Geodesic refers to the use of points that share placement on a common curved surface and the chords (straight lines) that connect these points. The icosahedron is a platonic solid. Using the icosahedron and iterations of the icosahedron to smooth the profile, Pacific Domes structures retain the geodesic quality and the beauty and strength of the sphere, maintaining the geodesic principal.
The definiton of a dome is structure consisting of a partial sphere (usually about half of a sphere) used to enclose space. Domes are commonly used for Event Domes, Eco-Living Domes, Biodomes or to enclose equipment.
When talking about domes, the definition of frequency refers to the number of pieces that each edge of the base figure is divided into in the process of triangulating its sides. For instance, we might start with a base figure of an icosahedron and divide each edge of each triangular face into 3 equal lengths. Those new points are connected to divide the original triangle into 9 smaller triangles. Since the original edges were divided into 3 parts, we call this a 3-frequency dome. The frequency is commonly abbreviated as "v", so a 2-frequency dome is called 2v, 3-frequency is 3v, and so forth. The higher the frequency the more curved and sphere like the dome appears.
Many of our customers purchase their domes to live in. The different cover materials we offer for eco domes allow for use in any climate. We have insulation packages available that, in conjunction with a wood stove or other heating systems, make the dome a comfortable space in cold weather and the perfect tiny house. We also recommend radiant heat in the dome floor. Larger domes can accommodate lofts, walls, and other partitions to create separate rooms in dome architecture. All interior construction should be free standing and self supported.
The Basic Dome package includes: the .92” galvanized steel frame with hardware, the fabric cover of choice and shelter anchor plates for geodesic dome construction.
The Deluxe Dome package includes the Basic Dome package, zip-off roof screen, door screen(s), window screens (for diamond door only), round window screens, and base rollup screens. It also includes stove vent flashing and pipe cap, as well as a solar fans.
We offer Greenhouse Domes in all sizes.
LIMITED WARRANTY
Pacific Domes warrants its Products against defects in materials and workmanship for ninety (90) calendar days from the date the product is shipped. In case of defect Pacific Domes, at its sole option, shall repair or replace the Product. Pacific Domes further warrants that covers will not excessively degrade from exposure under normal conditions for 2 to 5 years, depending on the fabric or vinyl used. A cover has degraded excessively if it exhibits fading or loss of strength to the extent that Product cannot be used under normal conditions.
EventLite Fabric: 2 year warranty
SunLite Fabric: 3 year warranty
Tropical, Event, Blackout & Clear Marine Vinyl: 3 year warranty
Tropical Plus: 5 year warranty
This limited warranty does not cover any defect due to: modification or alteration of the Product; use not in accordance with Product manuals; neglect, misuse, accident, abuse or vandalism; unauthorized or improperly performed repairs; improper assembly, installation or disassembly; improper maintenance or unusual physical stress; improper storage; extreme weather conditions; acts of God; and wear and tear to vinyl appliqués that may occur during assembly or disassembly of the Product.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
PACIFIC DOMES MAKES NO OTHER EXPRESS WARRANTIES. ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE PERIOD OF THE EXPRESS WARRANTY.
YOUR REMEDIES ARE LIMITED EXCLUSIVELY TO REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT AT PACIFIC DOMES’ SOLE OPTION. PACIFIC DOMES WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE, PURCHASE OR REPAIR OF THE PRODUCT, INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOST PROFITS AND LOSS OF USE.
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, PACIFIC DOMES AND ITS SUBCONTRACTORS OR AFFILIATES WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR INJURIES TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY CAUSED BY THE ASSEMBLY, INSTALLATION, DISASSEMBLY OR USE OF A PRODUCT.
SOME STATES AND JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS, ON DAMAGES FOR INJURIES TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY, OR THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. YOU MAY HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM STATE/JURISDICTION TO STATE/JURISDICTION.
WARRANTY SERVICE
To obtain warranty service, you must request a Return Material Authorization (“RMA”) number by calling Pacific Domes at 1-888-488-8127. If you are located outside of the United States, please call 541-488-7737. Within 5 business days after receiving the RMA, you must package the Product in its original packing material or an equivalent substitute and display the RMA number clearly on the outside of the package. You must return the Product to the designated Pacific Domes’ facility freight prepaid and properly insured at your expense. You bear the sole risk of loss for damage that occurs during shipping. Pacific Domes, at its sole option, will either repair the Product with new or used parts of the same quality or replace the non-conforming Product. Pacific Domes will pay the cost of shipping the repaired or replacement Product to you.
