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Our world just keeps getting crazier. From natural disasters to rising tensions, it feels like we are all living in a pressure cooker. Things are on the verge of popping off. People are beginning to understand the need to have an insurance policy. A safe place to hide out should things turn dangerous.  

While the idea of an underground bunker might sound extreme, there are several good reasons to consider investing in one. You’re not crazy or paranoid if you’re thinking about a bunker. It’s actually very rational. The following are just a few reasons why you might want to research how to build your own bunker. 

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1. Natural Disasters – Hurricanes and tornadoes are just a few examples of natural disasters that can be safely ridden out in an underground bunker. The bunkers keep you out of harm’s way of flying debris. If you are in a flood zone, an underground shelter should be placed high enough to avoid being flooded. 
2. Nuclear Threats – The threat of nuclear warfare is a real concern for many. An underground bunker designed to withstand radiation and blast waves can be a life-saving investment. There are only a few underground shelters that will protect you from a nuclear blast and the fallout. 
3. Pandemics – The COVID pandemic taught the entire world a lot about what could happen. COVID was a glimpse of what could be. Imagine a virus that is truly deadly. An underground bunker will allow you to quarantine safely. Your family can ride out whatever horrific virus is running rampant through the world. 
4. Civil Unrest – Civil unrest is becoming more likely by the day. We’ve all seen the riots. We all know the political instability that is threatening our world. Having a secure place to retreat in case of a violent riot or a civil war will give you peace of mind. 
5. Self-Sufficiency – A bunker is an insurance policy. You honestly just never know what is coming our way. It might be nothing more than a safe place to store your food and water. Maybe you’re going to set up a grow operation for a garden that will be safe from animals or human invaders. 
6. Technology Crash – We all know how vulnerable our infrastructure is. Hackers are experimenting, likely preparing for something big. When that happens, the proverbial poop is going to hit the fan. People are going to lose their minds if they can’t access their money to buy what they need to survive. An underground bunker keeps you out of the fray. 
7. EMP – This is similar to a nuclear blast without the deadly fallout. An EMP would cripple the power grid, financial systems and communication systems. This is a recipe for disaster. Once again, people will lose their minds. You’ll want a safe place to ride out the craziness. 

Now that you understand the reasons why you want a bunker, let’s talk about some of the options you have. Not all bunkers are the same. If you’ve got a few hundred thousand dollars lying around, you can pay one of the many companies getting in on the bunker business. If you don’t have that kind of cash, you can build your own. 

It’s important to remember that your underground shelter will need ventilation. If you really want to make it nice, you can outfit your bunker with electricity and a water system, however the latter isn’t an absolute need. 

Root Cellar

A root cellar bunker is probably one of the least expensive and most common bunker styles. These are great for storms, but aren’t going to do much for a nuclear blast.

However, you can reinforce it to make it a little more durable. There are many different ways to build your cellar. It might behoove you to find ways to hide your cellar in case you need protection from one of the many reasons we listed above. 

Here are 25 DIY root cellar plans and ideas.

Earth Bag Bunker

This is a quick way to build a bunker underground with reinforced walls. It’s inexpensive and gives you a little more protection than a standard hole in the ground setup. It’s also a lot cheaper. 

Here’s how to build an earth bag bunker.

Culvert Pipe Bunker

Culverts are made to be buried. The steel walls provide protection from nuclear blasts and tend to be more durable than a typical earth bunker. The round pipe distributes the weight of the dirt to keep it from collapsing. You can custom order the size of culvert pipe to accommodate your needs. You’ll need to get creative with the doors. 

Here are some pictures of an underground culvert shelter.

Concrete Underground Bunker

This is a good one. Really good, but it is expensive. You’ll need to understand concrete and how to properly form it to get the most out of your bunker. A concrete bunker will protect you from explosions, nuclear fallout and just about anything else. You can choose how big or small you want your bunker to be. 

Here’s what it takes to build a concrete bunker.

Brick / Cinder Block

This can work if you create proper support systems. For cinder blocks, you’ll want to fill in the holes to get the best protection from blasts. 

Here’s how to build underground shelters with cinder block construction.

Septic Tank

This is a popular option. You get a decent size bunker, strong enough to be buried and made of cement which is what you want for maximum protection.

A cement septic tank is inexpensive and it’s not going to raise a lot of eyebrows if someone sees you burying it on your property. The septic tank option is more of an emergency shelter and not so much a bunker you want to live in long term. 

Here’s how to build an underground shelter from septic tanks.

Steel

If you have the budget, a bunker made from steel is going to provide you some serious insulation, especially in the case of an EMP. A steel bunker gives you some flexibility in the shape and size. 

Here’s someone who built an underground bunker from steel.

Premade

There are several companies that will build you a bunker with all the bells and whistles. These are great if you can afford them. You’ll get to choose the size and materials used. They’ll deliver your bunker to your site.

All you’ll have to do is set up water and filtration. These bunkers are very nice and have plenty of little things to make your stay in the bunker a lot more comfortable. 

Here’s their website.

Bunker Kits

If you want to put your bunker together, but don’t want to shop around for the materials or aren’t sure how to create a good building plan, you can buy a kit. You can customize it to suit your needs including the filtration you’ll need along with hygiene options. 

Here are some underground bomb shelter kits.

Shipping Containers

Despite what we all know and have seen with so many people using these for underground bunkers, storage containers still remain a very popular choice for underground shelters. These only work if you can reinforce the roof and sides. The containers are not designed to be buried. They will collapse.

But once you reinforce them, you can outfit the containers to be very nice bunkers. They will hold up and have plenty of space for a family to live comfortably for weeks or months. 

Here’s how to reinforce shipping containers for underground use.

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