The creators behind Gridlessness (@Gridlessness) are embarking on a homebuilding journey with an unusual recipe: soap, xanthan gum, cement powder, and sand.
Here's what to know
The homesteading family's video focuses on a test dome for a DIY earth-covered house.
In this phase, the creators made aircrete with soapy water, xanthan gum, two parts cement powder, and three parts sand.
To make the material for a heavily insulated wall, they first whipped the soapy water into foam, then combined it with the dry ingredients by using a "solar-powered cement mixer." The result, they said, "feels like meringue," is "like magical honey," and makes everything "super insulated."
More background
Since the dome will be buried, the fiberglass stage is vital. The builders said that the outer layer is meant to add strength and make the structure waterproof before it goes under the earth and faces winter snow, while the unfinished interior already has the feel of a small bunker. They intend to add a hidden entrance behind a bookshelf.
They did have some troubleshooting to do. At first, they said they made too much resin, and the batch was set in only 14 minutes. "We did not do the mixing wrong, but what happens is when there's so much, it gives off heat as it cures. But then the hotter it is … the faster it cures," one person explained. "... You sure learn a bunch when you just do stuff."
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What people are saying
As seen here, DIY dome building can be experimental and messy, and it's likely not a fit for the typical homeowner. This small-scale test was useful because it revealed weak spots in forming, curing, and waterproofing before those mistakes happened with the home.
"Amazing and informative video," one commenter said.
Another wrote: "Aircrete is being used for a lot of structures these days, a lot of them off-grid and out west. Love what ya'll are doing."
"The outside temperature will affect your mixture of resin," a third remarked.
Where can I learn more?
If this project caught your attention, these stories cover other unconventional homes.
• On a zero-waste farm, a geodesic dome inspired by carbon's structure anchors sustainable living.
• In Indonesia, an off-grid couple lost $59,000 after trusting the wrong builder.
• In Missouri, one builder raised a straw bale house for $15,000.
• At an off-grid cabin, one builder worked alone to seal the shell before winter.
• On another remote build, a storm soaked the new subfloor before insulation work could begin.
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