SRL THE SELF-RELIANCE LIBRARY
SHELTER
STEP 5 OF 7 · SRL-SHL-005
1-PAGE FIELD SHEET
How to Build a Debris Hut Shelter
Purpose — Build a body-sized debris hut that actually holds heat, from frame to insulation to door plug.
FIELD CHECKLIST
- Ridgepole set from a hip-height fork to the ground, sized to your height plus a foot
- Ribbing built tight to your body, not widened for comfort
- Debris piled at least two forearm-lengths thick over the whole frame
- Stick lattice under the debris keeps it from falling through the ribs
- Door plug ready and pulled shut once you're inside
RED FLAGS — STOP AND RECHECK
- Daylight or a draft reaching your hand when pushed into the debris pile from outside
- An entrance with no plug, or a plug that leaves a sightline into the chamber
DECISION RULE
Can't nearly touch the ribs with your shoulders and feet inside the bare frame? Rebuild smaller before adding debris.
- Building roomy enough to sit up in
- Stopping debris fill at 'looks insulated' instead of press-testing it
SAFETY NOTE
BEFORE YOU ACT ON THIS SHEETCheck the frame's stability before fully loading it with debris — a collapse under a heavy, wet debris load is a real risk, not just an inconvenience.
EMERGENCY REMINDERIf the shelter floods or the frame fails in the dark, don't attempt a full rebuild — plug the gaps you can reach and prioritize insulation under and around your body until first light.