Build Storm Cellar

Mike toppen used a 1 500 gallon plastic ag liquids tank to accomplish his goal of constructing his own root cellar and storm shelter.

Build storm cellar.

Photo courtesy farm show magazine. Make sure there s a clear path to the storm shelter area and it can be accessed quickly. The access door had to be sealed from snakes spiders mice and squirrels. The shelter had to be located above ground so it wouldn t fill with water.

Mike than reinforced it with wooden structures inside and out and then covering it with 16 to 20 inches of soil to add thermal and storm protection. Additional tornado and hurricane safe room information. You can use the existing basement slab floor assuming that it is reinforced and meets fema requirements. Steps for building a storm shelter cut out and remove the concrete slab from the garage floor and dig down 28 inches.

It had to be usable for cold storage of food such as. Look under steel distributors in the yellow pages or online for a local supplier. This one is made from 1 500 gallon plastic ag liquids tank. If you plan on digging an underground storm shelter outside of your home then you will need to pay for a ground analysis.

Move any items far enough that they won t get in your way while you re working. Full service lumberyards either carry or will special order all the materials you ll need to build this storm shelter cellar room except the 14 gauge steel sheets. The easiest and cheapest way to build your own storm shelter underground is to put it in your existing basement. Install metal rebar throughout the form to reinforce the concrete.

When mike toppen built an earth sheltered root cellarout away from his house he designed it with four goals in mind.