How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

H OW T O B UI L D

G E O D O M E G R E E N H O US E

Our GeoDome building experience for anyone

who wants to build a GeoDome

By Jakob and Anna Esau

www.northernhomestead.com
2013 | All Rights Reserved

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Table of contents
o Introduction
o Materials to use
o GeoDome plans
o Tools needed
o Cutting the struts
o Assembling the GeoDome
o Covering the GeoDome
o Door and windows
o Water Tank
o Active heating and cooling system
o Conclusion

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Welcome!
My husband and I both grew up on mostly self-sufficient
homesteads and had to learn early on how to grow and
preserve food and care for animals. We lived a simple life
and made the most with what we had. Urban homesteading
was what our parents did and what we considered to be the
normal life. After moving around and seeing a lot of this
world we strive to go back to this simple normal life of
urban homesteading. Read more about it on
www.northernhomestead.com
We are in Alberta, Canada Zone 3A. Yep, its cold here!
When it comes to gardening in colder climates, a
greenhouse is almost a must have. It extends the growing
season and gives the plants a lot more heat. With a
greenhouse, we can actually pick ripe tomatoes here and
grow some plants that we would not be able to without one.
A greenhouse can also be a great place to hang out on those
cool spring days and summer nights.
When we started to look out for one to build, our
expectations were very high. In a northern garden we have
to deal with frost, nasty winds and hail, and also loads of
snow in the winter. Our days in spring and fall dont have
much direct sunlight so we need to catch every sunbeam we
can. Plus, we live in town and the greenhouse in our small
back yard needed to be somehow catchy.
o In our research we came across the GeoDome
greenhouse
o Very unique, lightweight structure
o Stable in wind and under snow
o Optimal light absorption
o Has the most growing ground space
o A unique hang-out place
o An eye catcher
2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

The GeoDome greenhouse seemed to be just what we were

looking for. Since there is no foundation and this structure
can be portable or temporary, we did not need any permits
and would be able to take it with us if we would move. So
its all good! But, how to build a GeoDome greenhouse?
o
o
o
o
o
o

What materials to use?

What plan to go by?
What tools needed?
How to do the cutting?
How to assemble the GeoDome?
How to cover the GeoDome?

We looked at dozens of how-to instructions and even bought

a pricy e-Book (with very little value). But all together it
helped us build the GeoDome we have and love. Thanks to
my dear husband, who did all the researching and building.
Here we share our experiences so you too can build a
GeoDome greenhouse if so desired.
2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Materials to use
o Wood. We used untreated spruce lumber, and stained it
before assembling. You could also use Douglas Fir
which is more durable.
o Screws, about a pound
o Covering. We used greenhouse plastic that was given
to us from a commercial greenhouse. Plastic from a
commercial greenhouse can be easily reused on a
dome, since there is not so much pressure on it, and it
can last another 3-5 years. You can also cover the
dome with shrink foil, polycarbonate, or bubble
Solawrap foil.
o Automatic window openers and hinges for the door and
the windows.

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

GeoDome plans
Acidome is one of the best GeoDome calculators we were
able to find on the Internet. Although its in Russian it can
be translated using Google Translate at the top of the page.
The Geodesic frequency for a Dome can be 2V, 3V, 4V. A
smaller dome can have a lower frequency; for our 18 dome
we chose the 3V frequency. Anything bigger then 18 should
be 4V. Keep also in mind that whatever the width of dome
is, it will be half that in height. For example, our 18 dome is
9 high plus the 1 pony wall.

The challenge with a 3V Dome is that the red struts at the

bottom of the dome as shown above are 2.777% longer
then all other red struts. Most plans on the Internet do not
do this little adjustment and end up with an uneven bottom.
Sure, it is possible to level the foundation, but much easier
to adjust the length of the 10 red struts on the bottom,
always in between the pentagons

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Why did we go with 3V even though it is the more

complicated version? We had a spot for an 18 dome. To
have that size in 2V would make the triangles too big and
too small with 4V. If you want to avoid the problem of
leveling in a 3V dome and have the space, go with a bigger
size in 4V frequency!
Once we had the plan, we printed it out in color so it was
helpful on the job site.

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Tools needed
o Measuring tape
o Square
o Pencil
o Safety glasses
o Hearing protection
o Drill
o Radial arm saw or dual bevel miter saw
o Level

Cutting the struts

First we had to cut the 2x6s to 2 wide struts. Your lumber
store might be willing to do this for you. Ideally, a radial arm
saw is preferred because it can make very precise cuts, even
compound cuts for each strut. We used a miter saw with the
stops removed and it also did a good job precision is key
with timber struts. And because precision is important to us
we went with the metric system.
Heres the link for our dome size: Acidome.ru

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

How to use the Acidome.ru calculator?

Click on the graphic to enlarge it.

