How to Build a Bunker Shelter With Bags and Concrete
A bunker offers safety insurance. Bunkers -- designed to protect people, animals, equipment and files -- from natural and man-made disasters can be constructed using only concrete and bags. Although people generally think of bunkers as being underground, some of them are built above ground because it is so much easier and far less expensive. No matter if you plan to build the bunker in your backyard or in a remote spot, there are certain things you have to do to construct a building with bags and concrete as the primary building materials. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Concrete blocks
- Concrete mix
- Sand
- Shovel
- Mixing trough
- Ladder
- Lumber at least 2 inches thick
- Burlap bags
- Sand
- Hammer & nails
- Varnish or tiles
- Door & hinges
- Screwdriver & screws
Instructions
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Start with a plan. A concrete and bag bunker can be anything from a small, say, 8-by-10 space for your immediate family to a multi-room complex with cooking facilities and plumbing.
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Calculate the number of concrete blocks you will need and add an additional 10 percent, just to be sure you have enough to build your shelter.
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Mix the cement powder with sand and water. Fill the concrete bricks as you go along. Refer to your plan to know where to put the door. Build a door frame and set it in the appropriate place.
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Make the roof flat. Use planks that are at least 2 inches thick and cement them into place. Place the concrete blocks on the roof and secure in place. For extra protection, add sandbags.
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Lay the floor with dry 2-inch timber. Nail it into place and then varnish it for a nice finish or lay tiles.
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Fill the bags with sand. Pile them one-on-top of each other for as high as they will stand on their own. For extra protection, put a few rows of sandbags on the inside walls as well.
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Tips & Warnings
Left over blocks can be used around the base for double thickness or as the legs for a bunker type bed.
References
Resources
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