So you want to survive? Well, if you didn't you wouldn't be looking at this page. Preparing your shelter is a top priority and one of the things that will determine life or death. A good shelter will be able to withstand an attack by the living and the dead alike. Preparing a shelter is something we wouldn't announce to the neighborhood because as soon as the apocalypse begins, not only will you be fighting off the dead, but also all your neighbors seeking refuge. As soon as the big day comes, those who didn't prepare will want to take away from those who have. Groups of marauders will appear and civilization will be reduced to survival of the fittest. Think "Mad Max". Now, there are a couple of different structures to consider when preparing your shelter. In this article, we will discuss in depth the advantages and disadvantages of aerial structures.

Aerial structures are the easiest to defend when it comes to your undead foes. Field research has shown that zombies lack the motor skills needed to climb, and the intelligence to build a ramp to your structure. Plus, using gravity, you can drop heavy objects and rain death from above. Another positive thing to having an aerial structure is visibility. Any rescue party or survivors would be able to easily locate your structure from a distance and locate you. Also, you would be able to see them coming and prepare for their arrival. On the downside, you would be visible to survivors that would want your stuff; food, water, and weapons. Also, any light or movement will attract zombies like moths to a flame, so you'll be guaranteed to have your fair share of the undead horde swarming around the base of your structure. Now, depending on the structure of your shelter, it may be possible for the zombies to knock it down, putting you in the position for a zombie ass raping. The only other thing to consider when building this type of structure would be that, in the case of a zombie outbreak, governments are liable to be dropping bombs on highly infected areas; laying waste to anything above ground…including you and your safe haven...

	A luxurious tree house

That considered, to construct an aerial structure, you can build it out of various materials; wood, cement, or metal. Wood will be your cheapest and easiest way of building your structure. Think of just building a free standing deck or it could also be like a glorified tree house. The execution of the structure is quite easy. A simple structure can be created by setting four posts in the ground and then constructing a platform with a roof accessed by a ladder. No unwanted guests will be able to climb up. You could also remove the ladder for added security. Of course, wood will make this structure the most susceptible to problems; particularly fire. Now zombies don't know how to make a fire but that doesn't stop a burning zombie from stumbling in and lighting your place on fire. Also, how do you plan on lighting your structure and cooking your food when there is no electricity? Using fire candles or a stove (wood burning or propane), all it takes is one careless schmuck, then it's out of the pan and into the fire. There are other considerations such as wind, water, and other elements. Wood will be easily torn apart by high speed winds and will soak up water and become damp and cold. Overall, a wooden structure can be built easily. It is well within even the most conservative budget and can provide a safe haven for a time. For a list of materials needed and plans for building this shelter, see the wooden shelter tutorial.

	An old guard tower

A cement and metal aerial structure is a lot stronger then a wooden structure and offers better protection from other elements like wind, and fire. A cement structure can withstand a more brutal assault by the undead or the living for that matter. The same pros and cons still apply this type of structure and the only other thing to consider is that cement is cold and saps the heat from the area, so insulating and creating a buffer zone between you and the cement is key if you want to have any comfort while fighting for your life. Now, a cement structure will require some skill to build and is not a project for a weekend warrior, because instead of building yourself a bunker you'll be building your sarcophagus when the damn thing falls apart on top of you. Because of this, your building budget goes up and so do the eyebrows of the neighbors when they see this monstrosity in your backyard and it isn't quite as easy to explain as a wooden structure. For a list of materials needed and plans to build this type of structure visit our Aerial cement shelter tutorial.

The same problems exist with every type of aerial structure. Any massive ground attack made with an explosive device will most likely destroy your defenses and send you running away from all your best laid plans and right into the arms of the reanimated dead. On the other hand an aerial structure provides a simple yet strong defense.

• Building a Wooden Aerial Shelter Tutorial
• Building a Cement Aerial Shelter Tutorial