My neighbor used a small steal shipping container that is anchored using concrete and steel beams hammered 20 feet into the ground and welded..He paid less than $1000 and is sweet, well built and very safe.
Having been through a tornado in a safe room I can say that this shelter is NOT anchored to the earth and may tumble if there is a direct hit. (Wadena MN Tornado. Our house was the first house destroyed in town)
That was my first thought. First of all, I am sorry for your tremendous ordeal. I can't tell you how many times we ran to the storm cellar when I was a kid. But if a tornado can toss a bank vault, this will be tossed as well; the weight won't save it, or those taking refuge. It needs to somehow be anchored. Or put it in the basement of a building that is being built, possibly. Would not be my choice. I see problems with a LOT of storm shelters they sell now. A lot of below-ground ones are popping up out of the ground, not anchored in place either. Its a crying shame people are being preyed upon (using fear, no less) to purchase fraudulent shelters. 😥
Normally an engineer will call for rebar ties sticking out of the foundation that the blocks go over. That tie the wallls to the foundation with the next pour. Yes this was a flawed demonstration and it what a to code example would be. Nice catch y’all
Yes, the rebar and no chairs is a problem, not round is a problem, the lip is a problem, the door is a problem, the width of the walls is a problem and the biggest problem is the lack of a proper footing for such a shelter. However, what turned me on was the fact that it was a monolithic pour. One big, bad ass pour with no blow outs. Good thing!
We had a huge tornado come thru Moore Oklahoma then thru Oklahoma City and Midwest city. It picked up a covered hopper rail car which weighed about 63,000 pounds. 1/4 inch steel. it ripped it into three pieces and tossed them half a mile. One piece went into a building and one went into a ditch about a block from that. I do not want to be in anything above ground.
May 3, 1999 Moore OK F5 tornado leveled everything in its path. Local meteorologist, Gary England told viewers to “get underground if you want to survive”.
I'd rather be stuck inside for several hours than have that door blow in killing someone. Always have the door open outwards and always notify your local or community fire station you have a shelter. They will check on you if involved in a storm.
Given the choice of seeking shelter between the stick built house or this concrete bunker, hands down the concrete bunker is the better option. Although, it wouldn't have added much cost to the project to integrate some steal columns into the floor pour at the corners going down 8 feet or so to keep the possibility of structure of being rolled over "worst case scenario on the door side" you'd be in tombed until heavy equipment came to upright the structure. Still it's a strong well built structure alternative where below ground structures are not feasible or cost effective. Nice job....
Looks great, appears to be pretty strong and secure but more importantly, I agree with the lady, hope they never need it. Living in what some call "the highway for hurricanes", aka the Caribbean, I certainly know based on my own experience what it feels like being struck by a force of nature of which you have no control of. Be safe y'all. Blessings.
I used to drive a mixer concrete truck and I hate those dam pump truck drivers, they tell the mixer driver "add 10 more gallons of water" and then they tell you to add more & more. They do NOT want to pump a slump of 5 they want a 7 or 8 (all water) to save their pump from working too hard. When you water down concrete it will crack after a few years. This guy wanted a 5 slump he should have sent that load back and waited for a 5 slump load.
Taking into consideration that this shelter is in Canada, and that the most powerful twister the friendly northerners will see in a year is an F3, I'd say this is a perfect shelter for what you may encounter, an F0 to F1
Not quite. The very province they were building it in had an F5 in recent history (Manitoba, 2007). Granted it is the worst on record, but storms are getting more powerful and common.
This could benefit greatly by landscaping dirt around the walls. Steel door doesn’t protect you from electrical wires touching it, when you open the door.
How was this shelter anchored to the ground? If it's just sitting on top of the ground a strong twister might lift the whole thing up off the ground and take it away regardless of it's massive weight!
I don't know, that thing would be pretty darned heavy for it's size. 9x9ft with 5" thick floors and ceiling and 5" walls. That's something around 6yd of concrete and 24k lb!
Depending on the strength of the tornado it might be good for a small tornado like a EF0 OR EF1 anything over that would probably destroy it. That thing needs to be under ground.
After witnessing the recent Kentucky tornado and walking through the debris and destruction, I would not feel safe unless the shelter was below ground.
Yep. I lived in tornado country all of my childhood. Shocked to see this in the first few seconds on a pad on top of the ground. I would not want to be in tornado weather in that.
But when the mobile home flips over you're trapped underground. Hope it does not start leaking water/fuels or have an electrical hazard/fires right above you. Dying from being trapped inside after surviving the tornado is not a great plan and is why most of these above ground shelters have inward opening doors and airflow management. Most underground shelters I have seen are primarily designed for nuclear / forest fire situations. Tornados are extreme, but if your above ground shelter is built to be stronger than the debris thrown you can survive fine and I would feel 1000 times safer in one than a bathtub inside that mobile home.
Above or below ground is not an issue about the strength of the build. The issue some people have is massively expansive soils and high water tables that would destroy the shelter before a storm ever came. But the issue with this shelter is it’s not really heavy enough or secured enough to the ground for a direct hit from a bigger tornado. But slight modifications such as tornado earth augers and strapping or a deeper footer or slab would solve some of those problems.
Now you just have to hope that when the tornado grabs this thing by the rain drip edge and blows this cube onto it's side, it doesn't land door side down. You could have attached 4 helical foundation piles to the rebar in the floor of that thing for about $700 and tornado would have to pull this thing up by the underground bedrock to move it.
