http://www.wikihow.com/Build-an-Igloo Tips * Be picky about your snow. It must be packable. Also, if there was a frost just before the snow and the bottom layer is slushy, it won't be comfortable to sit inside the igloo. * Big shovels are good. You will also need carving tools and a saw. * If you build it on a gentle slope, then the entrance hole can ramp up slightly into the cave. This will allow the cool air to 'fall out' through the entrance and the warmer air to stay inside. * Smooth out the inner dome walls as much as possible and carve longitudinal grooves inside to allow the melting snow to flow outside without dripping on you. * For added strength, drip water over the top of the igloo at night before going to sleep. This will allow the water to freeze and will make the walls stronger. * Poke a small hole near the top, and then light a candle inside the igloo and let it burn. the heat from the candle will partially melt the inside of the igloo, and then it will refreeze into ice, making your igloo stronger. * Make the joints smooth and even, as there is no mortar for binding the blocks together. If necessary force loose snow in to fill up the cracks and crevices as the igloo is built. [edit] Warnings * Snow is heavy. Be careful and make sure not to try this alone in case the igloo collapses. * Never build a fire inside, unless it is very small as it is very dangerous due to smoke inhalation and rapidly melting snow. Body heat and adequate clothing will keep you nice and warm inside without a fire. A candle is safer to use. * Small cooking stoves are ok if the igloo is large and well-ventilated, but use it sparingly for heating water, not for warmth. Also, try placing the stove above head level so that the fumes vent out directly and you won't breathe them in. http://www.igloobuilding.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=28 March 1991 Igloo building guide with pictures The photos are from somewhere north-west of Hallingskarvet, Hardangervidda, Norway, and were taken in How to build an igloo... Building an igloo is easy and fun. And the igloo is a great place to spend the night on a small 'expedition' in the mountains. It is much warmer than a tent, and can be built just about anywhere. Building an igloo will take somewhere between 3 and 6 hours, depending on your previous experience and level of ambition... This page is a small guide on building an igloo. The photos are from somewhere north-west of Hallingskarvet, Hardangervidda, Norway, and were taken in March 1991. Clock on images to display large version. Equipment. The only tool needed in addition to a snow spade is a saw. A special snow saw is recommended, but a carpenter's saw will do (as seen in the pictures). A machete or small axe is handy for moulding the snow blocks, but not necessary (use your ski instead - less to carry). Step 1: Find a suitable spot A hard field of snow is required to build an igloo - hard enough to make solid snow blocks. Even if the top layer of snow is soft, hard snow can usually be found underneath. Use sticks to make a circle, marking the base of the dome at about 2 meters (6 feet) across. Don't make it too big, or you'll have trouble making the top bricks stay up. Ideally, The snow depth should be at least 1 meter (3 feet) where the igloo is placed. Step 2: Prepare the snow blocks The snow blocks should be solid enough to be carried horizontally without breaking by their own weight. Large blocks are used at the base of the dome, smaller ones at the top. A thickness of 15-30cm (6-12 inches) is good. The blocks can be made extra strong by setting them up to harden in the wind. Step 3: The building starts The edges of each snow block should be smoothed and angeled correctly to make a strong bond to the adjacent blocks. A ski with its tip placed in the centre of the igloo is a perfect tool for this. There will always be some (or maybe a lot of) cracks between locks, but that is fixed later. It is very important that the bottom row of snow blocks are placed aslant, otherwise you are building a tower... The tops of the blocks should be slanted upwards as you go around, with two vertical blocks at the sides of the entrance, pointing outwards with a solid block on top to make a small roof. It might look tiny, but a lot of snow is dug out later. At this stage you might want to lower the floor inside the igloo to give you more headroom, later. Keep removing the snow that is piling up inside. It is a lot easier to throw it out of an open dome than to shovel it out the entrance afterwards. If everything is done right, the dome will not collapse because the blocks are supporting each other. But in some critical situations, you might want to use a stick inside to support the topmost