic home is challenging and can lead to substantial loss because it is unpopular among home buyers. Investing in a geodesic home is not a great business idea because a housing unit remains unsold for years on end.

  • Builders are hard to find

Many construction contractors specialize in building conventional homes. A few architects, roofing, and designers understand the geodesic polyhedrons. Further, designing three-dimensional shapes is time-consuming because dome homes’ walls should all be flat outfacing surfaces.

  • Relatively costly 

Building a geodesic home can be expensive because many building companies must research widely before signing a construction contract. For architectural coverings, a geodesic home should use eco-friendly materials such as fiberglass, steel, plexiglass, and polyester. Further, many house-building kits include only the shell construction materials and not the interior details.

Conclusion

A dome home is a spherical structure. It is energy-efficient, low-cost housing that stands out from the other types of houses in the neighborhood.