Put it in the side of a hill for better protection or berm up dirt around it...looks like a great "root cellar". I like the way it's constructed and a few guys can do it themselves. Good Job! Additionally... What about constructing a few of these back-to-back (doors facing each other)...and put underground...cut out for entry from above, would make a pretty good bomb shelter. I like the way it all goes together with the forms.
I love it!! So nice. Just love that the whole structure is one piece. I'd like to know, did it crack at all? How can it handle mild seismic activity? Could a person live in a structure like that, or does it require special ventilation for condensation? Is it quiet inside? I like the idea of interior and exterior done in one shot. But with this method you still have to finish over the foam forms right? So cool!! My favorite. The only objection I'd have is, I wish the plywood ceiling could be removed. But I don't know if that's possible.
Jbammer Whiskey Yes people build homes and apartments with fox block. Yes you need proper ventilation. But, that’s true with any structure with a full envelope seal, including spray foam insulation. The foam has plastic (hdpe) studs every 8” for siding and interior walls. The locations are marked on the foam. Screws hold 6X stronger than in wood studs. I’m not sure about seismic activity. I’m sure that California has codes for using fox block because it is used there. Yes, the plywood ceiling could come down. But, if you do this, make sure to oil the plywood before pouring the concrete. Near as I can tell from the video, the only thing holding it up is that it’s stuck to the concrete.
@Daniel Montes why do you think you're so smart to comment when you can't even watch the video and pay attention the plywood is not held up because it's "stuck" to the concrete they specifically said they wanted the plywood to stay in so they were going to run screws up through the plywood into the wet concrete. See this is the problem with America today and most of the rest of the world A bunch of idiots acting like experts when they can't even pay attention and grasp what is going on in this simple video There is no hope for the world
@@gypsyfreedom9836 Easy Killer. Over Reactions like these say more about you than the object of the rant. Yes you were right. The person obviously missed half a sentence…. It is literally not the end of the world. Any One that was going to put this much time and effort into doing this build will not fail because of this step. Hope things are going better for you now. Good luck on your build.
Fox blocks. Good way to make an insulated house. Why an insulated storm shelter? I do like the eadse of construction. Looks very solid as it blows down the road
You should check the mfg for the wind load for these blocks not been around this for a few years but i think 165 mph or more. Agree with the lack of anchor to ground. Comment about height of drop of the concrete shows this guy does not have knowlege of pumping concrete walls. I would not have added the lip. 7" slump can be good concrete we do not what chem. added to increase slump for pumping and not reduce psi of concrete. Don't get a home built if you want a slump less than 7". I agree it is a demo video and may be licking some details.
Yeah, that may be ok for small tornados but nothing over an ef3. First, the walls should be at least 8 inches thick & if you had of dug post holes on each corner about 12 inches+ wide and 4 feet+ deep & belled at the bottom, then you may have something. I'll just say I would not be in that one in the huge Tornados we have in Tennessee.
david wright what shelter we in west TN just sit on porch an watch lol.. last night's storms passed by us , it went over Bradford 12 mins from where I live. I would not be in that shelter at all ... ay Canadians yeah that will not work in Tennessee tornadoes at all..
people concerned about it blowing over and not anchored down...concrete weighs around 4,050lbs a yard. 6'x6'x5" alone is 15 cubic feet or 0.56 yards. times 2 for the floor and ceiling that's 4,536lbs. the walls are an additional 2.93 yards if it didn't have a door. so this thing weighs around 16,000lbs and is short and not wide. I wouldn't be that worried as wind can't get under it and its profile isn't a large surface to push on.
No, this shelter was not. We would recommend anchoring to the ground with proper engineering. Local engineers have recommended helical piles for anchoring an above ground shelter.
So what anchors this shelter to the ground ? It appears to just sit on a gravel base. If so, it could be picked up and thrown. A friend just built a similar shelter, BUT, his has 6 I-beams that go deep into the ground and the shelter is built around the i-beams at the corners and sides (it’s rectangle) He said he hit rock drilling down for beams and had to have it blasted, to get the beams deep.
That concrete weighs less than a car. This is stupid. But its the same as having a steel storm shelter bolted to about 4000 pound of concrete.. Useless!!!
Is the concrete anchored down into the ground? I see were they deliver those pre-made concrete storm shelters and one guy anchored it down in the ground into concrete. If not anchored, will it withstand and EF5 Tornado?
With the weather I've seen go through the U.S. this last 2 weeks those living in tornado Alley should build their entire houses underground. Problem solved.
You could berme the walls and it would have the same effect as being buried for way less money. Here in the Ozarks, at least, it’s very difficult and expensive to dig.
ground water levels, some places you can dig 8 feet or more down with no trouble, others 4 feet or less max. Other places without that issue instead have bedrock a few inches down, so no basements and homes have to be built on slabs.
Also should have taken the class on pumping concrete. Way, way too much vertical drop, the vibrator, which is correct, was a waste because rock was already separated from paste, due to falling over 48 ", next time use a tremie or even better, higher a concrete contractor.
It is a mono pour that is the floor, walls and tops all poured together much better. They do not say how many yds. of concrete used but the floor may not need to be 5" but the weight would help concrete weights around 4000 - 4200 lb yd depending on mix design.
