08 Dec How to Build an Igloo: 3 Ways for Every Occasion
Posted at 13:01h in Guidebooks
We can all conjure up an igloo in our imagination, but can you build one that will get you through the Arctic winter? Learn how to build an igloo the traditional Inuit way. Or, if you’re short on time and survival comes first, how to build an emergency igloo. Or maybe you just want to build one in your backyard? Whatever the occasion, here’s 3 ways to build an igloo.
Few regions are as inhospitable as the Arctic Circle in winter. Temperatures drop to an average of -40 °C and the nights are either very long or endless, depending on your latitude. Yet, the Inuit have survived these long and harsh winters for thousands of years. How, you ask? Enter the igloo, the humble winter abode of the Inuk.
A well-built igloo gets up to 50 °C warmer than the outside temperature while in use, lasts the whole season, and can have multiple rooms to fit a whole family. They’re fun to construct and as environmentally conscious as you’ll ever find a winter home.
The physics of how igloos keep you warm
1. Great insulation
You might think that snow is cold, therefore igloos are too. But what you might not know is that it acts as a great insulator, too! That’s because snow largely consists of trapped air. Foxes, rabbits, and other animals burrow in the snow to make it through winter. Why not humans, too?
2. Basic thermodynamics
Cold air is heavier than warm air so digging a hole at the entrance creates a sinkhole for cold air. When your body temperature warms the inside of an igloo, the cold air in the entrance tunnel is gradually pushed out. Inside the igloo, warm air rises to the raised sleeping shelves.
Now that you know how these crafty snow domes keep you warm, let’s move on to the exciting part––building one!
How to build an Inuit igloo in 7 steps
To build your own winter shelter, you’ll need a few things. First, lots of snow. Not the fluffy type but packed snow. Second, basic tools to work said snow with–– a snow knife, snow saw, or machete will do the job. An additional snow shovel will also be of great help. Bring a piece of rope, too. Third, you’ll want a helping hand (in fact, get as many as you can find). Fourth, make sure to have a good three to four hours before sundown. Got everything? Let’s get to building your very own snow palace.
1. Poke around
Igloos require the right type of snow––and lots of it. Use a stick to prod the snow and find a large patch of tightly packed snow from top to bottom. It needs to be firm enough to stamp on and at least 1 meter deep. Get rid of the top layer of snow if it’s still fresh.
2. Draw a circle
Once you’ve found a building site, set a perimeter for your igloo. Draw a circle with a radius of 1.2 m if you’re solo and 1.5 m for 3 people. Only pros should try to go above 1.5 m, as anything less than a perfect dome will collapse. To set a perimeter with the right radius, simply use a rope of the same length. Place a stick in the snow where you want to have your igloo and tie the rope to it. Then trace a circle from the end of that rope while walking around the stick.
3. Cut building blocks
This freshly drawn igloo outline doubles as your snow quarry. Cut out a narrow, rectangular trench a little less than a meter deep inside your circle. This trench will make cutting and harvesting snow blocks easier. Starting from the trench, cut out blocks with a width of 20 cm, a height double that, and the same length as your trench is deep.
Don’t fret it if any blocks break––you can use these later to build sleeping shelves and fill gaps. If you run out of blocks while building, continue quarrying blocks outside.
4. Stack in a spiral
Once you’ve assembled some snow blocks, lay them around the circle in a row. Then cut a slope halfway into your first row so that the following blocks you stack continually spiral upwards. Build your igloo from the inside.
While you’re stacking, cut a gentle edge in each row to create a slope inward. There’s no exact science to this. Try to adjust while you’re stacking to get to a domed shape. Fill gaps between the blocks and use smaller snow blocks as you go higher to reduce the risk of collapsing.
5. Cap the roof
Placing the final blocks to form a roof takes artisanry. Cut and adjust as you go to tightly fit the last pieces together. Fill the top hole in your igloo by placing a block on the outside and then cutting away at the edges until it fits snug.
6. Dig an entrance
Make a doorway to your snowy shelter by crouching down and cutting a hole through the wall at eye-level height. Then dig down into the entrance to create a tunnel and sinkhole for cold air. Clear the snow outside of the entrance, forming a slope reaching out of the igloo.
It is important to cut your entrance at an angle from the prevailing wind. Not just to keep warm––but if you build an entrance on the opposite side of the wind, you run the risk of drift snow building up and closing your entrance.
Use the entrance cut-out as a windbreaker. Cut it in half and rest the two halves against each other in an upside V-shape outside the entrance.
7. Finishing touches
Your igloo is standing, but don’t rest just yet. Cut out vents on the sides for fresh air to prevent the buildup of deadly CO2 from exhaling. Crescent-shaped vents minimize structural weakening and prevent warm air from escaping.
Next, smoothen the inner surface of your snow dome. As you heat up the inside, snow will start to melt and drip from any protrusion. The last thing you want in freezing temperatures is to get wet! With a smooth surface, water will run down the sides. Finish the interior by raising sleeping shelves and covering them with seal hides. If you forgot yours, sleeping mats and bags will do.
Reinforce the outsides with snow and seal any gaps, save from the air vents you just poked. When properly built, an igloo can support a single man on its roof. If you’re confident, you could submit your winter burrow to a final test. We don’t recommend you do, though.
Build an emergency igloo in 3 quick steps
A spiraling dome is extremely sturdy but also cumbersome to build. These emergency igloos are much easier to build and only take an hour to finish. To build one, you’ll be raising a triangle over a trench following the same principles that guide a domed igloo.
1. Dig a trench
Start by looking for a patch of snow the same way as described above. Once you’ve found the right snow, dig a narrow rectangular trench a little less than one meter deep and two meters long or more.
2. Cut and assemble
Proceed to cut blocks from that trench until you have a trench of roughly 60 cm wide. Then place those blocks at the edge of your trench and lean them in on each other, cutting away at their edges so they lock into place and form a triangle.
3. Finish your triangle trench
Close off one end with snow and dig a pit in front to create a cold-air sinkhole. Reinforce your structure where necessary and remember to place the trench at an angle from the prevailing wind. Poke a hole in the side for ventilation.
For some finishing touches, line the side of your flooring with another trench to create a raised sleeping shelf. Partially cover the entrance and you’re set for the night!
Creating more space
If you want to fit two people, apply the same principles as the triangle trench but dig a trench of 1-1.2 m width. Place a third, horizontal snow block between the two tilting tiles for a wider roof.
How to build an igloo in your backyard
Constructing an Inuit winter home takes a thick layer of tightly packed snow, but most of us don’t have an Arctic landscape for a backyard. Luckily, there’s a way to circumvent this tiny obstacle. And it doesn’t involve moving to Greenland. Just don’t expect this one to last the whole winter.
1. Make a huge mound
Packed snow, fresh snow, anything will do––as long as you have a lot of it. Grab a snow shovel and start piling snow until you have a huge mound. If you have a small backyard, you might want to get snow from the neighbors.
While piling snow, throw it in the air for it to separate. This will allow the snow to sinter faster.
2. Sinter overnight
Sintering is the process of powdered snow settling and coalescing into a solid mass. This happens naturally over time, though it takes longer if the snow is dry and very cold. Depending on the temperature and humidity, let your mound sinter overnight or at least a few hours.
3. Build igloo like you normally would!
With your snow sintered, proceed to cut blocks from the hardened pile. Place the blocks around the mound and trace an igloo outline on the former mound once you’ve cut all blocks. You can then build an Inuit igloo like described above!
