tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20587738389661771972023-12-08T00:32:49.117-08:00Yurt LivingYurt design orginates in Mongolia, where these tent-like structures were the year-round homes of Mongols living high in the mountains. This blog tracks our journey from designing, to building, to living in a modern yurt in rural Canada.Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-83454769622436726452021-03-05T07:46:00.007-08:002021-03-05T07:46:58.807-08:00Yurt Design: Rigid Insulation and Steel Channel Construction Part 1 The basic design and structural integrity of the steel
channel system is similar to the yurt design described at the beginning of the
book. However, for clarity, I have opted to describe the steps involved in
construction, subsequent to the building of the platform.
Begin by scribing a circle that matches the perimeter of
your proposed yurt. Install a screw at the center point of this Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-69944392620896700102021-02-28T07:51:00.003-08:002021-02-28T07:51:28.588-08:00New Rigid Wall Design Visit my web page at www.robertflee.com and follow the link to the How To Build A Yurt page. Every week, I am describing how to build a standard yurt using steel channel and rigid insulation instead of 2 by 2 studs. Once the four segments are completed, I will post them on this blog and include them in the newest edition of my book, How to Build A Semi-Solid Wall Yurt.Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-7925918281313380592014-03-20T06:46:00.003-07:002014-03-20T06:46:28.851-07:00Yurt Chimney Vents
While most yurt skins are treated with fire retardant, this
does not mean they are fireproof, nor that they will resist sparks that are
wind driven or generated by “punk” firewood. Like tents, yurts that are treated
still will develop holes as hot embers hit them. However, they do resist flaming. However, the
space age bubble insulation used on the interiors of many flexible wall yurts,
asRobert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-81488884212355043342014-02-16T12:11:00.003-08:002014-02-16T12:11:32.293-08:00Solid-wall Yurts Easier to Move
The original premise of the Mongolian yurt was that it was to
be somewhat portable. While the Mongols
lived in their yurts for a substantial part of the year, when the dead of
winter hit in the high Himalayas, these semi-nomadic people moved lower down
the mountains, packing their felt, skin and pole –framed homes with them on
carts. They were hardly light enough to
transport by handRobert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-11118644592216195692013-06-07T21:57:00.000-07:002013-06-07T21:57:14.385-07:00Yurt Skin Options
Flexible wall yurts use two basic tarpaulin skins: a canvas
treated skin or a poly vinyl weave tarpaulin.
Each has advantages and disadvantages.
Two basic weights are used in the poly tarpaulin: a 14 ounce
per yard (400 grams per meter) or 22 ounces per square yard (600 grams per
square meter). The cost of the 22 oz.
weight is approximately 40% more than the lighter weight, and Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-75413816240042075482013-05-30T18:51:00.000-07:002013-05-30T18:51:20.067-07:00Yurt Portability
Yurt
One of the so-called advantages touted by suppliers of the
lattice-and-canvas flexible wall yurt design is that the system is
portable. On the surface, that claim
seems credible. Fabric or poly weave
skins, ultra-light pvc or wood lattice a light rafter ring and bubble/foil
insulation all contribute to the perception of portability.
It is true that each, or all, of Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-5779255468047593842013-04-21T09:14:00.000-07:002013-04-21T09:14:00.987-07:00Build A Solid-Wall Yurt For Under $1,500
Today’s commercially available yurts largely are flexible
wall units, with lattice forming the “frame” of the walls, and studs resting on
an aircraft cable strung along the top of the lattice. They are lightweight, but, by that definition,
are vulnerable to the elements and to wildlife.
Although defined as portable, they require a full day to set up, using
three or more people. Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-64607538033642056952013-03-11T14:29:00.000-07:002013-03-11T14:29:26.901-07:00Portable Yurt Floor Design
This article is part of a how-to-guide for building a semi-solid wall yurt.