Is this shelter enough strong? If the storm will throw example an car against shelter? It is sure that walls are not enough strong. Maybe you should cover it with extra cement and hide it partly under ground? The soil and peat protects also shelter.
so just that on the top is enough to hold it's own weight and anything that might land on top of it? I'm thinking of building an underground shelter this way
I saw absolutley nothing anchoring this structure to the ground. What is there to prevent it from being rolled over by the high winds? It looks like a simple concrete block sitting on loose gravel. Hopefully there arent a lot of people trusting this to save their lives.
I would like to see some hardware added to be able to hang hammocks in there. Hammock chairs and swing from the roof. Cut hole for window AC unit. Would use this room to house the DVR for the camera system. Would like to see gun ports to be able to fire out of the unit .
It does not even has to have a door. Just make a concrete v, or z shaped entrance. That breaks up any wind drafts, so that the occupants are not directly sucked out of the shelter. Having no door, will eliminate any possibility of people getting trapped.
A lot of people are saying that this shelter is useless as it wouldn’t survive a powerful tornado. Well F5 tornadoes are rare, and the probability of a hit is very very low. If you look at tornado damage photos you often see a house wrecked, but a nearby building is still standing, that is because the path of a tornado is typically 50 yards wide, rarely much larger. So the probability that this shelter is in the rough path of a tornado is low, the probability that it is a powerful tornado is lower, and the probability that it is hit dead on by a powerful tornado is very small. In truth this shelter will let you survive most tornadoes, and avoid flying debris such as a fridge, or a car, or timber beams. Sure it won’t survive a direct hit by a powerful tornado, but that is a very unlikely event. You could put a shelter underground, but you’d have to allow for flooding, and you’d risk the door(s) being blocked by heavy debris, preventing an exit.
Why do all the tornado shelters are always square. Why don't they built them round for aerodynamics it will put less pressure on the structure during a tornado.
I am not an engineer but I play one on TV and I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Why no supports when pouring the roof. I used to sell concrete and it is very heavy sheet.
F5 tornadoes are rare, the probability of a hit is very very low. If you look at tornado damage photos you often see a house wrecked, but a nearby building still standing, the path is typically 50 yards wide, rarely much larger. So the probability that this shelter is in a tornado is low, the probability that it is a powerful tornado is lower, and the probability that it is hit dead on by a powerful tornado is very small. In truth this shelter is most useful for surviving flying debris such as a fridge, or a car, or timber beams.
Many of you commenting are saying this won't hold up in a tornado, but this is not built to withstand an Oklahoma tornado. I believe she said it is in Manitoba. Tornadoes in the northern US and in Canada are not nearly as powerful as those in the south, especially Oklahoma. Where I live (northern Wisconsin) this shelter would be more than enough protection from a tornado.
It’s interesting how people give grave predictions about the structure being blown away by the force of wind. As if it’s some mystical force. It’s a well known quantity and can be calculated. It’s not the wind thats the biggest threat to this shelter. It’s the things in the wind that cause the damage. Aside from the obvious dangers associated with being impaled by projectiles flying at 100mph through the wall, the problem is that most structures become completely structurally compromised when partly damaged by projectile impacts. The shelter illustrated in the video should be a low risk even though it’s above ground. It seems above ground structures are a viable strategy for surviving EF5 tornados. Texas Tech has been researching this for decades: th-cam.com/video/IiBTp09JRwE/w-d-xo.html A bigger problem for many, in places with significant fluctuations in water table (like Oklahoma with over 200 man made lakes) is Archimedes Principle. People buy light weight below ground shelters only to find the shelter lifted out of the ground when the water table rises.
Inyo Man www.foxblocks.com/blog/24-icf-builders-contractors-consider-construction-needs Or find a contractor that builds with ICF. Having done a little research on various brands, I’ve found fox blocks to be the least labor intensive. This makes it easiest for the buyer to build themself or least expensing in labor cost. But, do your own research.
Living in Alabama I can tell you this is a waste of money unless all you get are straight line or f2 tornadoes. April 26, 2011 we had a very large outbreak that destroyed a large area of our state and cost many lives. F4 and F5 tornadoes sucked basements, driveways and yes even septic tanks out of the ground. This structure is nothing but an expensive concrete box sitting on a bed of gravel waiting to get sucked up and tossed into a tree.
I’ve seen concrete pours 5 times this size with no middle supports, though it had steel corrugated sheet for the ceiling before the pour. They weren’t made as tornado or storm shelters though.
06:24 - It's spelled "debris". (Not "debre".) Very nice shelter, otherwise, but I'd've put it at least half way into the ground, and built up some earth around the outside. Tornadoes might not blow your shelter down, but they can toss a full-size dumpster at it, at over 150 mph, and your shelter will be seriously damaged. Also, rounding the corners, or making it an octagon would reduce wind drag (& shear stress) and debris impact by a considerable factor.
This is a gentleman selling FOAM FORMS not tornado shelters. I must say being a concrete contractor I was impressed with there ability to pour the entire structure in one continuous pour. (Note they did say Place Concrete, which is correct. One does not pour concrete but places it). NOW, this could have been built properly and still use the foam forms to do it. By using longer foam ties they could have built thicker walls and a proper steel storm door that locks water tight as on a ship. Should add a escape hatch to top or another side should it be moved.... AND of course built in 2/3rds under ground..... The foam forms are light weight, easy to set up, and add Insulation to both inside and outside the walls. Those 8" walls are only 4" of concrete. If they were building concrete shelters they would show up with all wood forms cut to fit. It could be built the same way and poured all at once but you would get 8" concrete walls rather then 4 ". AND what is the need of insulation on a storm shelter? Water Tight yes, but insulated?
