I have no idea what to cover our new dome with. I bought an old parachute but it seems to flimsy and unpractical. Any advice is killer. (its a little dome, about 15' in diameter and 8' tall). Thank you,
Chris and Ryelyn.
Covering for a dome
I got a couple ideas for a small dome covering:
When I was in prison, the native americans draped overlapping blankets over the framework of wooden branches for their sweatlodge. Without a fire it was cool in the midday sun. Used wool blankets at the thrift store are cheap. If you wet down the outside it will evaporate and cool the interior, kind of like a desert waterbag they used to hang in front of a vehicle radiater. You'll need to find a way to pin the blankets together to fight the wind... diaper pins are cheap or you could cut some wire clothes hangers into u pins to push through and tie to frame members. A reflective tarp tied over the top will secure the blankets also.
Mongolian yurts use a thick felt covering that works as an insulator against heat and cold. Manufactured carpet padding comes in large rolls. Scavage a home remodel or ask a carpet store for reject or discarded stuff. You could handsew some small pieces together with a carpet needle into a pacman shape then pin it together on your dome from the inside while standing on stepladder. Yurts use an inside wall around the sides to creat a chiminey effect like tepees to draw heat and smoke out the smoke hole. Mongolians use a bowl boat to cover the hole during rain, tepees have movable poles and wind wings to cover hole.
When I was in prison, the native americans draped overlapping blankets over the framework of wooden branches for their sweatlodge. Without a fire it was cool in the midday sun. Used wool blankets at the thrift store are cheap. If you wet down the outside it will evaporate and cool the interior, kind of like a desert waterbag they used to hang in front of a vehicle radiater. You'll need to find a way to pin the blankets together to fight the wind... diaper pins are cheap or you could cut some wire clothes hangers into u pins to push through and tie to frame members. A reflective tarp tied over the top will secure the blankets also.
Mongolian yurts use a thick felt covering that works as an insulator against heat and cold. Manufactured carpet padding comes in large rolls. Scavage a home remodel or ask a carpet store for reject or discarded stuff. You could handsew some small pieces together with a carpet needle into a pacman shape then pin it together on your dome from the inside while standing on stepladder. Yurts use an inside wall around the sides to creat a chiminey effect like tepees to draw heat and smoke out the smoke hole. Mongolians use a bowl boat to cover the hole during rain, tepees have movable poles and wind wings to cover hole.
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Ugly Dougly
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mdmf007 is right, that's good stuff to work with. It's very durable and one side is white.
If you can't find a place like that in your area, there is tons of it on ebay for a reasonable price.
For a good pattern on dome cover making, here's the website I used to make my dome cover. http://www.byexample.com/projects/curre ... .html/view
Their example is for a 17' dome (same size as mine) and they use silver tarps. If your dome is 15' then you'll have to use your own measurements of course, but study theirs and you should be able to figure out your own measurements.
Good luck, and if you need more tech help feel free to PM me, I'd be happy help anyone with this kind of stuff. Perhaps I could even talk you through it on the phone.
If you can't find a place like that in your area, there is tons of it on ebay for a reasonable price.
For a good pattern on dome cover making, here's the website I used to make my dome cover. http://www.byexample.com/projects/curre ... .html/view
Their example is for a 17' dome (same size as mine) and they use silver tarps. If your dome is 15' then you'll have to use your own measurements of course, but study theirs and you should be able to figure out your own measurements.
Good luck, and if you need more tech help feel free to PM me, I'd be happy help anyone with this kind of stuff. Perhaps I could even talk you through it on the phone.
Aluminet
Aluminet works well if you do not require total shade and want some air circulation. It is made for keeping greenhouses cool and comes in varying degrees of light transmission. It is light and reasonably durable. It is not really inexpensive it is about 33 cents a square foot ane the internet suppliers require a minimum. Some garden supply stores carry it as well as the big box home stores.
I have not used it but am planning to get a square to throw over my tent this year.
I have not used it but am planning to get a square to throw over my tent this year.