blocks until the dome is closed. The last few blocks are moved into the igloo through the entrance and lifted up. There might be need of two persons inside at this stage. Step 4: Finishing the igloo The igloo is closed! Not a perfect dome, but good enough. Now it is time to fill all those cracks with snow. (The really big cracks are filled with small blocks of snow.) Then the inside of the igloo must be smoothed. This is done by hand (your gloves get very wet, bring an extra pair!). If the inside of the dome is one, smooth surface, there will be no dripping of water at all. When the smoothing of the inside is done and all the snow has been shoveled out, it is time to finish the entrance. An L-shaped entrance is a good solution, and will prevent any snow from blowing in. First dig an L with an depth of 1m (or more), then cover it with a square 'roof' made of snow blocks. Or you can just keep the entrance simple, as shown in the image. Its finished! This is the inside. Note how the entrance is dug deep enough to allow almost standing height (Ronny with the spade). The cold air will flow into this hollow, which function as a cold sink. NOTE! When using a stove in the igloo, make sure the ventilation is adequate! During cooking small holes will melt in the roof, letting fresh air in. A small ventilation hole in the roof is recommended. Always keep the entrance open. The floor should be covered with some kind of camping mattresses, Therm-a-rest or similar is a good choice. Candles can be used as light source, cut a small niche for the candle, with sufficient space above it to avoid snow melting. Time to say goodnight (Geir in the sleeping bag). Note how the ceiling is smoothed. Even after an hours worth of cooking, there is no dripping. Actually, during the night the water that has melted will freeze again between the blocks, making the igloo stronger than ever. Next morning you might be able to stand on top of the igloo! Well, this is it. If you have any comments or suggestions, mail to info@hate.spam.igloobuilding.org Note! Remove "hate.spam." from email address before sending. All photos are copyright Geir Drange. Participants of the igloo building project were: ¦Ronny Finnema (architect) ¦Geir Drange (photography, digging...) ¦Anonymous (handyman) Actually, we spent two nights in this igloo. Canadian video http://youtube.com/watch?v=Pia4i5sr0o0 Diagrams http://www.captainfletch.com/projects/igloo/igloo.asp Provided temperatures remain below 32 degrees F, constructing snow shelters is relatively easy. Sheltering from the wind is the first priority, since the wind can drastically decrease the air temperature. Temperatures below 14 degrees F become increasingly unpleasant, so that it becomes necessary to construct shelters in which heat can be retained extremely well. These can range from a simple, hollowed-out heap of snow to an igloo, which can take a few hours to construct. In a long-term shelter, such as an igloo, heavy, cold air can be diverted away from the occupants by digging a cold sink to channel the air down and away from the shelter. It is important to allow for adequate ventilation in all snow shelters in order to prevent suffocation. 1. Cut blocks from dry, hard, hard snow, using a snow saw or large knife. Each block should be about 3 ft. (1m) long, 15 in. (40cm) high, and 8 in. (20cm) deep. 2. Form a circle with blocks around the hole created where you cut the blocks. Cut the circle in a spiral from the top of the last block to the ground ahead of the first block. This will make it easy to construct a dome. 3. Build up walls, overlapping the blocks and shaping them so that they lean inward. Cut a hole under the wall for the cold sink and entrance. Put several blocks along one wall as a sleeping platform. 4. The last block must initially be larger than the hole. Place the block on top of the igloo, then, from inside, shape and wiggle it to slot exactly into the hole. 5. Hot air from your body and stove rises and is trapped inside the dome. Cold air falls into the sink and flows away to the outside. It is essential to cut ventilation holes in the walls with an ice ax. Finished Igloo With warmth inside the igloo, the surface of the walls will melt and freeze over, to form a smooth, airtight ice surface. The roof over entrance tunnel prevents snow from blowing into igloo. WARNING! It is vital to make at least one airhole in the roof to avoid suffocation. The igloo will get very warm inside with heat from your body, even if it is cold and windy outside. Without ventilation, lethal carbon dioxide will build up. Also, the use of stoves in an enclosed shelter is not recommended due to dangerous build-up of carbon monoxide. An igloo building kit Back to the CaptainFletch.com Homepage