Instruction Manual A step-by-step guide to building your own igloo. Andy Meldrum 2007 1
Contents 1 Introduction 2 Get properly kitted up. 3 Choose and prepare your site. 4 Create the base. 5 Mark out the structure. 6 Very little snow not a problem!! 7 Wet snow or dry snow doesn t matter. 8 Build walls that will last. 9 - Bond the snow together to create that classic dome shape. 10 Create an igloo that lasts. 11 - Quick Summary Andy Meldrum 2007 2
Chapter 1 Introduction Thank you for ordering the igloo4you instruction manual, I just hope that you have as much fun as me and my two daughters have had over the last few years building igloos. The idea for this manual came from the fact that every time we built a new igloo, parents and children from all over the local estate wanted to know how they could make their own igloos. After giving brief verbal instructions to neighbours and their children and seeing them fail in building their own igloo, I realised that it would be necessary to create a step by step instruction manual which would allow any big kid to successfully build their own igloo. The igloo you build may not be built in the traditional Inuit way, but it will be just as good and can be built without needing metres of snow, specialised tools, or skills passed down through the generations. The best way to use this manual is to read it through in the comfort of your own home then take only the quick summary sheet out into the snow with you to provide you with a reminder of the order of building. Once you have read through the whole manual your next step is to organise the equipment you will need. Andy Meldrum 2007 3
Chapter 2 Equipment Make sure that you and all your helpers are properly kitted out and wearing warm winter clothing before you get started. The following items of clothing are absolutely essential. - Waterproof trousers (you ll spend a lot of time kneeling in the snow). - Good waterproof gloves (you may need a backup pair as they are likely to get very wet). - Warm jacket. - Boots. As well as the warm winter clothing you will need:- - a snow shovel or spade - A sledge or wheelbarrow - 2 pencils and a ball of string You are now ready to face the elements and start your building project and remember the great thing about building in your garden is that you are only normally a few feet away from a warm cup of tea or coffee. Andy Meldrum 2007 4
Chapter 3 Choosing and preparing a site If you only have a small garden you ll have to settle for what space you have. However if you have a fairly big area to work in, what you want to do is select :- - As flat an area as possible. - An area where the soil under the snow is frozen if possible. - An area away from any bushes or other garden features. - An area where the snow is deep. - As shaded an area as possible. If you are lucky enough to have a perfect site in the middle of your garden where the ground is frozen and the snow lies nice and deep then that s great. If not then just make do with the best you have. Once you have selected your site the next step is to start preparing the base. Andy Meldrum 2007 5
Chapter 4 creating the perfect base The base for your igloo will be like the foundation of a building, therefore the thicker and more solid the base the stronger your igloo will be. The first thing you need to do is to stamp out a rough circle in the snow slightly bigger than you plan your igloo to be. If the snow is already deep then all you will need to do is stamp down the area within the circle. If you only have a thin layer of snow then this is where the snow shovel and sledges come in. Using all your helpers, collect snow from the road, pavements, cars and anywhere else possible.(don t collect from the garden as you will need the snow from here to put the finishing touches to your igloo). Use the snow you have collected to build the base to a depth of about 2cms of compressed snow. Don t worry about the size of the base at this stage, if it s too small, you can develop it more at a later stage, if it s too large, you can either leave it as it is, or you can use it to build the walls of the igloo. If your garden has a slope on it you should build the base thicker on the down hill side to make a level platform. You won t need a spirit level for this, just make it as flat as you can. Andy Meldrum 2007 6
With the base in place your next job is to create a very simple tool to allow you to create that classical circular shape. Chapter 5 The must have tool for marking out a circle in the snow. To create that classic circular shape for your igloo you will need to create a simple tool, using your 2 pencils and your ball of string. Take a length of string of approximately five feet and mark 1 foot intervals on it (you can measure it if you want or just use your own feet if that s easier). Tie one end of the string to your pencil and dig the pencil into the centre of your base as firmly as you can. NB If the ground is very frozen use a screwdriver instead of a pencil. Next you have to decide how ambitious you are going to be. If you have only limited snow, build a small igloo and if this is your first time, start small and go bigger as you get more experienced. Rough Guide Small igloo 2ft radius Medium sized igloo 3ft radius Large 4ft radius Super sized 5 ft radius (this will big enough to host a dinner party for 4!!) Once you have decided on the size of your igloo, tie the second pencil at that point on the string now mark out your perfect circle by dragging the second Andy Meldrum 2007 7
pencil through the snow to make a clearly visible circular trench all the way around the centre point. This trench will mark the walls of your igloo. The next step is to decide which direction you d like your igloo to face. Once you have decided, remind yourself where the entrance is to be by covering over that part of the trench. Make the entrance wide enough to allow easy access to the igloo think about who might want to visit: will the entrance be big enough. Now you are ready to start building the walls, but before doing that I want to take a little time to give you some advice on how to cope when you either have very little snow or if the snow is of a consistency that makes it very difficult to work with. Andy Meldrum 2007 8