Yes! Pacific Domes are a wonderful space for parties, weddings, trade shows, festival booths, and retreats. We have an experienced and competent crew available to help with setup and takedown. Please contact us for updated information on availability and prices.
Our payment terms are 50% deposit at the time the order is made with the balance due before we ship.
If you provide us with a mailing address and specifically request a “packet by mail,” we can send you a free packet of information with a DVD and fabric samples.
We are capable of connecting multiple domes together by Round Door openings with reinforcement hoops and geodesic dome connectors (geodesic dome connector tunnel).
On occasion, we have demo domes for sale at a discount. To see our used domes please visit our 'discounted inventory' page.
Our dome frames are made from galvanized steel. The steel dome frames, in conjunction with the geodesic design, creates an amazingly strong structure using a minimal amount of material. Geodesic domes are world-renowned for their strength and integrity. Depending on your situation and needs, we offer “heavy duty” 1.31”, through “extreme” 1.9”, steel dome frames in addition to our “standard” .92” steel dome frame.
The geodesic dome geometry is one of the sturdiest and most aerodynamic structures ever designed!
For areas with snow or strong wind, we will need to check our engineering program to calculate the tubing diameter required for your maximum snow and wind loads. You will need to contact your local County Building Department for your snow load and combined wind requirements as well as the seismic rating for the location.
The Standard diameter of our galvanized steel frames is .92". If a sturdier frame is required for snow or wind loads, there is an additional charge. A Heavy Duty 1.31" frame will satisfy most snow load requirements. We also make a Burly 1.66” and can make up to our Extreme 1.9” diameter for special load bearing needs.
Yes, we offer the “dome frame only” without a cover. Some of our customers use our dome frames to cover with concrete, shot Crete, or ferro-cement. We have even had a few people cover their dome frame with paper Crete. Pacific Domes does not offer any advice or information in regards to these types of construction.
Both ends of each strut are flattened and a hole is punched through the flattened area. Four to six of the struts meet at each joint, or geodesic dome “hub”, and a bolt with a washer and a nut run through the holes at the ends of the struts.
Shelter dome packages come with heavy duty anchors that connect the dome frame to the dome deck or floor.
The main consideration in choosing the dome skin or dome fabric for your dome is longevity. The two causes of deterioration are UV and mildew. If you live in a dry desert-like area with high UV, we recommend SunLite painted dome skin with Thermoshield, which reflects heat and UV off of the dome cover and dramatically extends the cover’s life expectancy. We also recommend Tropical Plus dome skin frabric because of its additional laminate coating protection against UV.
If you live in a damp or wet area with high moisture, we recommend Tropical and Tropical Plus (vinyl) fabrics because they have a smooth surface, are easy to clean and are more resistant to mold and mildew. See Shelter Covers or Event Covers.
Our three main geodesic dome materials for Shelter domes are SunLite, Tropical and Tropical Plus. For Event domes we have EventLite, Event Vinyl, Black Out Vinyl, StretchLite and Theatre Fabric.
With proper care, SunLite fabric will last 5-8 years. If painted with Thermoshield, the life of SunLite can be extended indefinitely. The life expectancy of Tropical fabric is 8-12 years and for Tropical Plus the life expectancy is 12-20 years, both with proper care.
Yes, it will adhere to all of the Shelter dome fabrics.
As long as the dome frame is an appropriate diameter of thickness for the wind load and the dome is properly anchored, our domes can withstand extreme wind speeds (hurricanes).
Our domes can handle most any snow load with the appropriate frame. Our engineering program will determine the tubing size required for the snow loads in your area. We make up to 1.9” diameter frames for Shelter Domes.
The windows are made of a UV protected CLEAR marine vinyl.
Reskins are available for standard and custom domes. We have customers that have been living in their dome for 25 years.
Your local weather conditions will determine whether or not you need dome insulation. The dome insulation that we offer can be used to keep your dome warm or cool. Having an efficient heating source will greatly affect your ability to keep your dome warm. A larger dome may present more of a need for dome insulation as it will be require more energy to heat the larger space.
We offer two geodesic dome insulation options:
1. A Liner with Reflectix, which can be purchased “roof only” or “complete” or…
2. Thermoshield, painted on the inside of the geodesic dome instead of the liner.
Yes, it can be applied to all the shelter fabrics. We recommend spraying on Thermoshield (2 coats at least) for the most consistent coverage. If you choose to paint with a roller, a 3rd coat is recommended to prevent visible streaking.
All of the insulation that Pacific Domes offers will help to keep the dome cooler in the summer, and warmer in the winter.
