How to Build an Igloo 2

An igloo is a snow house, a shelter for people who live in snowy, icy areas. Let us know how to build an igloo


What You Need

  • For building an igloo, you need shovels, carpenter saw or snow saw, hatchets, machetes and big knives.
  • To start with, look for an area that has several layers of hard-packed snow. Even if the layer on the top is soft and fresh, you have to realize that there is deeper, tougher snow down below.

Building The Igloo

  • Make a pit to stand in, and with a saw, cut out same-sized snow blocks on both the sides of the pit. Move them out and place them on top of the snow to make it hard as you continue cutting.
  • Ideally, cut huge blocks because the bigger pieces you cut, the lesser will be the work for you.
  • Make a big circle in the snow, and then place blocks around it. Slant the blocks to about 20 degrees and then trim the edges to a proper shape with the help of a hatchet.
  • Keep the next row of blocks above the first one. Cut and shape every row, so that they slant a little further towards the middle of the circle.
  • Make a helper stand inside the igloo with a shovel. He or she will be taking out snow from the floor of the igloo. The helper should throw the removed snow outside.
  • Make a semi-circular access on the downside of the igloo. Get rid of snow in front of the entrance till you are level with the floor inside. Now build a cylindrical structure at the entrance so that the wind and the snow do not come in, making it easy for you and your helper to go in and out of the igloo.
  • With the help of the snow, pack the areas between the blocks both from the inside and outside the igloo to make it airtight.
  • Make little holes in the top of the igloo to permit air exchange. This is important to prevent asphyxiation.
  • Use gloved hands to make the inside of the igloo smooth. If the inside area is smooth, the igloo will leak less water. Alternatively, you can make use of a heat source to make the interior warm, making it smoother. The walls will tend to become icy when the temperature drip at night and the heat source is removed.