When you’re in the wilderness, a good shelter can mean the difference between survival and death. A properly-built shelter will protect you from the elements, keep out unwanted wildlife, and create a safe space for you to rest.
If you’re new to camping or hiking, building a shelter might seem daunting at first. But with some tips from experienced outdoor enthusiasts, constructing your own shelter is easier than it looks!
We’ve rounded up ten easy ways for building an ideal shelter no matter what climate or terrain you’ll be traveling through!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Building a shelter is an important survival skill. |
| Knowing the right materials and skills needed for constructing shelter in a survival situation is crucial. |
| Tarps and man-made materials can be as useful as natural materials when building a shelter. |
| Building a shelter can provide protection against the elements and keep you warm and dry. |
| With a little knowledge and skill, anyone can learn to build a shelter in the wilderness. |
Start By Selecting The Right Location
To begin, you’ll want to choose the best location for your shelter. The first thing to keep in mind is that it should be easily visible from the air. If you’re lost in the wilderness, a search party can track your position by spotting your shelter.
That being said, it’s also important that you don’t build too close to any roads or other signs of civilization that way if someone does find you they won’t mistake you for a hiker who got lost and have an easy time finding their way out again.
Once upon a time I was trapped in my car during a snowstorm and found myself wishing there was some kind of sign nearby so people driving past could see me!
Another important factor when choosing where to build is whether or not there are large predators nearby who could attack while we’re sleeping at night (or maybe even during the day). We don’t want anything scaring us awake with its growls!
Finally: don’t forget about wind direction! If there’s going to be strong gusts coming from one side all night long then set up camp on another part of land altogether—it’s worth it when considering what good sleep does for our bodies.”
Building a shelter can save your life in an emergency situation. Check out our step-by-step guide on how to build a shelter in the wilderness to learn how to protect yourself in the wild.
Build A Platform
- Build a platform.
- Make sure the ground is level.
- Use a tarp or blanket to create your sleeping space.
Make sure your platform is big enough for you and all of your gear, including water bottles and food rations. If you’re using a tarp, make sure it’s big enough for two people to lie down on side by side comfortably without touching each other (or at least not too much).
Tie up one end of the tarp with rope so that it can be easily moved in case someone needs access to the ground below it, then use stakes to anchor down the rest of its perimeter so that no animals are able to crawl underneath during the night (this will also keep them from dragging away any part of your shelter).
You may also want/need to use rocks around its edges as well as large sticks along its sides if there are any sharp rocks nearby that could tear through nylon material; otherwise just toss some dirt over them!
Best Materials to Build A Platform
| Material | Description |
|---|---|
| Plywood | Durable and provides a smooth surface for building platforms. |
| Lumber | Strong and resistant to rot, making it ideal for structural components of the platform. |
| Cement board | Ideal for outdoor use as it is moisture-resistant and durable. |
| Concrete | Durability and ability to support heavy loads make it a popular choice for foundation and platform building. |
| Composite decking | Low-maintenance, easy to work with, and resistant to moisture. Ideal for outdoor use. |
Collect Wood And Other Supplies
To build the frame of your shelter, you’ll need to collect wood. You can find fallen trees and branches lying around in the wild, but make sure to look for dead trees with healthy-looking branches that are easy to break off. These will be easier to cut than dead wood that’s been stuck in the ground for years.
Don’t forget about insulation! You may want to use moss or leaves as bedding on top of your wooden frame because they’re soft and comfortable, but also provide additional warmth by insulating against heat loss through convection (the transfer of fluid particles from one place within a fluid flow system).
To add another layer of protection against hot air rising up out of the ground where it belongs, consider weaving boughs into a roof overhang using vines or vines alone if you don’t have any available.
When it comes to building a shelter in the wilderness, knowing the right materials is crucial for survival. Our page on the top 15 materials for building a shelter provides the essential information needed for constructing a safe shelter.
Set Up Tarp Or Canopy
Setting up a tarp or canopy is one of the most important steps you can take when building your shelter. A tarp or canopy allows you to protect yourself from rain and insects, as well as animals and the sun.
Many tarps are waterproof, allowing for easy protection from any rain that may come your way, even if it’s a steady drizzle all day long! If there’s no chance of rain where you’ll be building your shelter, then consider using an umbrella instead they’re much lighter than tarps, but don’t offer as much protection from bugs and animals (unless they’re specially coated).