Agree, many homes being built with ICF's will include a large room or closet c/w concrete roof within the design in the house. Of course, the garage would be ideal because you would save your truck as well.
I'm wondering why they don't make above ground shelter in an Eskimo shelter shape made of concrete and rebar? From an engineering perspective isn't that stronger than four walls?
06:29 - The word is spelled "debris". Pronounced "de-BREE". "Debre" is just one letter off from a girl's name. Noted for future videos you may be doing.
My neighbor used a small steal shipping container that is anchored using concrete and steel beams hammered 20 feet
into the ground and welded..He paid less than $1000 and is sweet, well built and very safe.
Sounds definitely like a strong & economical way to go!
That's a good idea.
Having been through a tornado in a safe room I can say that this shelter is NOT anchored to the earth and may tumble if there is a direct hit. (Wadena MN Tornado. Our house was the first house destroyed in town)
I immediately wondered what anchors the building to the ground, nice concrete shelter but no good if it goes flying off.
That was my first thought.
First of all, I am sorry for your tremendous ordeal. I can't tell you how many times we ran to the storm cellar when I was a kid.
But if a tornado can toss a bank vault, this will be tossed as well; the weight won't save it, or those taking refuge.
It needs to somehow be anchored. Or put it in the basement of a building that is being built, possibly.
Would not be my choice. I see problems with a LOT of storm shelters they sell now. A lot of below-ground ones are popping up out of the ground, not anchored in place either.
Its a crying shame people are being preyed upon (using fear, no less) to purchase fraudulent shelters. 😥
Normally an engineer will call for rebar ties sticking out of the foundation that the blocks go over. That tie the wallls to the foundation with the next pour. Yes this was a flawed demonstration and it what a to code example would be. Nice catch y’all
if you read below the video, it states that putting anchors would make it stronger
@@graciel3725do you think a over the ground steel shelter works? I bought one to install inside our closet.
Yes, the rebar and no chairs is a problem, not round is a problem, the lip is a problem, the door is a problem, the width of the walls is a problem and the biggest problem is the lack of a proper footing for such a shelter. However, what turned me on was the fact that it was a monolithic pour. One big, bad ass pour with no blow outs. Good thing!
How did the concrete stop from filling up the floor and just started filling up the walls?
@@toocoolfortheroom380 i was wondering the same thing too
@@toocoolfortheroom380pour enough for the floor to fill, then wait a bit before pouring the walls
We had a huge tornado come thru Moore Oklahoma then thru Oklahoma City and Midwest city. It picked up a covered hopper rail car which weighed about 63,000 pounds. 1/4 inch steel. it ripped it into three pieces and tossed them half a mile. One piece went into a building and one went into a ditch about a block from that. I do not want to be in anything above ground.
But that had airflow underneath to lift it.
May 3, 1999 Moore OK F5 tornado leveled everything in its path. Local meteorologist, Gary England told viewers to “get underground if you want to survive”.
Casey Outdoors there have been multiple tornadoes in Moore?!
I was there for the 2013 one that hit.
I would build up dirt hillsides all around and at least 6" on top. Otherwise I'd say underground is Definitely better.
Having a vertical door that opens IN is very important. Anything else can trap the occupants when something lands on it.
joe woodchuck You are exactly right ! I’ve seen countless shelters advertised, most with outward door. Not good !
It also minimizes the possibility of catastrophic door failure.
I agree. I would not go into a shelter if the door opened out, or has rails to slide on, on the outside.
And use the correct door so it doesn't blow in like the poor sweet lady in oklahoma sending her family love and prayers 💕
I'd rather be stuck inside for several hours than have that door blow in killing someone. Always have the door open outwards and always notify your local or community fire station you have a shelter. They will check on you if involved in a storm.
Given the choice of seeking shelter between the stick built house or this concrete bunker, hands down the concrete bunker is the better option. Although, it wouldn't have added much cost to the project to integrate some steal columns into the floor pour at the corners going down 8 feet or so to keep the possibility of structure of being rolled over "worst case scenario on the door side" you'd be in tombed until heavy equipment came to upright the structure. Still it's a strong well built structure alternative where below ground structures are not feasible or cost effective. Nice job....
Looks great, appears to be pretty strong and secure but more importantly, I agree with the lady, hope they never need it.
Living in what some call "the highway for hurricanes", aka the Caribbean, I certainly know based on my own experience what it feels like being struck by a force of nature of which you have no control of.
Be safe y'all. Blessings.
I used to drive a mixer concrete truck and I hate those dam pump truck
drivers, they tell the mixer driver "add 10 more gallons of water" and then they tell you to add more & more. They do NOT want to pump a slump of 5
they want a 7 or 8 (all water) to save their pump from working too hard.
When you water down concrete it will crack after a few years. This guy wanted
a 5 slump he should have sent that load back and waited for a 5 slump load.
That was some excellent, detailed information in a short video. Awesome! Thank you!
