DIY Prefab Dome Homes for Owner Builders

DIY Prefab Dome
Owner Builders
Homes
for
The American Ingenuity Dome Kits
are DIY Prefab Dome Homes for Owner Builders or for a Contractor
The prefab dome kit can be a Do It Yourself Project with the
owner builder utilizing family and friends or hiring his own
workers for kit assembly.
Or the home owner can hire a
builder who hires the independent Kit Assembly Specialist who
travels world-wide to supervise your kit assembly and the
application of the first layer of fiber concrete into the
panel seams and onto the entryways and dormers. Then either
your workers or your builder’s workers complete the second
layer of concrete in the seams & on the entryways and dormers.
For interior finishing complete yourself or hire local
subcontractors to complete the plumbing, electrical, framing,
window/door installation, wall board finishing, kitchen
cabinetry, bathroom fixtures, etc. To view pictures of prefab
concrete panel assembly, click on Dome Kit Assembly.
American Ingenuity’s (Ai’s)dome kit is affordable, strong and
can be assembled by Do It Yourself individuals because the kit
is engineered as a system of pre-finished prefabricated
component panels. Each panel is cut at a computer-generated
angle so that it fits flush with the adjacent panel. The edges
are precisely beveled at the seams where steel and concrete
will unite to complete the structure. All panel materials are
noncombustible and contain no food source for mold growth.
Building an Ai dome from prefab concrete panels makes home
construction easier than stick built construction and results
in the dome exterior having a 225 mph wind and F4 tornado
guarantee. The process of stacking the panels,
overlapping/locking the steel mesh of adjacent panels and
filling the seams with special fiber concrete, produces the
structural components of the home, the finished concrete
surface, installs the insulation and all the dome shell 1/2″
drywall.
This advanced building system makes it easier for an owner
builder to construct an American Ingenuity dome than a
conventional house or a wooden dome. No exterior walls, no
roof trusses, no sheathing, tar paper, or shingles, no soffit,
exterior trim, insulation or siding to install and no interior
shell drywall to install. During the dome kit assembly, owner
builders or builders can email pictures of the kit assembly.
At no cost to you, Ai will review the pictures and give
feedback about rebar and cable installation, etc.
Due to
large size of panels in 45′ and 48′ domes, considering hiring
the consultant to assist in your assembly.
Nomenclature
Nomenclature
Nomenclature
Nomenclature
The building
Diagram for Downloading & Printing
Diagram
Diagram for Viewing in Browser
Diagram
plans contain blueprints for the installation of
the foundation and installation and location for each panel.
Within the plans is a nomenclature blueprint that shows
lettering and numbering for each panel. An example of a
nomenclature blueprint is above.
An Expanded Assembly Manual is now available with each dome
kit order that explains step by step the panel assembly. (Once
a deposit with signed order is received, the manual can be
shipped). In the blueprints and Manual is the recipe for the
concrete. Ai wants the concrete mixed on site to have the same
properties as the concrete that is applied at our factory; as
a result the same two liquid admixtures and fibers are shipped
with each kit. In the manual is a list of tools and materials
to have on site. To view a list, click on Materials and scroll
down the page to view the list.
American Ingenuity’s prefabricated component panel consists of:
1.
7″ thick, rigid, nontoxic E.P.S. Insulation (not
Styrofoam): The E.P.S. Ai utilizes is a closed cell with a 1
lb. per cubic foot density. Seven inches of sturdy, rigid
R-28 expanded polystyrene foam insulation forms the core of
each component panel and is:
Permanent
Chemically/thermally stable
Resistant to mildew and mold
Provides
no
nutritive
value
to
animals/plants/microorganisms
Non-irritating to the skin
The insulation will not rot, shrink, absorb moisture,
compact, or deteriorate due to age or the weather.
No CFC, no HBCD (hexabromocyclododecane), no TCPP (1-
chloro-2-propyl) phosphate, no Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)
and no Formaldehyde
2.
Concrete: the concrete in your dome out performs other
exteriors due to our specially developed formula. Because of
this exceptional composition, it actually gains strength over
the years. The special concrete formulation of fibers and
admixtures improve concrete characteristics.
3.
Galvanized Steel: Galvanized steel wire mesh is encased
in the concrete of each panel. As your dome is assembled the
mesh of each panel overlaps and is locked to the mesh of
adjacent panels with C rings commonly called hog rings –
resulting in your home being completely wrapped by steel mesh.
4.
