I'm getting ready to build a shed...

[Aguila Blanca]

Unreinforced concrete block is totally useless against tornadoes. Actually, worse than useless -- those blocks WILL come apart, and once launched they can be quite destructive and lethal. The best protection against tornado is underground. If you want to keep it above ground, you have to be sure that (a) the walls and roof are strong enough to withstand the storm pressures (both positive and negative -- high winds pressurize the windward side of a structure and suck the outer covering off the leeward side); and (b) that the whole sheebang is both heavy enough and securely enough anchored that the immense forces of a tornado won't pick it up and flip it down the street. That means either deadman anchors, or fairly deep and large mass footings to put weight under the ground.

Almost forgot -- skip the Superior Wall system. It's not really very "superior." It also has no mass -- it's fine for throwing something together fast, but it meets none of your needs for storm security/protection or firearms security/protection. I don't even need a sledge hammer to smash through those walls -- a carpenter's claw hammer will do quite nicely.

 

[1776 Rebel]

A couple of useful links on safe rooms etc...

http://www.fema.gov/hazard/tornado/to_saferoom.shtm

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/pdf/building_safe_room.pdf

Here are a couple of commercial sites...

http://www.polysteel.com/

http://www.litedeck.com/about.html

http://www.f-5stormshelters.com/

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Any of you lads old enough to remember when having your very own fallout shelter in your front (or back) yard was considered THE thing to do? I am -- my family didn't have one, but I did yard work for people who did when I was in high school. At a recent HS reunion, one of my classmates was reminiscing about those. His father owned the biggest septic tank company in the area back them. That's all those shelters were -- just a septic tank. They are well-made, high-strength concrete, and all set up for direct burial. Being essentially monolithic, even if the roof isn't buried it's unlikely it would blow off even in a tornado.

 

[bogie]

Okay. No climbing down a manhole. Too heavy to get the lead in and out.

Looked up the insulated concrete form stuff - looks interesting. There's an outfit called "buildblock" that might work out. I figure I can build the sucker, and stick some chickenwire/rebar mix in as I go... Probably not going to be able to do it in one pour, but hey...

In fact, that method might be a nice idea for folks who are building "in-basement" setups... Looks like about $3.50ish per square foot of wall space.

 

[GlowinPontiac]

As stated before if you want it to be a storm shelter go underground. you can build a stairwell down to it and drop a normal wooden shed on top to hide it and store your outdoor tools in.

keep a generator down there so after the storm you can take it topside and fire it up to power the place. Bur-cam makes a system to mount a toilet and install a sink that can pump the waste up to the house and into the existing sewage system. add in a small hotplate or microwave and you could stay there comfortably for a while if disaster strikes.

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

You can add rebar and grout to the cmu block, this will help. Most Masonry type shelters are multi wythe (Multiple units thick). One of the better methods is to build a CMU wall with a Brick Veneer. Then you can fill the cavity with Grout. That will still let you do a masonry shed.

 

[Owen Sparks]

I don't know what part of the country you live in but moisture can be a real problem in the South. My friend built a nice out building for all his reloading equipment. It all started to rust in a short time. The building had no vapor barrier like his house did so there was no way to control the humidity in the summer. Also, because it was not heated all the time in the winter the cold metal would sweat like an iced tea glass when the temprature changed rapidly when he turned the heat on. When I say rust I mean serious damage. He gave me some to try to salvage and I ended up throwing away several sets of dies and an RCBS powder thrower that was ruined. Even the metal tops on the cans of powder rusted.

 

[BAT1]

Bury a huge concrete septic tank and build stairs down to it.

 

[bogie]

Guys, the only way I'm going to be able to bury stuff is if I use a LOT of dynamite, and the neighbors are NOT going to like that...

So I'm looking to have it above ground, and strong enough to be a "tornado shelter." Because if I have to hire someone to help me, by golly, that's what the laborers think it is.

Hide in plain sight, you know?

May do a steel building, and build it inside and try to hide it under a loft or something...

 

[TAB]

The only thing thats going to be storm resistant( atleast at a reasonalbe price) is going to be concrete. If it has to be above ground that is, even thats going to be very costly.

 

[bogie]

Been looking around a bit more. Goal, as I said before, is "pretty darn" storm resistant, but VERY critter resistant.

I'm going to try pouring walls inside a larger shed/garage. It's going to be rebar-anchored to the floor and ceiling pours too... I'm going to try to make it large enough to frame out the interior. It'll be lined with bookshelves and gear shelves, with the loading table in the center.

I already have a dehumidifier, and will probably put "goldenrod" type gizmos in the toolboxes.

 

[chinacave]

Be sure its only one shed.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLjS3gzHetA