(Comments interspersed below...) On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 6:17 PM, Vinay Gupta (Hexayurt Shelter Project) <[email protected]> wrote:
>> 1. Is there an "ideal" thickness of Thermax HD to use? I will have >> significant snow loads to deal with in the winter and the more >> insulation I can get, the better. But the 2" boards are already $53 >> each and sound like they will be more than a handful to manipulate on >> site. > > 2" sounds pretty reasonable. 1" is warm, 2" will be warmer, and stronger. At $53 a board... OUCH! > Remember these are foam panels. I'm not *at all* sure that even a Pentayurt > in 2" thermax will survive three feet of snow - you're talking about a ton > or more of snow over that roof area... I still want to see this tested. The even distribution of snow vs. a weight in any one point is the key. In icy or "falling snow" conditions (such as under eaves or trees), no I don't think it would hold up, but natural snowfall? More likely. >> 4. I happen to have a concrete slab already in place where I plan to >> build this... Any suggestions on anchoring? I have a friend who is >> well-versed in conventional building techniques, so I know that he can >> help me drill the slab and put in anchors - just tie to these instead >> of using stakes, etc.? > > Yep, that's how I'd approach it. Also keep in mind the cold will get inside through the concrete floor unless you insulate the inside. With showload, the hexayurt design is likely to stress most along the seam between the alls and roof panels. I'd run a couple layers of tape along this area plus an overlap above and below, just to make sure. > Not trivial *at all* Robert. I'm only sorry we don't know the answers! > > But please write up what you do and what you learn, and we'll get the whole > thing figured out over time, a building at a time. As those on this list can attest, I've been trying to get a hexayurt (or pentayurt) set up in New England for destructive testing under snow load to see the limits. So far, we simply have not been able to afford to buy panels we are reasonably certain won't last. Even the 1" is un-affordable in the current economic condition of those I've been able to get in on it. I have had an offer for tape and I found three locations, from central MA to northern VT, but no panels... Brian -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hexayurt" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hexayurt?hl=en.