If you are concerned about lifting then make the floor about 30" thick with only 4 inches above ground. Concrete is cheap.
Taking into consideration that this shelter is in Canada, and that the most powerful twister the friendly northerners will see in a year is an F3, I'd say this is a perfect shelter for what you may encounter, an F0 to F1
Not quite. The very province they were building it in had an F5 in recent history (Manitoba, 2007). Granted it is the worst on record, but storms are getting more powerful and common.
This could benefit greatly by landscaping dirt around the walls.
Steel door doesn’t protect you from electrical wires touching it, when you open the door.
A F5 will wipe that building off the face of the earth!!
My family goes underground with all tornados only safe place!!!!
How was this shelter anchored to the ground? If it's just sitting on top of the ground a strong twister might lift the whole thing up off the ground and take it away regardless of it's massive weight!
I don't know, that thing would be pretty darned heavy for it's size. 9x9ft with 5" thick floors and ceiling and 5" walls. That's something around 6yd of concrete and 24k lb!
Concrete is pretty heavy. Every other structure will be destroyed and that thing would still be standing. Only thing better would be a concrete dome.
Depending on the strength of the tornado it might be good for a small tornado like a EF0 OR EF1 anything over that would probably destroy it. That thing needs to be under ground.
@@shanefowler3504 you might want to check tornado videos. Buildings that are heavier have been totally destroyed.
@@shanefowler3504 Better would be to bury it underground!
After witnessing the recent Kentucky tornado and walking through the debris and destruction, I would not feel safe unless the shelter was below ground.
There are above ground shelters that are much safer than below ground ones.
Yep. I lived in tornado country all of my childhood. Shocked to see this in the first few seconds on a pad on top of the ground. I would not want to be in tornado weather in that.
But when the mobile home flips over you're trapped underground. Hope it does not start leaking water/fuels or have an electrical hazard/fires right above you. Dying from being trapped inside after surviving the tornado is not a great plan and is why most of these above ground shelters have inward opening doors and airflow management. Most underground shelters I have seen are primarily designed for nuclear / forest fire situations. Tornados are extreme, but if your above ground shelter is built to be stronger than the debris thrown you can survive fine and I would feel 1000 times safer in one than a bathtub inside that mobile home.
This shows you are uneducated. There are above ground shelters that are stronger than below ground.
Above or below ground is not an issue about the strength of the build. The issue some people have is massively expansive soils and high water tables that would destroy the shelter before a storm ever came. But the issue with this shelter is it’s not really heavy enough or secured enough to the ground for a direct hit from a bigger tornado. But slight modifications such as tornado earth augers and strapping or a deeper footer or slab would solve some of those problems.
You should leave the beam ceiling in, looks good.
Good for mount extra stuff as well. Maybe use so e of tbe area as storage
They would need another course of blocks, otherwise it’s too low
Now you just have to hope that when the tornado grabs this thing by the rain drip edge and blows this cube onto it's side, it doesn't land door side down. You could have attached 4 helical foundation piles to the rebar in the floor of that thing for about $700 and tornado would have to pull this thing up by the underground bedrock to move it.
Pretty sure an F0 or low end F1 isn't going to flip this thing over, hell they can barely push a car around
explain more please
I'm still waiting for the video of the fox preventing them from entering.
Brian Schonecker lol
SO funny, laughed tears
Me, too still waiting.
Yup, that’s why I came to watch this video. Very misleading, how can we trust such people?
Put it in the side of a hill for better protection or berm up dirt around it...looks like a great "root cellar". I like the way it's constructed and a few guys can do it themselves. Good Job! Additionally... What about constructing a few of these back-to-back (doors facing each other)...and put underground...cut out for entry from above, would make a pretty good bomb shelter. I like the way it all goes together with the forms.
i'd put inside a storm shelter
I love it!! So nice. Just love that the whole structure is one piece. I'd like to know, did it crack at all? How can it handle mild seismic activity? Could a person live in a structure like that, or does it require special ventilation for condensation? Is it quiet inside? I like the idea of interior and exterior done in one shot. But with this method you still have to finish over the foam forms right?
So cool!! My favorite. The only objection I'd have is, I wish the plywood ceiling could be removed. But I don't know if that's possible.
Jbammer Whiskey
Yes people build homes and apartments with fox block.
Yes you need proper ventilation. But, that’s true with any structure with a full envelope seal, including spray foam insulation.
The foam has plastic (hdpe) studs every 8” for siding and interior walls. The locations are marked on the foam. Screws hold 6X stronger than in wood studs.
I’m not sure about seismic activity. I’m sure that California has codes for using fox block because it is used there.
Yes, the plywood ceiling could come down. But, if you do this, make sure to oil the plywood before pouring the concrete. Near as I can tell from the video, the only thing holding it up is that it’s stuck to the concrete.
@Daniel Montes
why do you think you're so smart to comment when you can't even watch the video and pay attention the plywood is not held up because it's "stuck" to the concrete they specifically said they wanted the plywood to stay in so they were going to run screws up through the plywood into the wet concrete.
See this is the problem with America today and most of the rest of the world A bunch of idiots acting like experts when they can't even pay attention and grasp what is going on in this simple video There is no hope for the world
@@gypsyfreedom9836 Easy Killer. Over Reactions like these say more about you than the object of the rant. Yes you were right. The person obviously missed half a sentence…. It is literally not the end of the world. Any One that was going to put this much time and effort into doing this build will not fail because of this step.
