Hello fellow DIYers here is a simple way to lift up any room with a simple but fun Lunar Dome (as we call it) that you can actually sit in ! This is great for the kids, I made this for my little sister and she has been loving it so far.

I don;t know about you but I have a LOT of cardboard laying around in the garage. As a high school student stuck at home I thought of putting it all to use.

This project a great way to bring everyone in the family together.

We really hope you guys enjoy and have as much fun as we did.

Note: A lot of the cardboard domes only use triangles as shapes and hence result in a small and tight spaced area. The dome I will be taking you through is even simpler but uses a few other shapes to add stability and keep the opening larger in the front. We wanted to be able to both lay done and be able to watch TV while in the dome.

Supplies

Material:

Cardboard........lots of this :)
Duct Tape
Hot Glue.......keep plenty of refills in hand
Paper (Optional)

Tools:

Utility Knife......or anything to cut with
Hot Glue Gun
Scissors
Ruler
Something to mark with (pen, pencil, marker, etc.)

Step 1: Measure the Triangles

First layout the cardboard on a flat surface.

Using the ruler, mark triangles with side lengths of 12 inches or 30cm for the metric users our there :)

You can use any size you want but make sure they are consistent throughout.

If you are struggling with this an easy way is to first cut a template using paper or spare cardboard and trace the remaining triangles.

Step 2: Cut Out the Triangles

Using the utility knife, cut out the marked triangles, depending on how big you want it you can cut out as many as you want. The one I built uses 50 triangles and can fit two kids quite comfortably

You also want to cut out house shaped triangles as shown above, this is something different I've done compared to other domes, it allows for a more larger and sturdy dome.

Having a hollow surface underneath allows the knife to go through completely making cutting much easier

Step 3: Start Building......

Lets get started building, first you want to put together a pentagonal prism from the previously cut triangles. A pentagonal prism is basically a pyramid with 5 sides.

Make sure to use duct tape to keep it together and not the hot glue, you want to be able to customise it later on if you need.

Step 4: Add the Next Lot of Triangles.....

Add three triangles to each side of the pentagon. Remember to only use tape for now as you might want to go back and fix up the shape.

Leave the middle of the three triangles open throughout the project, they can be used as windows if you'd like.

Step 5: Now for Some Support !!

Great Job! Add the house shaped pieces mentioned below to only four of the five sides to keep one side open for the entrance. Start using hot glue to help it keep in shape.

Now, you can cut out paper strips and place them on top of the hot glue to give it a better shape and hold the triangles together as shown below.

Step 6: Time to Expand the Dome........

Add sets of three triangles in between the edges of the four sides towards the back of the dome. If you are a bit confused take a look at the pictures above they should help.

This will help create support for the dome and allow for further expansion. It is important to secure these nine pieces very well and make sure to use both hot glue and duct tape.

Step 7: Time for the Base !!!!

This is the most crucial part to keep the dome stable and in the right shape. Start with adding the triangles as shown above. Make sure to use both glue and tape to hold things together firmly.

The lighter cardboard show the added cardboard.

Note: The image above shows the backside of the dome.

Step 8: Last Few Triangles......

The bright cardboard shows what needs to be added to make sure the base is even from all sides. Cut out some rectangles as shown above, I happened to have some spares.

Place these rectangles along the inside base of the dome to add more stability. Use hot glue to secure this in position.

Note: The image shows the side view of the dome.

Step 9: Almost Done.......

Add some oval shaped holes to the back of the dome, this will help when adding lights or passing through chargers for those with electronics. Make sure to fix up any triangles that aren't placed properly and glue them in place.

Note: If you have cardboard triangles with holes these can also be used.