HURRICANE PROOF BUILDINGS

"Juan Jimenez" wrote in message
...
I have always wondered why people would be stupid enough to build out of
wood after the last hurricane takes the wooden home and enlarges it to a
few acres maybe an inch tall.

Wood is an amazing building material. A properly designed wooden structure
will stand up to a hurricane just as well as a properly designed concrete
structure. For proof, take a trip to Key West and check out some of those old
homes. The biggest advantage of concrete homes in Florida has nothing to do
with hurricanes; termites don't eat concrete.

Did you know that they even make airplanes out of wood? (aviation content)

Vaughn

" The biggest advantage of concrete homes in Florida has nothing to do
with hurricanes; termites don't eat concrete.

Did you know that they even make airplanes out of wood? (aviation
content)

Vaughn"

Yeppers...

But do they make airplanes outa concrete?

Makes you wonder if it would even be remotely possible with a really big, way
overpowered airplane...anybody gotta couple million to waste just to do
something thats never been done before?

take care

Blll

I have always wondered why people would be stupid enough to build out of
wood after the last hurricane takes the wooden home and enlarges it to a
few acres maybe an inch tall.

Wood is an amazing building material. A properly designed wooden
structure
will stand up to a hurricane just as well as a properly designed concrete
structure. For proof, take a trip to Key West and check out some of those
old
homes. The biggest advantage of concrete homes in Florida has nothing to do
with hurricanes; termites don't eat concrete.

Did you know that they even make airplanes out of wood? (aviation
content)

Vaughn


A lot of concrete block buildings were destroyed by the hurricane while well
built wood structures were left standing. For that matter, many mobile homes
were left standing right next to the flattened ones. Often times, its just a
matter of luck.


Bob Reed
www.kisbuild.r-a-reed-assoc.com (KIS Builders Site)
KIS Cruiser in progress...Slow but steady progress....

"Ladies and Gentlemen, take my advice,
pull down your pants and Slide on the Ice!"
(M.A.S.H. Sidney Freedman)

"Vaughn" wrote in
:

Wood is an amazing building material. A properly designed wooden
structure will stand up to a hurricane just as well as a properly
designed concrete structure.

Sorry, but I won't buy that for one second. Concrete doesn't blow out when
a window gives way and air pressure builds up inside the house, not at
hurricane speed winds. Safe rooms built inside wooden homes in tornado
alley are not build out of wood -- they are built out of reinforced
concrete.

Did you know that they even make airplanes out of wood?
(aviation content)

Sure, and very few people find them suitable for permanent habitation.

Two comments.

1. If I lived in hurricane country, I'd have at least one Gunnite-type
quonset hut to put my valuables in and hide in.

2. I've seen safe rooms built out of wood, but IIRC, they were made of two
sheets of 1 and and eighth plywood laminated together.



"Juan Jimenez" wrote in message
...
"Vaughn" wrote in
:

Wood is an amazing building material. A properly designed wooden
structure will stand up to a hurricane just as well as a properly
designed concrete structure.

Sorry, but I won't buy that for one second. Concrete doesn't blow out when
a window gives way and air pressure builds up inside the house, not at
hurricane speed winds. Safe rooms built inside wooden homes in tornado
alley are not build out of wood -- they are built out of reinforced
concrete.

Did you know that they even make airplanes out of wood?
(aviation content)

Sure, and very few people find them suitable for permanent habitation.

"Ken Finney" wrote in
:

Two comments.

1. If I lived in hurricane country, I'd have at least one
Gunnite-type quonset hut to put my valuables in and hide in.

Oh, that explains it. Well, I was born and live in hurricane country (the
Caribbean) and very few people here have quonset huts to hide in. We just
stay indoors.

2. I've seen safe rooms built out of wood, but IIRC, they were made
of two sheets of 1 and and eighth plywood laminated together.

I've seen thicker wood complete run through by a flying piece of debris,
but never concrete.

Juan Jimenez wrote:

"Ken Finney" wrote in
:


Two comments.

1. If I lived in hurricane country, I'd have at least one
Gunnite-type quonset hut to put my valuables in and hide in.


Oh, that explains it. Well, I was born and live in hurricane country (the
Caribbean) and very few people here have quonset huts to hide in. We just
stay indoors.


2. I've seen safe rooms built out of wood, but IIRC, they were made
of two sheets of 1 and and eighth plywood laminated together.


I've seen thicker wood complete run through by a flying piece of debris,
but never concrete.


Comparing 2" of wood to 6" or more of concrete is simply dumb. It is
easy to poke a hole through concrete that is only 2" thick ... I've done
it several times.


Matt

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 16:17:26 GMT, "Ken Finney"
wrote:


1. If I lived in hurricane country, I'd have at least one Gunnite-type
quonset hut to put my valuables in and hide in.

Yup, quonset huts do good in the wind. Four winters ago the small
rural fishing town in Alaska where I lived was hit by a typhoon and
hurricane force winds were measured in the small boat harbor. Trees
went down all over town (fortunately most of the power lines were
underground), and many people lost roofs. One building in particular
literally exploded and its roof was carried away, out over the inlet,
never to be seen again. Our commercial buildings consisted of a
large, wood framed quonset hut and a timber framed shop and adjoining
warehouse built with 12x12 timbers (my dad didn't know the meaning of
the word overkill). Our total damage consisted of a couple chimney
caps that got blown off. One was rusted out and needed replacement
anyway, and the other, after the stoorm ended I picked it up off the
ground and put it back where it belonged. I felt kind of bad
considering the damage some of our friends suffered but oh well.


================================================== ==
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Juan Jimenez wrote:
"Vaughn" wrote in
:


Wood is an amazing building material. A properly designed wooden
structure will stand up to a hurricane just as well as a properly
designed concrete structure.


Sorry, but I won't buy that for one second. Concrete doesn't blow out when
a window gives way and air pressure builds up inside the house, not at
hurricane speed winds. Safe rooms built inside wooden homes in tornado
alley are not build out of wood -- they are built out of reinforced
concrete.

That's because you are not an engineer and haven't a clue. Almost all
common building materials can be used to build a structure of a given
strength. It is just that some materials are more cost effective in
certain circumstances. A safe room built from 10" thick oak timbers
would be quite strong. It is just that few people know how to properly
build with timber these days and reinforced concrete is easy and cheap.
Nothing to do with strength, it is economics.


Matt

Matt Whiting wrote in
:

That's because you are not an engineer and haven't a clue. Almost all
common building materials can be used to build a structure of a given
strength. It is just that some materials are more cost effective in
certain circumstances. A safe room built from 10" thick oak timbers
would be quite strong. It is just that few people know how to
properly build with timber these days and reinforced concrete is easy
and cheap.
Nothing to do with strength, it is economics.

Matt

Tell me something I don't know, Matt. It's called "taking the cheapest
route and not worrying about the consequences." And it's precisely what I
am addressing. You say I don't have a clue? Tell you what, tell me, when
was the last time you saw a safe room built out of 10" thick oak timbers in
your average wood home?

Juan