Type the number and everything below updates automatically.
⚙️ Builder options (hub gap, material length)
Every strut is measured point‑to‑point (center of one hub to the next). Real hubs take up space, so you cut each strut a little shorter. If your hubs eat 1¾″ total, put 1.75 here. Leave 0 if unsure.
EMT metal conduit usually comes in 10 ft sticks; lumber in 8–16 ft. Used to estimate how many to buy.
3Your dome
4Cut list — strut lengths
Lengths are point‑to‑point (hub center to hub center) unless you set a hub gap above. Chord factors are the icosahedron “Method 1” standard used by Desert Domes & Domerama. Double‑check a couple of struts against a dome kit maker before cutting a whole pile. Do not cut any strut until your hub design is frozen — the hub gap changes every length.
5What the struts will cost
Rough cost of just the strut frame for the dome & size you picked above — compared across the common materials. Changes live as you change the dome. Hubs, cover, screws & tax are not included.
Metal or wood only — struts are never plastic pipe. Approximate US shelf prices (July 2026), includes ~15% cut waste: 2×4 ≈ $5.50/8ft · 2×6 ≈ $9/8ft · ¾″ EMT ≈ $10/10ft · 1″ EMT ≈ $15/10ft · 1¼″ EMT ≈ $21/10ft · 1″ galvanized pipe ≈ $45/10ft. Lumber & metal prices swing a lot — confirm at your local Home Depot/Lowe's. Metal EMT conduit is the usual best mix of strong + light + weatherproof.
6Where will it live?
Type a ZIP (like 99801 or 86442), a town, or your full address. The app figures out where you are and tailors everything below — weather, stores, permits, safety.
7Permits & city rules
Researched from each town's official code July 2026 and fact-checked, but rules change and lots depend on YOUR parcel's zoning — one phone call to the office listed above settles it for good. This is planning help, not legal advice.
8Stores near you
Real stores verified July 2026 (addresses & phones can change — call before a long drive). Tap the region buttons in Section 7 to switch towns. National mail-order sources are in the next two sections.
9Build it safe
10Frame kits & hubs (mail order, USA)
🔩 Hubs depend on your strut material. Pipe / conduit domes → Sonostar or Zip Tie Domes hubs. Wood 2×4 domes → Thunder Domes 12‑gauge steel hubs (2V ≈ $600, 3V ≈ $1,250) — boards bolt right in. For 2×6 (wider boards) most builders cut their own ¾″ plywood gusset plates (≈ $60–120 of plywood for a dome) and bolt the struts to those — also the cheapest hub option of all.
Prices are rough guides gathered July 2026 — always confirm on the vendor's page (links open their site). Metal conduit (EMT) with steel hubs, or wood struts with the hubs above, are the most common DIY combos.
11Where to buy the cover / tent skin (USA)
Only US makers with a verified 4★+ customer rating are listed, and the price shown is already sized to your dome — no digging through their site. Researched July 2026; covers are cut to each maker's own frame, so confirm exact fit & final price before buying. (Shelter Systems & Zip Tie Domes make covers too, but I couldn't verify an independent star rating for them, so they're held off — tell me if you want them added anyway.)
12If this is a real home
Planning numbers for a permanent wood-framed dome home (not a weekend tent). Distilled for Arizona high-country and desert builds — not a substitute for an engineer or your county.
13Compare home sizes
Same dome type you picked in Section 1, side-by-side at the sizes people actually debate for a home. Highlight follows the diameter you set above (when you're in “width across” mode).
📄 Free: the Arizona Dome Permit Cheat Sheet
All 15 counties' permit lights, exempt square footage, opt-out programs, and the phone numbers — on one page. Leave an email and I'll send it. No newsletter, no spam — just the sheet (and a heads-up when something big changes).