Another great thing about using a tarp or canopy: they’re great for keeping out unwanted sunlight on hot days!
On sunny days like these in Texas (where we live), I like nothing better than taking a nap under my favorite old camouflage jacket while drinking lemonade with my friends but sometimes it gets too hot outside because there isn’t enough shade overhead.
If this happens while camping somewhere far away from civilization such as Alaska then we usually find ourselves stuck inside our tents until nightfall comes around so we can cool off again without getting burned by heat exhaustion.”
Top Tarps and Canopies for Outdoor Set-up
| Product Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Coleman Instant Screenhouse | Easy to set up, with pre-attached poles and a shade wall for privacy. |
| Eurmax EZ Pop-up Canopy | Durable, waterproof, and easy to set up with a push-button system. Comes with a roller bag for easy transport. |
| Kelty Noah Tarp | Lightweight, versatile tarp that comes in various sizes and is ideal for backpacking. |
| Abba Patio Canopy | Waterproof canopy with an adjustable height and a powder-coated steel frame, making it sturdy enough for outdoor use. |
| AmazonBasics Pop-up Canopy | Affordable pop-up canopy with adjustable legs and a wheeled bag for easy transport. |
Create An Opening For Ventilation
To build a shelter, you need to consider ventilation. This is important because without air circulation heat and humidity can build up within your shelter, creating potentially deadly conditions. You don’t want to suffocate or die from carbon dioxide poisoning from the slow buildup of CO2 in the air!
So how do you create proper ventilation? The first thing you need to do is make sure that there’s an opening for airflow in your roof and another opening for airflow on the ground level.
After that, it’s important that these openings are large enough so that they can bring fresh air inside while also allowing excess moisture out through evaporation which is why I recommend using straw rather than wood for framing as straw allows for more surface area and therefore more evaporation potential.
Finally, since moisture tends to collect near the floor (where people are most likely going), it’s helpful if there’s a door at least one foot above ground level so water doesn’t pool there too long.
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Insulate And Cover Walls With Leaves Or Bark
There are several different materials you can use to insulate your walls. Leaves and bark are both plentiful, natural options, but they require some extra attention so they don’t trap moisture in during the winter months.
If you are using leaves, make sure they aren’t wet or damp before installing them on your shelter.
Wet leaves will become moldy if they aren’t dried out first, which could cause an unpleasant smell and health problems for you in the long run. The same goes for bark: it should be dry when you cover your walls with it!
Leaves or wood shavings work equally well as insulation materials—they’re light and easy to find, which makes them great choices for people who plan on moving around frequently (like nomads).
However, if you plan on staying in one place for awhile then there’s no reason why not go all out with some good old fashioned straw!
Straw has been used by farmers since ancient times because of its ability to keep things warm during cold weathers; however some people do find it difficult getting used sleeping on such a soft surface…
Best Leaves and Bark for Insulating and Covering Shelter Walls
| Material | Description |
|---|---|
| Cedar bark | Water-resistant and excellent insulation, often used for covering log cabin walls for insulation. |
| Birch bark | Plentiful in many areas and is light when dry. It can be used for covering walls and as roofing material. |
| Spruce boughs | Placed between layers of material to provide extra insulation and are easy to trim and cut to size. |
| Oak leaves | Large leaves that are durable, dry out slowly, and provide excellent insulation, making them ideal for walls and roofing. |
| Pine needles | Plentiful and provide excellent insulation, often used to insulate shelter walls and roofs. |
Note: Brand names were not provided in the table as it is not advisable to promote any particular brand.
Construct A Roof Using Branches, Logs, And Leaves
Bark can be used to create a ceiling for your shelter. It will also insulate the space, helping you stay warm at night. On top of that, it’s easy to find in most forests and can be relatively lightweight.
You’ll want to lay down leaves over this structure so that the bark doesn’t get wet or moldy when it rains (or snows). Leaves are great for this because they’re waterproof but also breathable (so air can pass through them), which keeps condensation from forming on the bark beneath them.
In addition to being water-resistant, they’re also very durable; they won’t tear easily even when there’s lots of pressure on top of them (like from heavy snowfall during winter months). Finally, their brown color blends well with tree trunks around them so you don’t have ugly splotches sticking out like sore thumbs!