Half inch (½” ) Georgia Pacific DensArmor Drywall: The
DensArmor is not conventional sheet rock. Conventional sheet
rock consists of conventional gypsum and paper backing. The
paper backing can be a food source for mold growth. Sheet rock
when it gets wet crumbles and molds. The DensArmor gypsum when
it gets wet does not crumble due to fiberglass reinforced
core. It has fiberglass backing on both sides. After the
DensArmor dries out it goes back to its original firmness and
consistency per the manufacturer.
Concrete Home
Dome Exterior Has No Wood To Burn or To Rot or For Termites To Eat
No Shingles or Roof to blow off in high winds
To support the panels during dome kit assembly, a temporary
wooden rib system is installed. Once all the seams are
concreted and the entryways and dormers are concreted, the
dome is self supporting and the wooden rib system is removed.
Most of the wood can be recycled as interior framing.
45′ dome – assembly of third row of panels
In this view of dome kit being assembled a side view of a
component panel can be seen. The panel exterior is 3/4″
concrete reinforced with galvanized steel mesh. After the mesh
is overlapped and locked between panels, special fiber
concrete mixed on site is hand troweled in the seam areas in
two applications — bonding agent is applied between the two
layers. The seam areas are about 3″ deep by 5″ wide with
average of 2″ thick concrete. In this picture you see the
first scratch coat applied to the exterior of the entryway
panels and first layer of concrete in some of the seams
between the panels.
Steps for American Ingenuity Concrete Building Kit Assembly:
Foundation installed. Standard foundation is monolithic
slab; however Ai can design basement plans, pilings or
columns, stem wall, etc.
Depending on size dome two to five workers are needed.
Some with concrete experience.
Installing the first row of panels which are the 4’
vertical riser panels, base panels of the entryways and
any first floor door dormer base panels
Erecting a temporary wooden rib system to support the
triangle and riser panels during assembly using your
locally cut, drilled and painted 2×4’s bolted to steel
hubs borrowed from Ai.
Placing the panel’s one row at time using a hoisting
mechanism (man lift) on to the rib system.
overlapping steel mesh from adjacent panels, locking
mesh with C rings and pliers and depressing the steel
mesh in the seam
mixing concrete with mortar mixer following concrete
recipe in the manual (Portland Cement Type III, masonry
or stucco sand, fibers, liquid admixtures)
installing cables per blueprints
installing rebar around back of entryway panels, back of
first floor door dormer panels, top of entryway panels &
around first floor window dormer panels per building
plans
form up and install beams or troughs around lip edge of
entryway panels, first & second floor door dormer
panels, channels in top of the entryways
Concreting the seams between the panels (5″ wide and 3″
deep) with two separate layers of concrete using a
bonding agent between the layers; and watering down all
cured concrete before applying bonding agent or new
concrete. Seam areas average 2” thick concrete.
Concreting the entryways, window dormers, door dormers,
cupola and link with two layers of concrete. Sponge
float finish the final layer of concrete to blend seam
concrete to the panel concrete.
Framing in the entryways and dormers and installing your
locally purchased exterior doors and windows.
Removing the temporary wooden rib system. Return the
steel hubs to receive a full deposit refund if returned
during five month rental period and if all hubs are
intact.
Wash efflorescence off concrete, prime, paint the
exterior concrete per waterproofing instructions in
Assembly Manual.
Onsite concrete is only applied in the seam areas between the
panels and on the entryways, dormers (or possible link or
cupola). Concrete is not applied over the pre-concreted
component panels. The interior shell drywall can be finished
similar to conventional sheet rock with adhesive fiberlass and
joint compound. To blend the seams joint compound can be skip
troweled over the drywall before priming and painting.
To learn more about Hoisting Mechanisms click on Hoisting. To
learn more about entryways, dormers, etc. click on Building
Options.
If I am not ready to assemble my dome immediately, can the kit
be stored outside? Yes, however if you expect to have your kit
outside for more than two to three months, request that the
E.P.S. edges be painted. On site if you need longer than 2-3
months prior to assembly, then on site the EPS edges can be
painted again. (some boxed items & wooden 2×4 ribs if ordered
should be stored inside.) The dome kit should not sit outside
in the winter as freezing can harm the drywall.
Please call
us for details at 321-639-8777 – Monday – Friday 9-5 eastern
time.
American Ingenuity – 8777 Holiday Springs Rd. – Rockledge,
Florida 32955
email: [email protected]