1. Alphabetic index of the struts

2. Number of struts of this type
3. The numeric designation size vertex to which this edge
rests on this end
4. The value of a flat angle to the plane of the outer edge
5. The value of the dihedral angle between the outer
plane of the edge and the plane of the cut

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How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Heres a graphic of the end of a strut in 3D. Click on the

graphic to enlarge it.

Finished struts:

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

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How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Assembling the GeoDome

Our GeoDome has no foundation. The pony wall sits directly
on the ground. Only to level the dome we had to dig a
trench on one side. We have had some nasty winds and also
loads of snow: The dome is stable in wind and snow.

We built a 1 ft high pony wall. With a pony wall you will gain
some height, especially for a small dome it can be very
important. Some users make a pony wall up to 3 ft high.
Our pony wall is a simple frame structure covered with
plastic.
Once the pony wall was built and leveled we started
assembling the dome. Its a bit like playing Lego on a bigger
scale, following the plan. The strut joints are being held in
place by screws as indicated on the graphic below.

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

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How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

We recommend pre-drilling all the holes so the wood does

not split. There is a lot of drilling and screwing to do and lots
of screws are needed. But the process is rather simple and
the outcome is a very rigid structure.
Click on the graphic to enlarge it.

We assembled the top of the dome separately and installed

it as one piece. It was a bit heavy and challenging. We
would not recommend it. It is simpler to assemble the dome
strut by strut.

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

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How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Congratulation, the structure is built!

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

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How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Covering the GeoDome

Covering a dome can be tricky because of the shape. Cutting
the plastic for 3 facets in a row worked the best. Acidome
also calculates nicely the size of the facets, which is
especially important for more valuable coverings. With our
free plastic cover we simply laid the struts on the plastic and
cut the 2-3 facets approximately. Any overlaps we trimmed
with a utility knife.

First we stapled the plastic to the struts and then used the 1
cm planks to hold it in place, which also pointed out the
structure of the GeoDome even more. We like it . You can
also see in the picture how sturdy the structure is!

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

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How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Door and Windows

We built the door right into a pentagon, as you see in the
picture it has two vertical struts as doorposts. We really like
it that way. It does not interrupt the shape of the dome,
which is perfect especially in winter with all the snow that
just slides off the dome. It also allows us access to the dome
even with snow still on the ground, and in the summer it
gives us an additional opening at the bottom even if we have
to close the door because of severe weather, which is a
bonus, too.
Click on the picture to enlarge it.

Our dome has two windows, both with automatic window

openers. However, if not using a cooling system, two
windows are not enough. We built the door and the windows
from the same struts as the structure and covered them
with plastic.

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

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How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Water Tank
In our GeoDome greenhouse we have a 280 gallon water
tank.

We built the tank out of two 4 ft x 8 ft sheets of plywood.

The sheets are held together on the short sides and pushed
apart in the middle, forming a ship shape. The water pushes
the sheets apart, too. The dirt stabilizes the lower part, the
topside of the plywood is being held by a metal band. There
is a lot of water to hold.

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

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How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

We lined the tank first with tarp, and than with 4 layers of 4
mil black plastic. It lasted for two growing seasons. The
reason why it ripped was partly because of the ice that
builds up in the winter. Our frost comes so suddenly that
one year we hadnt emptied the tank on time and ice had
built up. The second year we were on time, but there is
always a bit of water left.
This spring we exchanged the black plastic with 2 layers of
6-mil clear construction plastic. Of course to line the tank
with special pond liner would be better, but our dome is on a
rented lot so we did not want to spend so much on it.

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

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How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

For filtration we built a simple water filter -a bucket filled

with sponges. Bacteria builds up in there and cleanses the
tank naturally. The pump is a small fountain pump that does
the job well.

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

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How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Active heating and cooling system

Our water tank is also a base for an active heating and
cooling system through a radiator. To use a heater can be
costly. A simple used car radiator does the trick for us. A
car radiator works by cooling the air through the water
during the day and warming the air at night through the
same water that has been warmed up during the day.
Simply whenever the water is cooler then the air, it cools
and when its warmer it heats.

No, its not really a beautiful piece in the greenhouse, but

the functionality outweighs that by far.

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

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How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Conclusion
We hope all this information inspires you to build your very
own GeoDome Greenhouse. And if you do, please come and
share it with us on You Share. If you have any more
questions, do not hesitate to contact us on
www.northernhomestead.com
Be inspired and enjoy your very own GeoDome
Greenhouse to its absolute fullest.

Blessings
Jakob and Anna

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

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How to Build a GeoDome Greenhouse

Copyright 2013 | Jakob and Anna Esau/Northern Homestead

All Rights Reserved
Forwarding the entire book or copying portions of it to a blog
or website without permission is a violation of copyright. If
you would like to purchase additional copies, please visit
www.northernhomestead.com
Thank you!

2013 | Jakob & Anna Esau | Northern Homestead

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