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Here's how to put your building together! It will take two people about three days, depending on size. This includes one day for the concrete to harden in the "post holes" dug every 8 feet around the perimeter of your building. In some cases, i.e. tennis courts or hockey rinks, you won't need concrete filled "post holes", but will anchor the fabric directly to the concrete floor via foundation bolts and angle or flat iron. In the case of a riding arena, here's how its done. Position the fabric section where directed around the outside perimeter.
Note: The double door (air lock) entry is already in position on the far end, and orange marked perimeter lines are drawn on the ground - see foreground and right margin.
In this case we have laid out some tarps ahead of time to help keep our structure fabric clean. Next we unroll and unfold our two corner pieces and a "width" panel (center). Next the corner pieces are unfolded and lined up to hook to the "width"
panel. Here's how one hooks one panel to another. The solid brass, male on one
side, female on opposite panel, sursingles are lined up side by side.
Then serpentine the top layer slightly to allow you
the "slack" to be able to hook male to female. Once hooked, press top
velcro to underlying velcro.
When the end and/or width sections are hooked together they look like this: You can then proceed to hooking a "length" panel to the end section and
proceed exactly as before. See length panel laid out below ready for
attachment. See below "length" panel in center of photo with end panels laid out in
foreground. One last end panel joint is hooked together, and you're done with all the
panel attachments. You now measure a prescribed distance from the corner and mark with an "X". All future measurements will be made from this point - NOT the corner! Now layout each snap and stake each snap - don't let
it move!!
Once the post holes are dug, concrete poured and eye bolts centered, you'll
have to let the concrete harden a day. While you're waiting for the concrete to harden, now would be a good time to
flop the fabric inward a few feet and lay down your sand.
This sand will weight down the inner skirt to (1) make and air seal,
but, more importantly (2) put a great deal of weight and pressure on the fabric
to keep it from moving sideways.
To install your fan(s) in their housings, prop up the housing, insert the
fan(s), turn them on and your building starts to inflate! Sequence of pictures showing building being inflated: This 80 x 130
took about 15 minutes.
Once the building is fully inflated you attach the entry skirt to the double
door entry (photo below) Then, with scissors cut away the inner fabric allowing access to the inside
set of doors. The two photos below show a deflated building attached to the airlock
vestibule. The two photos below show interior views looking both directions. This photo shows a door latch that can be opened or closed from either side
of the door(s). |