The floor, like the rest of this yurt, is designed to be
lightweight, portable, easily assembled and disassembled, inexpensive and
durable. These may seem difficult
standards to reconcile, but are surprisingly simple. Materials consist of high density rigid foam
insulation, plywood clips, 2 by 2s,
Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-64467052410498611482012-11-09T15:29:00.000-08:002012-11-09T15:29:36.599-08:00Yurt Tarp Deterioration
The concept of chucking conventional housing to live in a
glorified Mongolian tent – a yurt – has romantic appeal for many, aesthetic
appeal for others, and eco-friendly
appeal for even more. Throw in those people that eschew modern
conveniences in favour of survivalist strategies and we have millions of people
across North America that may embrace living in a yurt. But Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-71946710312815557072012-09-07T11:08:00.001-07:002012-09-07T11:08:28.207-07:00Yurt Power, Heat & Water
So you’ve decided to move to a yurt, found the ideal building
site and ordered your kit from a reputable manufacturer. But you are far from ready. What about power, heat, water, and waste?
Most often, power is not an issue. Good quality wind turbines that will generate
1-3 kilowatts cost less than $1,000.
Solar panels can be purchased with price tags that are lower thanRobert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-27510871056384031842012-06-01T17:40:00.001-07:002012-06-01T17:40:25.429-07:00Repairing Holes In Yurt Tarpaulin
As another winter passes, an examination of our yurt skin
reveals numerous puncture holes. A few are courtesy of squirrels, who love to
scurry across the dome. Some are stress
tears – a result of four years of wind, hail, ice, snow and old age. Many are from branches that have broken from
nearby trees and been impelled into the tarpaulin skin. Regardless, each provides a Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-46057258923038685822012-05-08T07:10:00.001-07:002012-05-08T07:10:49.080-07:00Unique Yurt Top Plate Design Provides Exceptional SupportWhile yurt construction is relatively easy, there are
several critical considerations to be factored into your design. Yurts appear to be flimsy structures,
supposedly nothing more than a slightly more rigid form of tent. Yet, these innovative buildings have been the
mainstay of tribes of the Himalayas and northern Middle East for tens of
centuries. One of the most vital
Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-36274789433216764172012-03-01T09:27:00.000-08:002012-03-01T09:27:57.576-08:00Build A Yurt Rafter Ring, Version TwoThere are several designs of yurt rafter rings, each serving
a particular purpose, and working best in specific environments. Snow load, wind and even humidity play a role
in determining the most appropriate design.
For the majority of yurt applications, the laminated design that I
described in a previous article is the most effective. However, the design described in his Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-12843275731940987222012-02-21T20:11:00.000-08:002012-02-21T20:11:02.205-08:00Making A Yurt Rafter Ring
One of the most basic components, yet one of the most
crucial structural elements of any yurt is the rafter ring. This device holds each rafter in place,
ensures geometrical and structural integrity of the building, allows for
installation of the essential dome vent and must be installed so as to apply
uniform weight and pressure to each rafter at the same time that each rafter
equally Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-17590420473259179052012-02-06T16:32:00.001-08:002012-02-06T16:32:59.209-08:00Building A Solid Wall Yurt, Part Two
This is the second article on building a solid wall
yurt.
Although yurts both are vastly lighter in weight than
conventional housing and offer minimal wind resistance, they, like any house,
still require solid piles on which to rest.
There are a number of options available to provide a solid
base for your yurt, with the simplest and most solid being beams on pad, with
no postsRobert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-3682187190642485482012-01-31T07:47:00.001-08:002012-01-31T07:47:46.021-08:00Yurt Drawbacks and Advantages
So you have looked at modern yurts, and are convinced that
you would love to live in such a structure.
The salesman tells you all of the great things about the yurt (there are
many), and you are more enthused than ever.
The price tag is presented, and you learn that yurts cost anywhere from
one tenth to one fifth of a similarly sized bungalow. You are told that a yurt
can be Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-76770114934921097412012-01-03T10:59:00.001-08:002012-01-03T10:59:50.378-08:00Building A Yurt In Winter
Building a yurt may not be at the top of your desirability
rankings in the dead of winter, but, with proper planning, a quality structure
can be pre-fabricated, then assembled on site in a matter of a few days. While flexible-wall, tarpaulin yurts are the
most popular structures in North America, it is the solid-wall yurt that
provides the greatest protection, for the lowest cost in Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-44150670687567132972011-11-19T18:42:00.001-08:002011-11-19T18:42:52.832-08:00Free Renewable Energy Not Always Free
Being eco-friendly may be admirable, but it comes with a
price, and it is not always as crystal-clear as one believes.