Chapter 6 Don t let lack of snow stop you For years I never even attempted to build an igloo unless we had a massive dump of snow. However it is not only possible but in many ways far more satisfying to manage to build something so impressive when the odds are stacked against you. As long as you have around 4cms of snow it should be easily possible to build an igloo, especially if you have lots of help. Kids love this part. Organise each child with a spade and a sledge, then send them of to fill their sledges with snow. If possible, collect from outside the garden so that you can leave the snow in the garden for the finishing touches. Your igloo will also look better and last longer if the ground surrounding it is covered in snow. Post your best pictures to andy@igloo4you.com Andy Meldrum 2007 9
Chapter 7 Dealing with different snow types If the snow is wet and slushy or if it s too dry then there are some simple things you can do to make things easier. Wet and slushy snow This type of snow is often the easiest to work with, as it bonds together well, sometimes if it is just too wet you may have to spend some extra time squeezing the excess moisture out. The easiest ways to do this is to either squeeze between your hands or compress on a sledge and then tip the excess moisture out. If the snow is so wet that it won t bond at all, you should give up and go sledging instead! Very dry powdery snow this is the most challenging snow to work with as it often won t bond together at all. The simple solution when you have this type of snow is to moisten it using a fine spray of water. The best thing to use is a garden sprayer set to fine mist. With a little trial and error, you will be able to create the perfect snow consistency to work with. Andy Meldrum 2007 10
Chapter 8 Building the walls The secret to easy igloo building is the thickness of the lower part of the walls, the thicker they are the more solid the igloo will be and the easier it will be to create the overhang of the roof. Working round the trench that you have marked out, build the snow up into a wall, making sure to compress the snow together as tightly as you can. At this stage build the wall straight up to the height of about 2 ft for a medium sized igloo (slightly lower for a smaller one and slightly higher for a larger igloo). By the time you have built the wall up to this height it should be about 10cms or the length of your fingers wide. Don t worry if it s not exactly even all the way around, that will come with experience. Before starting to build the roof, you must ensure that the walls are well compressed together. Check that there are no areas of weakness where either the walls are to thin, or the snow hasn t been compressed properly and therefore isn t properly bonded. Once you have checked the walls are solid, you will be ready to start building the roof. Andy Meldrum 2007 11
Chapter 9 Bond the snow to create that classic dome shape Easy when you know how but an absolute disaster when you don t Using both hands squeeze a large handful of snow together until it is well bonded together. Now very gently apply that snow to the top of the wall creating a slight overhang. With one hand on the outside and one on the inside, compress the snow on either side of the join until it is all completely bonded and no join or weakness exists. Occasionally especially near the top of the igloo the join won t hold and the new snow will fall out. If this happens, just try again with a smaller handful and you will succeed. Work your way all the way around the top of the wall, building higher and higher, and slowly increasing the angle of the overhang. You will find constructing the overhang easier if you do it very gradually Creating the final dome is simply a matter of continuing to increase the overhang of the walls until they meet in the middle. Andy Meldrum 2007 12
When you have successfully completed the dome you can start to build the walls for the entrance tunnel, (don t build the walls any earlier as they will tend to just get in the way). Once the entrance walls are built, it is a simple matter of continuing the roof down until it meets the entrance walls and then create a roof for the entrance. Remember to make the entrance big enough for adults as well as kids because everyone in the street will want to have a look inside. Once you have the basic structure you can fill in any rough areas or holes with snow until you have a smooth dome shape. Your igloo will now be ready to play in, will be the subject of many admiring comments and will be the focal point of many photos. If you would like your igloo to remain intact when the snow all around begins to melt just follow the instructions in chapter 10. Andy Meldrum 2007 13
Chapter 10 Make your igloo last even when the snow all around begins to melt. - Stop the sun melting your igloo by ensuring that the base is extended a decent distance from the igloo. With snow all around, the suns rays will be reflected and your igloo will last much longer. - Continue to thicken the walls and roof of your igloo. This can be done from the inside or outside, but be gentle and make sure you don t collapse the whole thing. - If you are expecting a hard overnight frost spray the igloo gently with water last thing at night: as the water freezes it will form an icy shell on your igloo which will make it almost bomb proof. Having an igloo in your garden is great, but having one still surviving in your garden when everywhere else has turned green again is just an awesome feeling. Andy Meldrum 2007 14
Summary Sheet Step 1 get properly kitted up Step 2 - Choose a flat, well protected site Step 3 Trample the snow down Step 4 Mark out your circle Step 5 Gather together as much snow as you can Step 6 Build the outer wall to approximately 2 feet. Step 7 Create the overhang to the roof as gently as possible. Step 8 Build the entrance walls. Step 9 Smoothen up any rough edges Step 10 Have fun in your new igloo. Andy Meldrum 2007 15
Appendix Newsletter go to www.igloo4you.com Winter gear go to www.boardwise.com Snow shovels go to www.parrs.co.uk Traditional Inuit igloo www.primitiveways.com/igloo.html Post your igloo pictures to andy@igloo4you.com Get Rich without winning the lottery andy@andymeldrum.com Andy Meldrum 2007 16