The following contains a photo gallery showing
the American Ingenuity Dome Kit Assembly process.
45' dome kit being unloaded from Semi-Truck. Your dome kit can be delivered prior to your foundation installation. The kit can be stored on your site 2-3 months (in nonfreezing weather) waiting for your foundation construction. Some boxed items need to be stored inside per Truck Unloading document.
45' dome kit off loaded from semi-truck.
Concrete Slab formed up with vertical rebar extending out of slab that will later connect riser, entryway and door dormer panels to the foundation. Standard foundation is a concrete slab. However the Ai dome can be built on a basement, pilings, stem wall, concrete block columns.
Poured slab for 34' dome linked to 45' dome.
View of stacks of panels with first row of riser panels being assembled. In the blueprints are dimensions from the center of the slab that each riser is installed to. The dimension is from the center of the slab to the interior of the riser panel end.
In the Kit Assembly Manual that is shipped with each dome kit is a listing of Materials, Tools and Equipment needed on site for dome kit assembly. This picture shows 94 lb bags of Portland Cement (Type 1 or 111 - Ai prefers 111), masonry or stucco sand, mortar mixer and water source. Fibers and liquid admixtures are shipped with your kit....the same ingredients that Ai used to manufacture your prefab panel concrete. On site the cement or mortar is mixed per Concrete Mix Recipe in the Assembly Manual.
Rectangle riser panel being lifted off stack of panels to be installed on dome foundation. Four lifting spikes are purchased for $100. When a riser is lifted a spike is inserted between the concrete and the EPS on each side of the riser.
First row of riser panels are installed prior to temporary wooden rib system being assembled. Galvanized steel mesh extends out all sides of the prefab panel. On site the mesh from one panel overlaps and is locked to adjacent panel mesh. First layer of fiber concrete is hand troweled into seam area between two panels covering some of the mesh and not covering the panel bonding ledges. Prior to hand troweling fiber concrete, prefab concrete around the area is watered down.
45' dome kit: First row of riser panels propped up with temporary wooden rib system being installed for later placement of other rows of panels.
Riser panels installed. Next step is temporary wooden rib system is installed.
Starting Second Row of Panel Assembly
Worker arranging lifting harness chains prior to attaching them to the lifting spikes. When a triangle panel is lifted three of the spikes are utilized. On site a lifting harness is made from four strands of 5/16" chain each 7' long and 5/16" Quick links. Harness attaches to the lifting spikes. Diagram is in the Assembly Manual. Manual can be shipped after signed order and kit deposit is placed.
Second row panel being lifted into place.
On site fiber concrete is mixed per recipe in the Manual which includes two liquid admixtures. Ai wants your seam concrete to have the same properties as your panel concrete. As a result Ai ships the same fibers and admixtures we use to manufacture the panel concrete with your kit. This photo is of the first layer of concrete in a seam between two panels. The first layer of concrete is thrown through the overlapped, locked steel mesh but does not cover the flat and sloping bonding ledges. Prior to fiber concrete being applied in a seam, all prefab concrete around the area is watered down. After all rows of panels are installed with one layer of fiber concrete in the seams and on the entryways and dormers, a second layer of concrete is applied. Where work will commence, the first layer of concrete and all surrounding concrete is watered down, bonding agent is applied on top of the first layer of concrete and on the sloping and flat bonding ledges and is allowed to rest 30 min. Then second layer of fiber concrete is applied on top of the first layer & on the panel bonding ledges. The exterior of the second layer of concrete is sponge finished so that the seam concrete blends to the panel concrete finish. The second concrete layer is installed in either a flat or curved appearance.
45' dome on basement showing wood first floor and interior side of the panels 1/2" DensArmor. During panel placement always align the interior drywall side so that the drywall on adjacent panels is flush to each other. This makes later drywall finishing easier. Applying concrete in the exterior seams is easier than trying to add joint compound to finish drywall when it is at different levels.
The vertical seam area between the riser panels and the riser panels bottom seam have been concreted prior to the second row of panels being installed.
View of a few of second row panels installed prior to the horizontal seam between the top of the riser and the bottom of the first triangle being concreted.
View of panel assembly for 40' dome.
Most of fourth row of panels installed.
