Shelter From The Storm

A storm, or a bomb shelter has one single purpose, to protect its inhabitants from the worst that Mother Nature, or man can throw at it. A storm shelter needs to be impossible to move, resistant to the biggest, strongest impact of a tornado wind or bomb explosion. It is possible to build a storm or bomb shelter in your house, but the best type of safe room is underground, away from existing structures.

Find a suitable spot near your house where you and your loved ones can get to the safety of the shelter fast. Try to keep it less than a hundred feet from your door if possible. A hundred feet isn't far to run under normal circumstances, but you may have very little notice of a bomb threat, and in a storm, running through wind, rain and falling debris can make it the most challenging 100 yards you ever run.

Dig out a gradually receding slope to an opening with a floor space large enough for the number of people you plan on sheltering from storms. Usually just the number of people living in a single home. Another consideration to think about when considering size is what you will use the shelter for. A small shelter will suffice to wait out a severe storm. An 8 by 8 shelter will allow a family of four to sit and lay down for several hours. However, for longer term survival after a disaster, war or environmental threat where you need storage for food, supplies, and water bottles a 10 by 10 or larger is better. Make the walls of the dugout pit at least five feet tall.


Frame the floor of the dugout with 2 by 4s and stake them to keep them in place.

Pour concrete into the floor area. Smooth over with concrete trowel. Let it dry for at least 48 hours

Create ribs for a side arch wall with plywood. Attach the end of a chain, or chord to each corner of a piece of ¾ inch plywood with the center of the arch four feet. Repeat the step 30 times. Use a hammer and nails and combine 3 ribs together per section to create a 2 ¼ inch rib. Place each of these ribs along each side of the shelter from front to back and secure in place with L-brackets.

Nail plywood up the sides bending it to the slant of the ribs. Place a piece of tarp over the top to seal the roof seam. Cut 2 by 4s to size as braces from floor and secure down the center of the building. Nail the braces to the ribs at the center of the roof and let the 2 by 4s set on the concrete. The weight of the building will hold them in place.

Nail the end of the field fencing to the bottom edge of one side and lay the fencing over the building attaching it to the bottom of the opposite side. Repeat as often as necessary to cover the full length of the shelter.

Pour concrete over the sides of the shelter using the trowel to pack it into place. It does not have to be perfectly smooth. Allow concrete to dry at least 48 hours.

Cut out plywood to fit the door opening. Nail on a door frame and cut out a door opening at the center of the front opening. Hang the door.

Use bricks and mortar to build up from ground to roof covering the front wall of the shelter except for the door.

Back fill the sides over the concrete and over the roof with the dirt from the site excavation.