Filed under: Outdoors
A 1920's instructional on underground forts got us thinking...is a sub-ground hang-out even possible?
Over on Wired, one industrious blogger discovered a 1929 "Modern Mechanics" featuring surprisingly detailed images and instructions on building an underground fort -- complete with measurements. This ultimate DIY got us thinking: Could someone really pull this off? Consider...
The Underground Fort's Foundation
Digging the hole is basically like digging a foundation for a house. Only in this case, the hole will actually be your house. A tarp or water-proof material is needed for the flooring and plywood is used to support the "walls."
The Underground Fort's Roof
While some fort instructions say to use plywood for this part of the structure, the fort in this illustration uses tar paper.
The Underground Fort's Appliances
Candles and lanterns can easily illuminate your underground hang-out. Just be sure to contain the flames. Just think of it as being in a tent. The stove situation is a bit more complicated though. Certainly you won't be installing a state-of-the-art range and hood. But you can contain a brick or stone fire. And -- most importantly -- make sure to have an exhaust!
The Underground Fort's Safety
Safety is the main issue we thought of when seeing this underground habitat. After all, access in through long, narrow tunnels. And depending on the ground your working with, hazards could be high. While we're pretty sure a savvy DIYer can make this happen, we're still rolling out the caution tape. Although, tree forts leave you hanging on a limb, so which option is less risky?
OK, this is all sounding a little shaky to us. Unless you've got a professional willing to help or consult, we'd advise sticking with your basement or attic as a hideout -- or copy this writer's husband and take up a new "man cave" apartment!
And be sure to check out other DIY ideas:
Easy, Low-Cost Weekend Projects
DIY Solar Projects
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Source: http://www.diylife.com/2011/04/28/underground-forts/
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