View of 48' dome panel assembly. Above the entryways a cable is installed that is continuous around the dome. Cable is supplied with the kit. The triangle panels on each side of the entryway have a precut trough to insert the cable in as the cable continues around the dome. Standard entryway on the right. High Profile entryway on the left.
Entryway Panels have been installed with the exterior sides of the entryway panels having received their first layer of concrete. Some of the seams have received their first layer of concrete.
Standard entryway panels have been temporarily propped up. Around the front edge of all 3 freq dome entryway panels there is a preformed front edge. This edge is folded up to make the front of the entryway beam that is installed around the lip edge. Rebar comes out of the footer to lay in the trough prior to being concreted. Entryways are structural awnings that extend out from the dome. Later this entryway will be framed in to accept locally purchased doors or windows.
Concrete worker inspecting the temporary supports under the entryway and the entryway panel installation.
Around the back edge of the entryway panels a 2"x2" groove is cut in the EPS to lay rebar (overlapping from the footers) and a cable that is continuous around the dome. The groove and the top of the entryway panels are concreted on site with fiber concrete.
Panel in Second Row being lifted into place.
Another view of panel being installed in third row of panels.
An entryway consists of six panels. Two on each side and two top panels. This photo shows the second side panel being installed. Please note in the 3 freq domes (30'- 48') the underside of the six panels has a scratch coat of concrete with a preformed lip edge.
Triangle panel being lifted into place.
Puppy is asking, "Where is my room in the new dome?"
View of 34' dome with two rows of panels installed.
View of the top cable that is continuous around the dome. Two cables are shipped with your dome kit. Once goes in the seam between the top of the riser panel and bottom of the first row of triangle. The second cable lays in the seam between the second and third row of triangles. The cable is installed on top of the overlapped and locked steel mesh and is tie wired to the mesh. The top cable ends overlap themselves and are locked together with cable clamps.
Cable clamps have been installed to lock the two ends of the top cable together.
Cupola area with beam poured ready to accept top five panels.
Third row of panels being installed.
Butterfly in dome front yard.
Side of view of panel being installed. The panel exterior is 3/4″ concrete reinforced with galvanized steel mesh. After the mesh is overlapped and locked between panels, on site special fiber concrete is mixed and hand trowelled in the seam areas in two applications — bonding agent is applied between the two layers. The seam areas are about 3″ deep by 5″ wide with average of 2″ thick concrete.
Window Dormer first floor installed. Second floor window dormer panel being installed.
First floor door dormer being installed. Door dormer panels consist of 3 1/2" of EPS (to make rigid form) wrapped in galvanized steel mesh. On site the panels are installed with dormer mesh overlapping adjacent dome panel mesh 2" min.; mesh locked with C rings and then panels and seam areas concreted with fiber concrete.
45' dome - assembly of third row of panels
45' dome assembled with link on the right, window dormer above the link, high profile entryway on the left. 34' dome slab on the right. Cupola not installed as yet.
View of 45' dome without second floor window dormer installed and cupola not installed.
Cupola Overhang panels being Installed.
45' dome in back ground has cupola top panels installed. Overhang panels not installed. Dome Panels Installed - Window Dormers not installed.
48' dome assembly. First and Second floor window dormers not concreted. Second floor door dormer not concreted. First layer of concrete in the seams and on the entryway.
34' garage dome under assembly. Entryway and seams have first layer of concrete.
40' dome - first floor entryway framed in for standard door and window with second floor door dormer above.
Priming 45' Dome Exterior Concrete
Priming Dome Exterior Concrete
45' dome cupola being finished on back dome. Stone applied to the riser panels.
Second floor joists installed.
Interior Drywall Being Finished.
Exterior view of High Profile Entryway with doors and fixed glass installed. 45' dome.
Back view of finished domes showing geothermal items in middle of two domes.
Finished 45' dome home on left linked to 34' garage dome in California.
Living room with high profile entryway on each side.
High Profile Entryway with glass doors and fixed glass.
(use arrows on right and left side of main picture to view other photos in the gallery.)
To view other pictures of panel assembly, go to Construction Overview and to Kaufman pics. To view the DVD for free, go to Free DVD. To view engineering statement about American Ingenuity dome, go to Engineering.
