Building A Concrete Block Storm Shelter

You can use the existing basement slab floor assuming that it is reinforced and meets fema requirements.

Building a concrete block storm shelter.

You ll remain safe even if your house falls apart. Concrete blocks are another quick relatively simple method for building a saferoom. A storm shelter is a super strong safe room designed to withstand dangerous high winds tornadoes and flying debris. But you can build your own storm shelter on top of your concrete slab foundation that you can use to protect yourself during a storm.

Make sure that the thickness of the walls is 5 inches. Then build a sturdy frame to support the shelter. Icfs are basically forms for poured concrete walls that stay in place as a permanent. Things you will need precast concrete shelter pieces shovel 1 1 2 yards concrete 12 pieces of 1 2 inch rebar 9 feet long 1 board 2 by 6 inches 12 feet long.

So what you want to do is building a wall by simply laying concrete blocks which are easy to handle. These pipes will be the shelter s ventilation system. Use some binding agent between the concrete blocks once you have laid the walls inside the hole you dug you need to put wire mesh made of steel in shape of a dome against these walls. The easiest and cheapest way to build your own storm shelter underground is to put it in your existing basement.

If you live in tornado alley in the panhandle of texas or are worried about. 12 wooden stakes framing level box of concrete framing nails hammer wooden concrete float trowel 4 boards 1 by 4 inches 10 feet long epoxy. Bolt a 2 inch pvc pipe into each corner of the building with plumbing brackets and concrete screws. We show you a type that you can build yourself.