5V Geodesic Dome Calculators

 

Build your own geodesic dome

Click here for the 5V 7/15 (3/8) dome calculator

This 5V 8/15 (a.k.a. 5/8) geodesic dome calculator is multi-purpose

This is also a reverse geodesic dome calculator

It will calculate any size of dome and display the lengths for each strut, total amount of material required, the weight of your geodesic dome and even the amount of material to cover your geodesic dome. Enter any value in any yellow box and it will calculate all other corresponding values. For example you can specify a 2-foot length for strut “B” and all other struts and related values will be calculated.
Click here to see all calculators on Domerama

Important note about odd geodesic frequencies (i.e. 3V, 5V)

Most geodesic dome calculators on the Web don’t give a flat base

For a more detailed explanation, click here.

NOTE:

If you enter a measure in feet, your results are in feet or, in the case of floor area, square feet. Same goes for meters.

When entering in feet, decimals are fractions of a foot or square foot (for example: 2.75 = 2’9″).

Spherical radius
Spherical diameter
Height
Floor Area
Perimeter
Perimeter: total length of all base struts
feet (or meters) of pipe/lumber
NOTE: if bolting struts, you need to add extra length to your total above. The formula is: (tip to hole center) X 2 X number of struts. Ex.: a dome requiring 100 struts with bolts 3/4″ from the tip requires 100 X 3/4″ X 2 = 150 inches (12.5 feet) more to the total above.
STRUTS ANGLE
30 X “A” 5.69°
30 X “B” 6.48°
60 X “C” 6.65°
70 X “D” 6.66°
70 X “E” 7.04°
80 X “F” 7.05°
35 X “G” 7.10°
30 X “H” 7.33°
20 X “I” 7.52°
425 STRUTS
For conduit, you can round bend angles to the nearest degree. For timber domes, angles should be to the nearest tenth of a degree.

Click here for assembly diagram

Struts are vertex to vertex

To connect together with bolts, you need to make them longer to drill holes in them.

 

 

Connecting struts

Many types of connectors are available for steel and timber geodesic dome. For more information, click here.

If you use `hubs
120 X 6-way connectors 6 X 5-way connectors 25 X 4-way connectors
OR
If you bolt struts together
151 bolts
151 nuts
302 washers
For more information on cutting, bending and flattening struts, click here

 

Floor Surface and Capacity

Your calculated floor surface area is SQUARE FEET/SQUARE METERS
NOTE: RESULTS IN THIS SECTION ARE BASED ON FEET.

Geodesic Dome floor

Capacity

Concrete Cubic feet Cubic yards
4″ slab
6″ slab
8″ slab
Plywood 1/2″ 4′ X 8′ sheets
Estimated standing capacity
Estimated dining capacity
Estimated conference capacity
For more info on capacity, click here

How much will your geodesic dome weigh?

Your calculated geodesic dome diameter is
NOTE: RESULTS IN THIS SECTION ARE BASED ON FEET.
1/2″ 3/4″ 1″ 1 1/4″ 1 1/2″ 2″
EMT
Wall thickness 0.042″ 0.049″ 0.057″ 0.065″ 0.065″ 0.065″
Lbs.
kgs.
STEEL SCHEDULE 40
Wall thickness 0.109″ 0.113″ 0.133″ 0.140″ 0.140″ 0.154″
Lbs.
kgs.
ALUMINUM SCHEDULE 40
Wall thickness 0.109″ 0.113″ 0.133″ 0.140″ 0.140″ 0.154″
Lbs.
kgs.
LUMBER
2″ X 4″
2″ X 6″
2″ X 8″
Lbs.
Kgs.

 

How much will your geodesic dome cost?

The tables show sample costs. Material prices vary with suppliers and area.

Your calculated geodesic dome requires
feet (or meters) of pipe / lumber
NOTE: RESULTS IN THIS SECTION ARE BASED ON FEET.
Galvanized pipe – Steel Schedule 40
Your estimated pipe dollar cost is:
1/2″ @ $13 /10′ length
3/4 @ $17/10′ length
1″ @ $25 /10′ length
1 1/4″ @ $34 /10′ length
1 1/2″ @ $42 /10′ length
2″ @ $55 /10′ length
Structure pipe – Aluminum Schedule 40
Your estimated pipe dollar cost is:
1/2″ @ $ /10′ length
3/4 @ $ /10′ length
1″ @ $ /10′ length
1 1/4″ @ $ /10′ length
1 1/2″ @ $ /10′ length
2″ @ $ /10′ length
Structure pipe – EMT
Your estimated pipe dollar cost is:
1/2″ @ $5.50 /10′ length
3/4 @ $ 8.80 /10′ length
1″ @ $18 /10′ length
1 1/4″ @ $19 /10′ length
1 1/2″ @ $22 /10′ length
2″ @ $3 2/10′ length
Cover: approx. s.f.
$ COST
Canvas 20 oz. ($1/s.f.)
Canvas 42 oz ($1.50/s.f.)
Poly 3 mil ($0.05/s.f.)
Poly 6 mil ($0.06/s.f.)
Marine Shrink Wrap 7 mil. ($0.08/s.f.)
Industrial fire-retardant Shrink Wrap 12 mil ($0.23/s.f.)
Aluminet 70% shade cloth ($0.35/s.f.)
Tyvek (housewrap) ($0.41/s.f.)

Plywood 1/2″ ($25/ 4′ X 8′)
Wood struts
Your estimated wood dollar cost is:
2″X4″ @ $0.35 foot (avg.)
2″X6″ @ $0.50 foot (avg.)
2″X8″ @ $0.70 foot (avg.)
Flooring:
Plywood 1/2″ ($25/ 4′ X 8′)
OSB 1/2″ ($9/ 4′ X 8′)

Anchoring your geodesic dome

Smaller geodesic domes do not require massive anchoring; many will use long ground screws or rebar bent in the shape of a “U”. But for a more solid, safe and permanent solution, concrete is poured into round forms to create piers.Many also use them as a base and frame for a riser wall.

These piers can be of varying lengths, but as a rule for large permanent structures they should go past the frost line and preferably down to the bedrock. As for the number of piers, this depends on your engineer, though large geodesic domes will probably require a pier at each ground vertex or hub.

The following calculates the required concrete for a single pier. Keep in mind rebar should be included to strengthen any pier.

10″ Circular Pier
Length Cu. feet Cu. yard 60lb. bags 80lb. bags
4′ 2.18 0.08 4.4 3.3
6′ 3.27 .12 6.5 4.9
8′ 4.36 .16 8.7 6.5
12″ Circular Pier
Length Cu. feet Cu. yard 60lb. bags 80lb. bags
4′ 3.14 0.12 6.3 4.7
6′ 4.71 0.17 9.4 7.0
8′ 6.28 0.23 12.6 9.4
16″ Circular Pier
Length Cu. feet Cu. yard 60lb. bags 80lb. bags
4′ 5.59 0.21 11.2 8.4
6′ 8.38 0.31 16.8 12.6
8′ 11.17 0.41 22.3 16.8
20″ Circular Pier
Length Cu. feet Cu. yard 60lb. bags 80lb. bags
4′ 4.36 0.16 8.8 6.6
6′ 6.54 0.24 13 9.8
8′ 8.72 0.32 17.4 13

 

Assembly Diagram

 

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