Hope things are going better for you now. Good luck on your build.
@@inomad1313 how did the concrete stop from filling up the floor and just started filling up the walls? I'm going to attempt this in the next month.
I’m not a building engineer but would it be more. Logical to build a round storm shelter instead of a square one?
Fox blocks. Good way to make an insulated house. Why an insulated storm shelter? I do like the eadse of construction. Looks very solid as it blows down the road
You should check the mfg for the wind load for these blocks not been around this for a few years but i think 165 mph or more. Agree with the lack of anchor to ground. Comment about height of drop of the concrete shows this guy does not have knowlege of pumping concrete walls. I would not have added the lip. 7" slump can be good concrete we do not what chem. added to increase slump for pumping and not reduce psi of concrete. Don't get a home built if you want a slump less than 7". I agree it is a demo video and may be licking some details.
Lol
he makes doghouses with the stupid blocks too and a fence
Yeah, that may be ok for small tornados but nothing over an ef3. First, the walls should be at least 8 inches thick & if you had of dug post holes on each corner about 12 inches+ wide and 4 feet+ deep & belled at the bottom, then you may have something. I'll just say I would not be in that one in the huge Tornados we have in Tennessee.
david wright what shelter we in west TN just sit on porch an watch lol.. last night's storms passed by us , it went over Bradford 12 mins from where I live. I would not be in that shelter at all ... ay Canadians yeah that will not work in Tennessee tornadoes at all..
What storm shelter do you have that you go into?
i have seen all the vids of shelters your looks strongest and best value
Is this thing tied/anchored into the ground in any way, or is it just sitting on top of gravel?
Just sitting down on ground. Lot of weight, should withstand anything.
@@Thumbhit1 lol. A big tornado would pick that up and relocate it across town
@@Thumbhit1that thing would probably only handle a F0 or F1 tornado.
why not make it round?
Where are the anchorage poimts under the foundations to stop the whole shelter being lifted off the ground when it is hit by a tornado?
people concerned about it blowing over and not anchored down...concrete weighs around 4,050lbs a yard. 6'x6'x5" alone is 15 cubic feet or 0.56 yards. times 2 for the floor and ceiling that's 4,536lbs. the walls are an additional 2.93 yards if it didn't have a door. so this thing weighs around 16,000lbs and is short and not wide. I wouldn't be that worried as wind can't get under it and its profile isn't a large surface to push on.
I’m sure you’re not worried... your entire house is built from Steel reinforced concrete 🤓
Awesome shelter
Construction of it is above my pay grade lol
I would have someone build it for me though
Nice but is it anchored into the ground?
No, this shelter was not. We would recommend anchoring to the ground with proper engineering. Local engineers have recommended helical piles for anchoring an above ground shelter.
Was the roof form held by nothing other than ledger boards anchored to the FoxBlocks?
So what anchors this shelter to the ground ? It appears to just sit on a gravel base. If so, it could be picked up and thrown. A friend just built a similar shelter, BUT, his has 6 I-beams that go deep into the ground and the shelter is built around the i-beams at the corners and sides (it’s rectangle) He said he hit rock drilling down for beams and had to have it blasted, to get the beams deep.
how did you fasten the ledger boards that support the temporary joists holding up the plywood for the ceiling?
There are plastic ties between the EPS block wall forms... they have an attachment face.
It didn't look like it was anchored to the ground. Granted, all that concrete is very heavy, but why didn't (if he didn't) he anchor it down?
+Nev Ereven ........ Anchor with treated rebar or galvanized bolts driven into ground.
That concrete weighs less than a car. This is stupid. But its the same as having a steel storm shelter bolted to about 4000 pound of concrete.. Useless!!!
I was thinking the same thing!
JD Wilkinson Its all concreted together so it will hold up.
because he's selling fox blocks and doesn't give a shit
It certainly beats hell out being in a trailer.
Is the concrete anchored down into the ground? I see were they deliver those pre-made concrete storm shelters and one guy anchored it down in the ground into concrete. If not anchored, will it withstand and EF5 Tornado?
With the weather I've seen go through the U.S. this last 2 weeks those living in tornado Alley should build their entire houses underground. Problem solved.
But it doesn't look normal and pretty. Yes that's stupid but that is how most Americans think when buying or building a house.
You could berme the walls and it would have the same effect as being buried for way less money. Here in the Ozarks, at least, it’s very difficult and expensive to dig.
Some people do. Some homes have sub-basements, which are basements UNDER the initial basement.
ground water levels, some places you can dig 8 feet or more down with no trouble, others 4 feet or less max. Other places without that issue instead have bedrock a few inches down, so no basements and homes have to be built on slabs.
7" slump??? what. you should have rejected that concrete and waited a day for proper slump.
Also should have taken the class on pumping concrete. Way, way too much vertical drop, the vibrator, which is correct, was a waste because rock was already separated from paste, due to falling over 48 ", next time use a tremie or even better, higher a concrete contractor.
sdnlawrence Are you a contractor?
yes, i'm not hiring them if they just shrug when the wrong product comes and accept it
Unless they paid for super plasticizer (probably not tho since it’s a budget looking shelter)
I assume you have to let the floor set up slightly before continuing the walls?
+MrBen527 I am not sure if they would need to with a 5 inch slump.
