Every Pod Is Backed by a
20 Year Warranty

Guaranteed

Who We Are

Underground Pods was founded by Darren Wilks. Darren has over 35 years experience in the construction industry, specialising in basement and underground structures, for the past 25 years.

The concept of the underground pods came about in 2017. Since then, the company has researched the product and materials in-depth. We strongly believe in supplying an eco-friendly, renewable, cost effective, modern, water- tight living space.

We are based in the heart of Yorkshire and all our pods are manufactured in gods own county.

Fully Recyclable

Every underground pod we make is 100% recyclable.

Fully Fire Retardant

Each Underground Pod is 100% fire retardant for your safety.

Made Entirely in the UK

Each Basement Pod is developed and made in Yorkshire, UK.

More About Our Basement Pods

Strength

To compare the strength of two very different materials such as plastic and metal, we use a strength-to-weight ratio. This means strength is judged by mass, how the material is used, and its resistance.

Metal has long been regarded as the stronger material, and with good reason – it is incredibly strong. More recently, though, plastic has been earning recognition in this area. Plastic is far lighter and can be extremely strong for its intended use when compared pound for pound.

Flame retardant plastic additives are compounds added to plastics and other materials to inhibit, suppress or delay combustion. They help limit burning during the ignition phase of a fire. They do not prevent charring or melting, nor do they increase a material's heat resistance.

Plastic vs Metal

The plastic versus metal debate is an age-old one you have likely come across over the years – both materials are excellent and have their own great uses, but which one comes out on top?

Compared with metal fabrication, plastic is much less prone to problems such as rusting and oxidation. Plastic has a very low melting point and is highly malleable compared with other materials, so it can be shaped into both simple and complex forms with little to no effort.

Although the results of plastic fabrication depend heavily on the characteristics of the specific plastic used (acrylic, Plexiglas, nylon and so on), the process itself offers many advantages, including:

Ease of forming: Because of its low melting point and high malleability compared with other materials, plastic can be shaped into basic and complex geometries with relative ease.
Reduced finishing: Unlike most metals, plastics can be coloured before fabrication, removing the need for certain post-treatment steps such as painting.
Faster production: Plastic fabrication often means quick cycle times and fast turnover rates.
Lighter weight: Plastics generally weigh less than metals of comparable dimensions.
Chemical resistance: Plastics are usually less vulnerable to damage from chemicals or chemical reactions, such as oxidation or rusting, than metals.

The Process

Hot gas welding is a fabrication process for thermoplastic materials. The process, invented in the mid 20 th century, uses a stream of heated gas, usually air, to heat and melt both the thermoplastic substrate material and the thermoplastic welding rod. The substrate and the rod fuse to produce a weld to ensure welding takes place, adequate temperature and pressure must be applied to the rod, along with the use of the correct welding speed and gun position.

Welding parameters
There are four main welding parameters in the hot gas welding process:

temperature
pressure
welding speed
and gun position

The process is all manual so it is imperative, that we ensure all of our fabricators, are qualified and trained to a high level. We have a strict process, of checking each stage to guarantee that all four parameters, are correct and controlled. Temperature is the most important of the four parameters since the temperature at the interface between the rod and the substrate is not only controlled by the setting on the gun, but also by the gun travel speed and the gun position with respect to the substrate.

Typically, the temperature for welding is set between 80 and 100°C above the melting point of the material being welded. The gun travel speed is normally between 0.1 and 0.3m/min, again, depending upon the material being welded.

The welding pressure is applied via the toe of the welding nozzle and is achieved by holding the welding gun grip firmly and pushing down into the weld. For round nozzle welding, pressure is applied manually from the welding rod.

Plastic welding is an art form in itself. Hot air plastic welding and extrusion welding is a technique used to join thermoplastics and composites. The process involves using a welding machine, which heats and melts a plastic filler material, while simultaneously heating the base material to be welded. The pressurised molten filler plastic is extruded from the machine, onto the surface of the base material. The two molten plastics (the filler and the base material) are allowed to cool, to form a permanent bond.

Every Pod Is Backed by a20 Year Warranty