The most important aspect of keeping a dome warm and cozy is an efficient heat source. We also recommend radiant heat in the floor. For insulation you can choose either the Winter Liner or Thermoshield, depending on what works best for your needs. Thermoshield can be applied to both the inside and outside of the dome for maximum winter and summer insulation.
Pacific Domes are designed with ventilation in mind. The roof, door, round windows, and portions of the sidewalls can be replaced with screens. If your environment doesn’t allow for screens, due to excessive rain fall, we recommend using a solar fan to aid in ventilation.
We offer three different floor plans that work very well with the domes that we make. They are: Portable Mandala, Stationary Joist, and Perimeter Board. Many people pour concrete slabs or create Earthen floors using the Perimeter floor plans as a mold. You are welcome to use the suggestions we provide for Flooring, or create your own method.
We provide dome floor plans for three styles of floors along with material lists on our website under Floors. These dome floor plans have been used by many of our customers and have proven to work very well with our domes. There is also information on using Perimeter Boards for an earthen floor or for a concrete dome floor.
The best way to find the cost of our suggested floor plans or "dome bottom" is to take your preferred floor plan to the place you plan to buy materials and have them make you a bid.
If you are considering pouring a concrete slab, please consult our perimeter board plans for pouring concrete. Click on Floors to download a PDF for the 30’ dome size, which includes the perimeter board plans.
To determine if a special dome foundation is needed to withstand high winds, check with your local City and/or County Building Department.
The Shelter Anchors that are included in all Shelter Dome packages can be used as an anchor system with either a wood or concrete floor. The Shelter anchor system plate bolts down into the floor and also has a tab sticking up that connects to the bottom hub of the frame, anchoring the frame to the floor.
The most common method of heating dome is to use a wood stove. However, any modern heating method will work to heat a dome. Radiant heat, solar, electric and gas are all compatible with our domes.
The domes are designed with several window screens, base screens, and a roof screen. This ventilates the dome well, helping to keep your dome temperature cool. A solar fan is included in the Deluxe dome package and it can also be purchased separately. It is recommended for helping to exhaust hot air from the top of the dome. Traditional Air Conditioning units may be installed as well to keep your dome temperature cool.
When installing a wood stove, if you are using the wood flooring plans that we have provided, we recommend that you create a rock or sand hearth to put your stove on. To install your stove on the hearth, follow manufacturer’s instructions and local building codes. The Deluxe Dome Package is equipped with metal stove flashing and a cap. For the Basic Dome Package, the wood stove install can be purchased separately. The piping will run from your stove through the flashing and above your dome. All of the piping that is used in association with the stove should be double walled pipe. The piping that runs through your flashing and above the dome should have an outer 8” diameter and an inner 6” diameter.
Dome electricity information: if you have access to utilities they can be run into the dome. Typically this is done through the floor. Outlets can be placed on the floor, or on any walls or partitions that you build inside. If you drill an appropriate diameter hole you can run pipes up through the floor wherever you want them.
Anything is possible! The space inside a dome is open for your creativity and the possibilities are only as limited as your imagination!
There are many ways to use the space that a dome offers. Sizes 24’ and larger allow space for a loft to be built for a separate dome room. Traditional walls can be built within your dome if you desire. All lofts, walls or partitions should be built free standing and self-supporting. Some people have used screens to separate the space and create dome rooms.
We provide floor plans for building on our website that can be downloaded for free.
See Shelter Dome Floor Plans or Event Dome Floor Plans.
When it comes to modern amenities and accessories in a dome, most anything is possible. We offer links to sites about composting toilets, solar fans, solar heating products, air chairs and floating beds! Piping and wiring for plumbing and electricity can be run through the floor of the dome.
For an additional charge, we would be happy to make you a custom dome. Please be aware that customization may extend the time it takes for us to create your dome.
You can add a door to your dome, but it may require moving windows or screens to a different location. There is an additional cost for adding dome doors and for adding or moving any of the other elements. This is considered customization and will increase the time it will take to create your dome.
It is possible to spray your dome with foam and concrete to make a concrete dome. Pacific Domes does not offer any advice or information in regards to these types of construction.
You can buy covers to fit your domes, however, we will need information on the frequency and exact length of your homemade struts (center of the hole to center of the hole measurement) to see if our dome covers will fit. If your strut length measurements do not match ours exactly, one of our dome skins will not fit your homemade frame.