An American Ingenuity geodesic dome home kit is purchased in kit form. About 40% of Ai’s clients are owner builders while others hire a Contractor who hires the Kit Assembly Consultant. The Component Panels, Building Plans and Assembly Manual come marked with panel nomenclature. If you do not want to manage the assemble of the dome kit, Ai knows of independent working consultants that travel around the country assembling the dome shell using your concrete workers or your contractor’s concrete workers. If you are on the east coast Ai knows of a Virginia builder who can be hired with his crew to construct an ICF basement and assemble the dome kit. To view info on the independent Kit Assembly Consultant/Specialist, click on Consultant.
Due to spam filters your email requests may not make it to American Ingenuity and our email replies may not make it back to you. If you email Ai and do not receive a reply in one to two days, please call us - 321-639-8777. While you are on the phone, we will send you a test email and have you send your email to us.
First step after your foundation is in place is to install the first row of component panels, then assemble a temporary wooden rib system to install the rest of the panels on. Some form of lifting device is used to place the panels. By placing the component panels, locking the steel mesh from adjacent panels, concreting the seams and concreting the entryways, dormers, link, cupola, the structural framework, the exterior finish, the insulation and interior shell wall board are installed.
Once all the panels are in place, seam areas & entryways/dormers with two layers of fiber concrete, the dome is self supporting & the wooden rib system is disassembled. Some of the wood from the rib system can be utilized for interior framing or for second floor perimeter knee wall. There is no wood in or on the dome shell to rot, no wood to be eaten by termites, no wood to burn. No shingles to blow off in high winds.
The Consultant supervises the rib system assembly, panel placement and application of the first layer of concrete into the panel seams and onto the entryways and dormers. Fibers and liquid admixtures are shipped with each dome kit. In a mortar mixer fibers, liquid admixtures,Portland Cement, masonry sand and water are mixed to produce special mortar mix which is hand trowelled into the seam areas between panels and on to the entryway and dormer panels.
Then either your workers or your builder’s workers complete the second layer of concrete in the seams & on the entryways and dormers. To learn more about selecting a builder, view Builders, Contractor & Determining Contractor Pricing. For interior finishing complete yourself or hire local subcontractors to complete the plumbing, electrical, framing, window/door installation, wall board finishing, cabinetry, etc.
For waterproofing the concrete exterior, Ai dome owners recommend Ames Research Laboratories primer, tape and paint which can be purchased from ACE, True Value Hardware, Build-Rite Do It Center, etc/ Or call Ames at 888-345-0809 to purchase directly from them. For info on dealers in your area and their Super-Primer, Peel & Stick Contouring Tape and Maximum Stretch Paint click on Ames.
The interior shell wall board is finished similar to conventional drywall. Or you can apply joint compound to the DensArmor Plus gypsum wallboard in what is sometimes called a skip trowel finish, apply primer and then paint. Or to cover any wall board imperfections and blend the wall board to the sanded joint compounded seams, mix a 50/50 batch of paint and dry powder joint compound. Apply the mixture with a paint roller.
To view Ai’s new dome video, view on Dome Video. The standard foundation for the Ai dome is an on grade concrete slab. However the dome can be built on columns or pilings or a basement. Click on Foundation for more info. Call Ai for more foundation info, 321-639-8777.
To view assembly and finished pictures of a 45′ Ai dome built on a basement, view Stroupe Dome. To view info about the rib system, click on Rib System. To view a video showing panel assembly, click on Ulm 40′ Dome on Superior Wall Precast Concrete basement.
Electrical wiring is installed within interior framed walls, within some of the 1/2″ grooves between the interior shell wallboard and within grooves cut through the shell wallboard and EPS. When wiring is inserted in the grooves, the grooves are filled with expanding foam and the area finished with tape and joint compound. Prime the DensArmor drywall and coat with 50/50 mixture of joint compound and paint.
This advanced building system makes it easier to construct an American Ingenuity dome than a conventional house or a wooden dome.
- No exterior walls to frame
- No roof trusses to set
- No sheathing, tarpaper, or shingles to apply
- No soffits, exterior trim, insulation or siding to install.
A helpful book that gives you overall insight in building your own home is called The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Building Your Own Home by Dan Ramsey. We also recommend that you visit your local library and research construction books which cover the concepts on building your own own. A helpful web site is rsmeans.com. It has construction manuals, construction estimating CD’s, etc.
Once you decide on your floor plan, use the info from the Kit Assembly Consultant to estimate number of days needed for that plans’ assembly.
