Quinzhees are typically built on a flat area where snow is in abundance, on a day colder than . Builders break up layers of naturally fallen snow into powder and thoroughly mix bottom and top layers of snow to increase sintering, thus strengthening the eventual structure. Snow is typically piled high in a dome in diameter. It is then left for at least 2 hours to sinter, allowing both temperature and moisture in the snow to homogenize and the snow crystals to bond with each other. Packing can speed the bonding process and strengthen the structure. Small sticks, approximately are pushed into the structure to act as thickness guides when the interior is hollowed out. According to Halfpenny and Ozane, the wall at the base should be at least wide and at the top about thick, though wall-base thicknesses of morethan are possible.