Yes we provide dome assembly in addition to our Owner’s Manual, which has enabled our customers to do their own dome assembly with ease. We do recommend hiring one of our staff members for 36’ and larger diameter domes, although we have had customers accomplish the set-ups on their own. Please contact us and give you a quote if you require assistance.
The 16’, 16’Tall, 20’, and 24’ domes can be constructed with help from a few friends. It is difficult to construct domes larger than this without mechanized assistance.
We provide you with Shelter Anchor Plates for Shelter domes that will secure your dome to the floor or decking. The dome mounts attach to the dome frame at the base hubs and bolt into the floor, deck or concrete slab.
To insure your domes new and clean appearance and to prolong the life of your dome cover, do not allow dirt or stains to build up on the fabric. For proper dome care clean your Tropical fabric every 180 days, and your Tropical Plus fabric once a year. Be sure to clean both sides as needed. You can clean your dome using a power nozzle and/or a mild soap solution and scrub brush. Only use mild soap and water with a SOFT bristle brush or rag on your dome. NEVER USE SOLVENTS, HEAVY BRUSHES, WIRE PADS OR HIGH PRESSURE STEAM CLEANERS TO REMOVE DIRT OR STAINS OFF YOUR DOME. Always rinse the dome thoroughly with water after cleaning to remove any traces of cleaning solutions.
For proper dome care regularly brush out the bottoms of all the window pockets where the rain will wash down dirt and leaves, and the bottom of the dome, where dirt collects between the cover and the floor.
NEVER LET ANY TYPE OF SOLVENT COME IN CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE OF THE DOME, AS IT WILL DAMAGE OR REMOVE THE TOP COAT. THIS INCLUDES MEK SOLUTIONS, PETROLEUM AND SILICONE BASED PRODUCTS.
Please visit our Insulation & winterizing pages.
If you are in a wet and hot climate and must keep your circular windows sealed in your geodesic dome, we recommend a solar fan. The Solar Fan attaches to a round window opening toward the top of the dome. A solar fan works very well by drawing in cool air from the bottom and blowing hot air out of the top of the dome.
You can easily prevent mold from mildew build up by keeping your dome well ventilated and dry. Store your dome as dry as possible. Sponge down all mildew areas with a strong bleach solution (1 part bleach to 4 parts water). Wear gloves and have your dome well ventilated to avoid inhaling fumes. Mildew will turn pale when it dies. Always rinse with clean water following a bleach treatment!
Natural mildew treatments:
1. One of our customers gave us this recipe as both a curative and preventative for mildew growth.
2. Spray mildew with hydrogen peroxide. Wash with a thin paste of lemon juice and borax to inhibit new mildew formation.
Yes! Our pre-hung door opening creates a space that will allow for you to install a conventional door as your geodesic dome door.
Building permit requirements and zoning code issues vary from city to city and county to county. Our domes are far from a conventional home. We can provide a structural analysis document that will show that our domes meet county requirements for seismic, wind load, and snow load. This usually satisfies the building departments for rural areas. We have put up many small domes within city limits in back yards with no problems. A large dome for a primary residence within city limits will require approval from the local Building Department.
Building zoning codes and permits vary widely between different states, counties and cities. We have a structural analysis program that will determine whether a particular size dome will meet your county’s requirements for max wind, max snow and seismic resistance. The analysis document has a fee that is applicable to the purchase of your dome. Please call us if you have any questions.
Heavy dome foundations may or may not be required if you are in a particularly high wind environment. This would be something that your local building department may require.
We require the doem cost to be paid in full before your dome is shipped.
We can ship internationally, but the costs vary greatly with the size of the dome. Duty and import taxes are the responsibility of the dome purchaser for international dome shipment. Shipping timelines vary for ocean and airfreight. When you’re ready to order, we can give you a shipping quote.
The shipping size and weight of each “basic” dome package can be found on the appropriate dome size page. Up-graded frames and added components will increase the basic weights listed on our website. Please contact us with your specific dome needs for the most accurate weights.
See Eco Living Dome Specifications or Event Dome Specifications.
Generally, a SunLite dome will be finished 4-6 weeks after the 50% deposit is received. The dome time once ordered for all vinyl domes will require 6-10 week production timeline. Custom orders will extend this time frame, please contact us for delivery times.
A “dome frame only” can generally be finished and shipped within a week or two, depending on the production schedule.
Our standard Production Schedule for our geodesic domes is 4-6 weeks (for each dome) from the date the 50% deposit is received. We always do our best to meet client deadlines and work as quickly as possible, but please be aware that any orders placed with shorter delivery times will be charged a Rush Order Fee of 20%.
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