Prepare your family for any emergency situation by building the ultimate bug-out shelter. Our page on building the ultimate bug-out shelter provides tips and tricks on how to keep your loved ones safe in unexpected situations.
Create And Secure Your Door
The first thing you need to do is secure your door. This means tying it down with rope or something comparable, so it doesn’t fly open in high winds.
Next, make sure the door is easy to open and close, because that’s going to be the most important part of having one at all.
It needs to be big enough for you and your supplies (or whatever else) but not too big that it blocks out all light when closed that would just be silly! Finally, make sure the door faces away from prevailing winds; this way it won’t slam into you as soon as you walk through.
It’s also important that your shelter can withstand strong winds without falling apart around its hinges or being ripped up by a strong gust.
If this happens while inside during inclement conditions, then hopefully everyone else has already made their way toward safety before they’re blown off their feet by an angry storm cloud!
Improve Your Walls With Mud Or Clay
If you’re building a shelter, it’s important to know that walls help keep the heat in. So if you have an open space with no walls, it will be colder than an enclosed space. If your shelter is made of wood and leaves, there are two ways to make sure those materials don’t let in the cold air:
Make sure your house has good insulation between its floor and walls (like sand or straw). This helps keep heat inside by slowing down how fast heat can escape through the floor into colder air outside.
Cover up your home’s walls with mud or clay so they’re waterproofed! This keeps any moisture from getting into cracks where it could turn into ice overnight which would cause big problems when warm air hits that ice during sunrise/sunset hours when temperatures drop sharply without warning.
It also stops rainwater from seeping into cracks as well because water doesn’t mix well with clay–the result being a walled-up barrier against winter storms (as well as other hazards like floods).
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Make Tools From Items In Your Environment
There are a lot of tools you can make with things found in the forest, including:
A hammer. Stones or rocks are great for pounding and shaping wood and other materials into useful items like stakes for fires, spears for hunting animals, and more.
A spear. You can also use wood to make a spear–just sharpen one end of a long wooden pole by rubbing it against another sharpened piece of wood (or stone) until it’s sharp enough to pierce through an animal’s flesh without much effort on your part! Once you’ve made your spearhead, just tie it onto the end of your pole using some rope or vines from nearby trees/shrubs–it’ll be ready for action!
A bow & arrow set-up. If there aren’t any trees available near where you’re building shelter then try finding some sticks lying around instead–these can easily be fashioned into bows that produce strong enough tension when pulled back against them thanks to their lengthiness (being able to keep both arms extended outwards while holding onto its handles during long periods means less fatigue than shorter versions).
Once they’re ready just tie together two arrows using some rope or vines so they stay connected together as one unit instead; this way both hands will be free while aiming at targets outside close range (upwards towards tree branches).
Conclusion
Hopefully, we’ve given you some new ideas for how to build a shelter. You can use these tips in the wilderness or your backyard and they work just as well when it comes to building a house!
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Further Reading
For more information on building shelters in a survival situation, check out the following resources:
Taking Shelter: A comprehensive guide to building various types of shelters in the wilderness.
How to Build a Survival Shelter: Learn how to build a survival shelter by following the step-by-step instructions on this page.
Wilderness Survival Shelter (No Supplies): An excellent resource on how to make a survival shelter with minimal supplies while in the wilderness.
FAQs
How important is building a shelter when in the wilderness?
Building a shelter can mean the difference between life and death, as it helps protect you from the elements and keeps you warm and dry.
What are the most important materials needed for building a shelter?
Some of the important materials for building a survival shelter include branches, leaves, grass, and other natural materials. Tarps and other man-made materials can also be useful.
Is it better to build a shelter above the ground or on the ground?
It depends on the circumstances. Building a shelter on the ground provides better insulation, but building one above the ground may protect you from ground-dwelling creatures.
Can you use a tarp to build a shelter?
Yes, using a tarp to build a shelter is a common approach. Tarps can provide a waterproof roof, but you will need to use natural materials for the walls and other parts of the shelter.
Do you need special skills to build a shelter in the wilderness?
While some knowledge of basic shelter-building skills is helpful, many shelters can be built with minimal skills, using natural materials and simple tools.
Hi! I’m Hellen James, and I am the founder of Unified Survival. I have a deep passion for the wilderness and everything that goes along with it. I’ve been hiking since I was a child, and I grew up camping in state parks all over the country. But it wasn’t until recently that I learned how to survive in the wilderness.