Build a Snow Fort

If you've tired of the usual winter snow activities like sledding and snowball fights, consider making your own snow fort. Constructing a snow fort is a great family activity that gives you a winter-wonderland hang-out until the weather warms. Remember to always build with a buddy (or several) and to have a "guard" outside the fort in case of collapse.

Steps

Preparing to Build

  1. Think about what kind of structure you want to make. Snow forts can be anything from a simple one-wall design to more complex fortresses with four walls and a roof.
    • Part of this decision depends on how much snow you have.
    • Take into account length, depth and height as you estimate the amount of snow you'll need. Four feet is usually an adequate height.[1]
  2. Measure the size of the fort. Use a shovel or branch to mark out the fort's perimeter. If you're low on snow, opt for a single wall with two wings on either side.[1]
  3. Find a good snowdrift. If you don't have one, make it! Use shoveled snow from the driveway or anywhere else.
  4. Make sure the snow is dense and not loose. Test the snow by making a ball in your hands. If it sticks, the snow is prime for building. If not, see the next step for making your own denser snow.[2][1]
  5. Use snow bricks if you can't get strong snow. Pack Tupperware containers, coolers, or plastic buckets full of as much snow as will fit, invert, and lift off the container. [2]
    • Alternatively, pour cold water over the snow to make a layer of ice. If you're planning to dig a tunnel, leave a space with no water poured over it so you can dig more easily.

Building Your Snow Fort

  1. Make your walls. Use the packed snow or bricks to form walls, making sure that they are perpendicular on the inside of the fort.
    • If you're using bricks, work like a bricklayer: put down one layer, leaving a few inches (or centimeters) between each brick, and stacking the next level so that each brick straddles two underneath it. Have another person follow you by packing snow in between the bricks.
    • If you're digging a fort into a snowdrift, use a shovel or your hands and burrow your way into the pile. Once you've made your entrance, clear out a room from the inside with your hands or a small shovel.
  2. Pack the outside of your walls with a shovel. Smooth out the exterior of the walls, adding in extra snow for support if necessary. If you've used bricks, fill in the cracks in between the snow bricks, then smooth out with a shovel. Be careful not to break the blocks in doing so. The outside walls should slant just slightly for durability. [1]
  3. Pour water over the fort for a protective layer of ice. The water freezes into ice, solidifying the structure and protecting it from melting.
    • Work from the bottom up to avoid ice overbearing the top and collapsing.[1]
    • Make sure it's below freezing outside when you do this so the water turns quickly into ice.[3]

Decorating Your Fort

  1. Sprinkle cold water and food coloring on the fort to customize the color. Dye the blocks as you make them by adding colored water to the snow, spritz colored water from a spray bottle, or mix food coloring in with the cold water you pour over as a finish.
  2. To illuminate your fort, string low-power LED lights around it. Low-powered lights generate minimal heat to reduce melting.[3]
  3. Add flags, snowmen, or other decorations. If there's an abundance of snow, make guardian snowmen or turrets for your fort. Add some furniture if you have room. Carve designs into the exterior of the walls to customize your construction.



Tips

  • Invest in some waterproof gloves. They are available in sporting goods stores and will keep your hands warm and dry during construction. If you can't find any, have a few pairs of woolly gloves: when your hands get wet you can switch to a new pair while the soggy ones dry on a heater.
  • Don't get angry over a broken fort. You can always build a new one!
  • When you need a good, stable roof, find a good quality umbrella and pile snow on top of it. Chances are it will hold well.
  • It doesn't have to be perfect! Hillside snow forts are always just as fun, but they may take a bit longer. This is because you have to dig more. Smaller, but strong shovels are easy to use.

Warnings

  • Don't make the top of the fort too heavy. You don't want it to cave in.
  • Try to select a position out of direct sunlight. This will help the fort last longer and reduce the risk of cave-ins.
  • Do not stand on your fort, as it may break.
  • Do not let animals into your fort that can destroy it.
  • ALWAYS have somebody outside a snow fort, both when you're building and when you're spending time in the fort. NEVER enter it alone. Collapses happen, and you can suffocate if no one is around to help you out.[3]
  • Avoid building your fort near a parking lot. Carbon monoxide fumes might accumulate in the fort, which could lead to poisoning and death.[3]

Things You'll Need

  • Snow
  • Snow gear
  • A shovel (optional)
  • A smaller shovel (such as a gardening trowel to clean out the inside of your fort)
  • Tupperware container, cooler, or plastic bucket if using the snow brick method
  • Spray bottle (optional)
  • Water
  • Food coloring (optional)

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 http://www.popularmechanics.com/outdoors/recreation/5-tips-for-building-the-ultimate-snow-fort-16479111
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-to-make-the-best-snowfort-ever-451721/?no-ist
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 http://newsfeed.time.com/2014/01/21/7-tips-for-building-the-best-snow-fort-ever/

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