Saturday 11 July 2020

Experiments in Prototyping a 6' Hexayurt Shelter from Kingspan Metal Sided Sandwich Panels to Bear a Snow Load for Winter Storage use


Building a Prototype for a 6' Hexayurt from Kingspan Metal Sided Sandwich Panels for Winter Storage  use to Bear a Snow Load

Please Note: at this stage we are experimenting with loose ideas from off cuts of older metal sided Kingspan brand rigid foam sheets & reused drywall framing




From looking at instructions & info at Hexayurt.com and Hexayurt playa
We decided to have a go at this.  There are over 30 Hexayurt designs. we started with the smallest for practicality

Given a potential virus caused economic depression & further crisis with a lack of low cost / easy build shelter for temp housing / work space / storage  perhaps Hexayurt designs will become more popular



We first cut and propped the 1m x 1m + size kspan sheets (80mm thick wall & 45mm thick roof ) and propped them up to explore ideas

The First idea was to have an enclosed gutter & raised edge (this was already on the offcut panels edge) The thought being that this would hold snow on the roof in winter as extra insualtion . However a very good seam seal would be required to stop leaks to inside 


Wider pics


Close up of roof seam , cut straignt at first

Top edge was cut off to make it flat against the foam end and drwall frame I beam laid on top .
Folded edge on one side, useful for fitting to wall. perhaps with drywall frame I stud as shown in pic (146mm wide )

146mm wide I stud on top of wall is too wode , but if wall was cut at an angle to mount roof, it would fit more tightly



lay up of 2 longer wall drywall studs (92mm wide) scrwed back to back to form dee pwall I beam for joining roof sheets

Wider pic


Cttting & fastening wall panels together

Peel steel on inside away from foam by hand & cut by hand with sharp kitchen knife

Note: a thin strip of folded metal had to be cut off the edge



Marking shown



Method shown for bending metal along supporting metal bar 

Wood used to keep it straignt when pressing down

Finishing by hand

Top view of seam with meatal bent, ready to be screwed in place

Inside view

External view
Note: After cutting & bending, it was a great fit,
utilizing the exisiting overlapping flap

Screwed im place with 3 rows of self drilling flange head screws inside & out

A 92mm  drywall frame stud beam was cut & bent ove the wall ridge to cover the top awaying connection of the roof panels



other top views of top plate







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