Knowing how to make a debris hut without tools will come in handy in situations you ordinarily wouldn’t expect. The importance of the proper gear & tools in the wild is apparent, but not carrying any does not mean that you succumb to the preying wilderness that easily.
No, you’ll always have some fight in you — you are a prepper.
So, let’s see how you can build a shelter that has more structure & architecture than an ordinary leaf hut without using any tools at all. By the way, a debris hut is also known as an A-frame shelter and the reason why it is easy to know when you look at its shape.
Well, that’s that. . .
Here’s How To Make A Debris Hut Without Tools
Debris huts are very easy to build. I can’t count the number of these huts that I constructed as a race as a boy scout.
There are two essentials required to set up a debris hut, without which you simply cannot complete the project. The first is a strong, sturdy spine branch that should be ideally longer than your entire length. This branch will be what you & who else lay under, so to be concise, it will serve as the roof of your building.
The second part is a stand to place the head of your shelter on. This stand can be a lot of different things, but the basic concept is two thick pieces of wood bound together at the apex to form the shelter’s shape. These sticks will overlay themselves, thereby forming an X that’s shorter at the top. The space at the top will be a fork & this is where you place the spine branch.
Binding the two sturdy sticks together to get your frame can be done using several items, such as the bark skin of free trees (since a paracord is unlikely to be available). Alternative ropes like rope weeds & vines will do well too. Note that the greener & fresher the bark of the tree from which you get your rope, the more flexible it is.
With the base skeleton now in place, the next thing is to construct rafters for supporting the twigs, debris, leaves & other materials that will make your thatch. The rafter is added from the ground to the ridge pole. Ensure that the rafters you pick are strong enough to support the weight of your thatch.
When thatching, the depth of the thatch must be up an arm’s depth to ensure adequate insulation and ensure that rain does not get through. Also, the rafters have to be at the exact height with your thatching; else rainwater will run down them & beat you to stupor.
When you’re done with this, you should have space that will be enough just for only you — except if there’s a part we have with you. Building a large debris hut when alone will not only cost you more time & energy, but it will also be too cold for you. You may not be with a heating device & your body will have to handle the task itself — and I daresay that’s quite a task. Keep everything small.
Final Lines on How to Make a Debris Hut Without Tools
Now that you know how to make a debris hut without tools, I hope you wouldn’t have any problem constructing a shelter in the wild. However, be careful. While you can survive without your tools in the wilderness, it makes the whole task much more difficult.