Building a better shelter

[LudwigVan]

So I've been looking at tents lately and like everything else these days they are EXPENSIVE. But alas, if I want to camp at many of my favorite sites, I need a tent because they don't want you building huts at 6 night campgrounds most of the time.
So it got me thinking, that even if finances permitted me to go right now and spend money on a nice tent, I should learn how to build my own shelter when needed. I have built debris huts before, usually pretty lame ones, I've built some primitive bunker type shelters , but that's about it.

I was wondering if anyone knew plans on building some more advanced primitive shelters. (oxymoron?) Here are some examples of the type of things I'm looking for:

http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/shelter/index.html

Basically, stuff you can live in for more than a week.

[crashdive123]

Here's a site with some ideas that might help you. http://www.woodlandsurvival.com/shelter.htm Another shelter you may want to consider is a tarp, or diamond fly. I just bought a couple of lightweight painters tarps (about $30), put some gromets on them (about $7) and will water proof them this weekend using an oil based (with linseed oil) deck water proof (about $20). Beowolf had posted this method a while back. If your budget is real tight, just stop by a construction site and ask for a little tyvek (10x10 should be big enough)......but in a rain it may be a bit loud under it.

[tacmedic]

I think that the tyvek/housewrap is a great option. The building supply stores in my area sell a 9ft wide section for $1.90/ lin foot. It is a little loud in the rain, but it definately works.

[crashdive123]

Makes a great ground cloth too. To dampen the noise, pile the debris on top - you won't have to make it so thick, as it is already water proof.

[snakeman]

http://tions.net/CA256EA900408BD5/vwWWW/outdoor~03~021

Theres a few pages of it. pretty interesting.

[Runs With Beer]

Who dosnt like the sound of falling Rain!

[LudwigVan]

http://tions.net/CA256EA900408BD5/vwWWW/outdoor~03~021

Theres a few pages of it. pretty interesting.

Thanks for the link, this is very useful.

While I like the idea of using tarps and tyvek, which I have done many times, I was mainly looking for something that I could build that could have the potential for a longer stay. Preferably using naturally occuring materials, becuase I don't always have a big piece of plastic handy.

[owl_girl]

Birch bark or a really thick layer of cedar branches I think makes good wind and water proofing

[RBB]

So I've been looking at tents lately and like everything else these days they are EXPENSIVE. But alas, if I want to camp at many of my favorite sites, I need a tent because they don't want you building huts at 6 night campgrounds most of the time.
So it got me thinking, that even if finances permitted me to go right now and spend money on a nice tent, I should learn how to build my own shelter when needed. I have built debris huts before, usually pretty lame ones, I've built some primitive bunker type shelters , but that's about it.

I was wondering if anyone knew plans on building some more advanced primitive shelters. (oxymoron?) Here are some examples of the type of things I'm looking for:

http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/shelter/index.html

Basically, stuff you can live in for more than a week.

Shelters depend on how much time you have. While I have a birchbark wigiwam at my sugar bush and a birchbark, canvas, and cattail reed ridgepole lodge on the lake where we usually harvest wild rice - I usually don't have to time to construct a shelter for a weekend in the woods. That is why I have tents.

If you look around you can usually find tents pretty reasonably priced. I have a Gander Mountain six person dome tent that I purchased for $80 (it was a return - new the tent was over $300). If that still sounds high, frequent yard sales. I've picked up several tents in the $15 to $20 range, one of them an Egyptian cotton tent that would cost you well over $1000 to purchase new today.

By the way, if you want to learn how to make cat-tail mats - a friend of mine, Tara Prindle, has a website that shows and easy way to do it - along with many other Native American crafts.

http://www.nativetech.org/

[LudwigVan]

Shelters depend on how much time you have. While I have a birchbark wigiwam at my sugar bush and a birchbark, canvas, and cattail reed ridgepole lodge on the lake where we usually harvest wild rice - I usually don't have to time to construct a shelter for a weekend in the woods. That is why I have tents.

If you look around you can usually find tents pretty reasonably priced. I have a Gander Mountain six person dome tent that I purchased for $80 (it was a return - new the tent was over $300). If that still sounds high, frequent yard sales. I've picked up several tents in the $15 to $20 range, one of them an Egyptian cotton tent that would cost you well over $1000 to purchase new today.

By the way, if you want to learn how to make cat-tail mats - a friend of mine, Tara Prindle, has a website that shows and easy way to do it - along with many other Native American crafts.

http://www.nativetech.org/

Good link, However I was mainly talking about long term shelters that would stay up.

[crashdive123]

LudwigVan - you may want to check out the shelter that Owl Girl had started. It's in this thread http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4435

[RBB]

Good link, However I was mainly talking about long term shelters that would stay up.

In that case, I'd suggest a wigiwam or tipi. A friend once gave me some good advice. It went something like this: "If you want to make something Indians made - find out exactly how they did it. They had thousands of years to figure it out and what they came up with in the end - is pretty close to perfection."

[Stony]

a diamond shelter with an extra ground sheet is the cheapest way to go.
needs only 4 pins , a short rope and one stick to put up.

[RBB]

a diamond shelter with an extra ground sheet is the cheapest way to go.
needs only 4 pins , a short rope and one stick to put up.

For more room: Sew a loop in the center of the fly. Attach loop to scissor arangement of two poles on the exterior. Tie scissor poles off to same stake you use on open end of diamond fly.

This will give you a lot more room - or allow you to use a much smaller tarp. Some of my diamond flys are only 7 foot square. If you make your fly from ripstop nylon or parachute silk - you can stick a diamond fly this size in a jacket pocket.

[LudwigVan]

Thanks for the excellent links and suggestions, I'm currently looking at tipi plans.