It is a mono pour that is the floor, walls and tops all poured together much better. They do not say how many yds. of concrete used but the floor may not need to be 5" but the weight would help concrete weights around 4000 - 4200 lb yd depending on mix design.
Looks like a cool diy project. If I use this as a “root cellar”, putting it underground, can I still use 4” blocks or 6”?
8 inches to comply with all building codes. Also concrete requires FOOTINGS ! I don't see footings period. And permits are required.
That's the only way I would do a storm shelter. Reinforced with steel and concrete
Is a 20 foot shipping container tethered to a slab a easier option? Jimmy
So, the re bar on the ground does not need to be floated three inchs into the concrete itself?
IF you look again you see it is at least 2" off the ground which is ok in a 5 " slab... Idea would be 2 1/2 " of course.
Is this shelter enough strong? If the storm will throw example an car against shelter? It is sure that walls are not enough strong. Maybe you should cover it with extra cement and hide it partly under ground? The soil and peat protects also shelter.
Very nice
This is great but it should be more underground.
This is called a mother in-law shelter. wink wink
I thought that was to be made out of straw.
lol, locks from the outside...
so just that on the top is enough to hold it's own weight and anything that might land on top of it?
I'm thinking of building an underground shelter this way
Rather nice video but with one critical bit of information missing: cost.
So this shelter will roll if pulled out of the ground?
I saw absolutley nothing anchoring this structure to the ground. What is there to prevent it from being rolled over by the high winds? It looks like a simple concrete block sitting on loose gravel. Hopefully there arent a lot of people trusting this to save their lives.
Isn't the rebar suppose to be 3" off the ground? Here it is sitting directly on the gravel.
$ of construction?
Since Fox Block does not offer the door. Where did you guys source the door from in this video? Thank you for the help.
I would like to see some hardware added to be able to hang hammocks in there. Hammock chairs and swing from the roof. Cut hole for window AC unit. Would use this room to house the DVR for the camera system. Would like to see gun ports to be able to fire out of the unit .
It does not even has to have a door. Just make a concrete v, or z shaped entrance. That breaks up any wind drafts, so that the occupants are not directly sucked out of the shelter. Having no door, will eliminate any possibility of people getting trapped.
I would love one of these just as a safe room, But............must have atleast 1 good electrical outlet.
Obviously not a construction person here - How does all that cement for the roof keep from collapsing?
+Rich Norman Steel rebar and wire make the concrete super strong.
Lee B
Thanks!
HA HA you don't know what is cement - is a powder!! This is concrete that was made with cement and other materials.
JD Wilkinson That would be a terrifying experience!
What holds it to the ground?
It will easily tumble.
i wonder if it's still stand today
A lot of people are saying that this shelter is useless as it wouldn’t survive a powerful tornado. Well F5 tornadoes are rare, and the probability of a hit is very very low. If you look at tornado damage photos you often see a house wrecked, but a nearby building is still standing, that is because the path of a tornado is typically 50 yards wide, rarely much larger. So the probability that this shelter is in the rough path of a tornado is low, the probability that it is a powerful tornado is lower, and the probability that it is hit dead on by a powerful tornado is very small. In truth this shelter will let you survive most tornadoes, and avoid flying debris such as a fridge, or a car, or timber beams. Sure it won’t survive a direct hit by a powerful tornado, but that is a very unlikely event. You could put a shelter underground, but you’d have to allow for flooding, and you’d risk the door(s) being blocked by heavy debris, preventing an exit.
That's great
Great build thank you for the video thumbs UP. :)
One can build a circular home even out of wood and for some reason the tornado goes around the structure and doesn't tear it apart.
Really? What’s the evidence of this?
Tornadoes have no problem destroying round grain silos.
Why do all the tornado shelters are always square. Why don't they built them round for aerodynamics it will put less pressure on the structure during a tornado.
Sergio Beltran because it easy. I would rather have a dome
I am not an engineer but I play one on TV and I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Why no supports when pouring the roof. I used to sell concrete and it is very heavy sheet.
Lol. We'll keep the light on for ya.
Why are there no footers to help anchor it down? Also, if a tornado can throw a train car around it can certainly throw this shed around. Any input?
I would not trust anything above ground. What's to stop a F5 from picking it up?
This is a very weak shelter and they do make stronger above ground shelters but this is still far better than being in a stick built house.
F5 tornadoes are rare, the probability of a hit is very very low. If you look at tornado damage photos you often see a house wrecked, but a nearby building still standing, the path is typically 50 yards wide, rarely much larger. So the probability that this shelter is in a tornado is low, the probability that it is a powerful tornado is lower, and the probability that it is hit dead on by a powerful tornado is very small. In truth this shelter is most useful for surviving flying debris such as a fridge, or a car, or timber beams.
Many of you commenting are saying this won't hold up in a tornado, but this is not built to withstand an Oklahoma tornado. I believe she said it is in Manitoba. Tornadoes in the northern US and in Canada are not nearly as powerful as those in the south, especially Oklahoma. Where I live (northern Wisconsin) this shelter would be more than enough protection from a tornado.
So will it go through an EF5?
I probably say no
can this be buried underground?