We rely heavily on non-grid energy, including wind and solar
power. However, renewal energy sources
such as ours require energy storage, and, specifically, battery storage. While there are advanced battery technologies
on the market (e.g. batteries for hybrid Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-82838266582433744922011-10-20T15:07:00.000-07:002011-10-20T15:07:23.613-07:00Thermal Bridging Solution for Yurts
At the point where the roof rafters of a yurt meet the
upright walls (particularly in a solid wall yurt design), there will be thermal
bridging. This leads to condensation and
cold spots in cooler months. Yurt design
generally fails to compensate for this loss of heat.
In the solid wall yurt that I constructed, even though I
used foil backed insulation and bubble foil insulation Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-8392880580533019202011-08-25T08:34:00.000-07:002011-08-25T08:34:34.892-07:00Yurt Popular, Even With FliesFlies: not the most attractive topic. But flies are an everyday part of our summer lives, and, in our yurt, we have discovered that flies can be particularly bothersome. The design of a yurt lends itself well to being a haven for these pests. The relatively loose fit of the tarpaulins allows these nuisances to squeeze themselves through crevices and cracks, while the permeability of the Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-85173435579933268642011-07-04T11:12:00.000-07:002011-07-04T11:12:56.403-07:00Yurt Interior WallsOne of the great benefits of the yurt design is the open room concept. The lack of walls means that air moves freely. Combined with the round yurt structure, this means that a greater efficiency in both air movement and its contingent heating efficiency result. However, modesty demands that we build our homes with a private bathroom. Even in a yurt, this means walls, and a barrier to smooth Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-32825003595016269352011-06-17T10:32:00.000-07:002011-06-23T16:42:07.731-07:00Solid Versus Flexible Wall Yurt SystemsYurt purists will insist adamantly that its simply is not a true yurt if it has solid walls. Yet, the original yurts, from Turkey to the Himalayas, had neither tarpaulin skins or space-age bubble insulation and glass-domed vents. Yurts, indeed, are more about simplicity and function than any purist concept of how they should be designed, and from what materials.
It is true that the lattice/Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-59080422932805681322011-05-17T09:28:00.000-07:002011-05-17T09:28:20.474-07:00The Romance Of Yurt Life, Wildlife IncludedWhen you choose to live with nature in a yurt, it is a marriage: you accept the good with the bad. But even the bad can be great in the springtime! We have only been back in the yurt for a few weeks now, but our encounters with the wildlife have been nothing short of enthralling and amusing.
Last autumn, we closed out our season in the backwoods with a visit from a family of four raccoons, who Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-17188570209103931582011-05-09T09:07:00.000-07:002011-05-09T09:07:55.006-07:00Inexpensive Yurt Flooring SolutionIn keeping with the minimal philosophy of living in a yurt, the ideal design will employ a minimum of materials, be as “green” as possible and will be both sustainable and durable.
In our yurt, we have chosen a very inexpensive, basic design and material for our flooring. There are several reasons for this.
Firstly, cost is a factor in the decision as to the type of flooring to use. We opted Robert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2058773838966177197.post-47387855981743393472011-05-09T09:05:00.000-07:002011-05-09T09:05:54.743-07:00Yurt Perimeter Drainage Solves Humidity ProblemsPerimeter drainage
Spring has proven to be a real test for our yurt. To close out the late fall and early winter, we experienced exceptionally unusual rainfall and early snowfall. Because we have built our yurt on the slope of a hill, the deck on which the yurt rests is at ground level at the rear, and fifty-four inches off the ground in the front. This permits good air flow, but demanded thatRobert (Bob) Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11412590660891677808noreply@blogger.com0