It’s interesting how people give grave predictions about the structure being blown away by the force of wind. As if it’s some mystical force. It’s a well known quantity and can be calculated. It’s not the wind thats the biggest threat to this shelter. It’s the things in the wind that cause the damage. Aside from the obvious dangers associated with being impaled by projectiles flying at 100mph through the wall, the problem is that most structures become completely structurally compromised when partly damaged by projectile impacts. The shelter illustrated in the video should be a low risk even though it’s above ground.
It seems above ground structures are a viable strategy for surviving EF5 tornados.
Texas Tech has been researching this for decades: th-cam.com/video/IiBTp09JRwE/w-d-xo.html
A bigger problem for many, in places with significant fluctuations in water table (like Oklahoma with over 200 man made lakes) is Archimedes Principle. People buy light weight below ground shelters only to find the shelter lifted out of the ground when the water table rises.
Do you have for wheelchairs the door would have to be bigger
How do I place an order for the same setup in California or Nevada?
Inyo Man
www.foxblocks.com/blog/24-icf-builders-contractors-consider-construction-needs
Or find a contractor that builds with ICF.
Having done a little research on various brands, I’ve found fox blocks to be the least labor intensive. This makes it easiest for the buyer to build themself or least expensing in labor cost. But, do your own research.
How did you waterproof the roof?
what was the total cost of this shelter ?
It will cost your life - it's a coffin !!!
Any air circulation?
Yes, one up high on the back and one down low on the side.
Do your storm shelter doors allow for handicap accessibility as they look rather narrow?
do you have a shelter for black people, and one for gays?
Living in Alabama I can tell you this is a waste of money unless all you get are straight line or f2 tornadoes. April 26, 2011 we had a very large outbreak that destroyed a large area of our state and cost many lives. F4 and F5 tornadoes sucked basements, driveways and yes even septic tanks out of the ground. This structure is nothing but an expensive concrete box sitting on a bed of gravel waiting to get sucked up and tossed into a tree.
when you pump the concrete it makes for a higher slump at the end of the hose. 5" at truck turns into 7" at end of hose...
That is backward, slump is lost when pumping. The aggregate absorbs the water due to the pressure being exerted on it.
do you have plans for this shelter? It is the perfect size for what I'm wanting to build.
How large can you make the roof with concrete before you have to add a support pillar?
I’ve seen concrete pours 5 times this size with no middle supports, though it had steel corrugated sheet for the ceiling before the pour. They weren’t made as tornado or storm shelters though.
06:24 - It's spelled "debris". (Not "debre".)
Very nice shelter, otherwise, but I'd've put it at least half way into the ground, and built up some earth around the outside. Tornadoes might not blow your shelter down, but they can toss a full-size dumpster at it, at over 150 mph, and your shelter will be seriously damaged. Also, rounding the corners, or making it an octagon would reduce wind drag (& shear stress) and debris impact by a considerable factor.
This is a gentleman selling FOAM FORMS not tornado shelters. I must say being a concrete contractor I was impressed with there ability to pour the entire structure in one continuous pour. (Note they did say Place Concrete, which is correct. One does not pour concrete but places it).
NOW, this could have been built properly and still use the foam forms to do it. By using longer foam ties they could have built thicker walls and a proper steel storm door that locks water tight as on a ship. Should add a escape hatch to top or another side should it be moved.... AND of course built in 2/3rds under ground.....
The foam forms are light weight, easy to set up, and add Insulation to both inside and outside the walls. Those 8" walls are only 4" of concrete. If they were building concrete shelters they would show up with all wood forms cut to fit. It could be built the same way and poured all at once but you would get 8" concrete walls rather then 4 ".
AND what is the need of insulation on a storm shelter? Water Tight yes, but insulated?
Better build a Garagestormshelter with escape doors for double use.Fill up sides with dirt.
Agree, many homes being built with ICF's will include a large room or closet c/w concrete roof within the design in the house. Of course, the garage would be ideal because you would save your truck as well.
I wish you didn't use this video to promote your product. That rebar is an issue.
Wait, the rebar is an issue, HOW? It is about the only thing done properly in this type of structure... Please explain.
@@stevemazz3121
the rebar should be 3in off the ground. moisture will wick up and cause it to rust and create spalling issues
whats the cost
I literally thought this was about a fox blocking a storm shelter smh lol🤦♂️
😃LOL So did I! I was thinking "what the hell?"
Very interesting. Thanks
This is why houses should be made of cinder blocks and cement, but it's a big business making these homes out of toothpicks.
and the final cost of this was ?
$47,800 US. But includes siding not shown in the video.
Steven Soco you can do most of the work yourself. The blocks and concrete should be under $5k
@G Galilei He was BSing you.
How is it anchored to the ground seems pointless if it is not anchored with some sort of footing, yes it’s heavy but not being anchored is not good
why take out the joist ?
why not build an underground bunker? Would it be safer than an above ground? So I've heard.
Didn't realize canada has alot of tornadoes
I'm wondering why they don't make above ground shelter in an Eskimo shelter shape made of concrete and rebar?
From an engineering perspective isn't that stronger than four walls?
Can they withstand missiles? Or act as missile bunkers like they have in Israel?
How much that one cost to do?
I was expecting a fox blocking access to a storm shelter. Disappointed! :(
😂😂😂 I can see how that would be disappointing
better than nothing I guess
06:29 - The word is spelled "debris". Pronounced "de-BREE". "Debre" is just one letter off from a girl's name.
Noted for future videos you may be doing.