Yurt 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, as well as they solid EPS or high-density foam insulation employed in rigid all designs can erupt into flames, and some of the petroleum-based applications can produce toxic gases.  For this reason, it is imperative that any heaters, stoves, kerosene lanterns or candles be placed and installed so that the risk of coming in contact with flammable materials is eliminated.

The EasYurt portable yurt is one of those kits that require attention to fire protection techniques, even though it, like other name-brand packages generally are quite safe.

The use of propane heaters or kerosene units is not recommended in any closed space, since they suck oxygen out of the inside air quickly. When using flame units that generate quick and intense heat, always make sure that there is adequate ventilation.

Electric heaters, too, need to be placed so that they are a sufficient distance from walls and flammable surfaces.

One of the common appliances used in yurts and cabins are tankless water heaters.  These units have a short chimney that extends less than a foot from the wall-mounted units.  This, by definition, means that their hot outlet vents are inches from exterior tarpaulin skins.  Similarly, wood stoves, popular in ice fishing shacks, often are vented out of the walls of cabins and yurts, with live sparks floating less than a foot from the walls.

Two key preventive measures can reduce the risk associated with flame, high heat and sparks coming in contact with these flammable surfaces.

First, outlets should always be on the downwind (leeward) side of any surface, so that heat and sparks are dissipated away from the building.  That downwind side is the one farthest from approaching prevailing winds, during prime heating seasons.

In summer, wind direction often swings to a more southerly direction in the northern hemisphere, but prevail from the north and northwest during spring and autumn.  Thus, the stacks, vents and chimneys should be on the southeast side of any building, even though that may be the warm side of the building.

The second preventive method should be to install the required outlets in an existing window frame.  The window unit is replaced by a dual-layer aluminum sleeve that fills the window space, with fibreglass insulation or sand packed between the aluminum layers.  This acts as a heat bridge, so that the chimney or stack may be quite hot, while, at a few inches from the vent, the temperature is considerably lower.

All vents should also have baffles, both to prevent wildlife (birds and rodents) from entering the chimney, and to diffuse heat and arrest sparks.  Lastly, the vent should include a rain cap that further redirects heat and sparks.

While these steps will not eliminate fire risk entirely, the chance of damage or fire is greatly reduced.

Solid-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 hand or skid.  Today, we build abridged and hybridized versions of these very early homes, but we have lost much of the portability of the original ger.

One of the reasons is that we have a great deal of lattice framing to handle.  While the lattice is lightweight, the assembly and disassembly of the frame is time consuming.  Along with that impediment to mobility, the roof ring also requires more than one person to erect and install, and the layering of the outer skins requires a delicate balance of adjustment and readjustment. If the bubble insulation is used, this provides an additional round of stretching and securing into place, most often requiring an extra set of hands.

The semi-solid wall yurt provides much of the benefit of the solid wall yurt, while actually decreasing the weight of conventional flexible walled designs.  At the same time, the insulative value of the rigid insulation that forms the core of each solid panel provides a protection against temperature fluctuations from hot to cool. This design has been found to provide a comfortable environment when the outside temperature varies from plus 35C to minus 25C – a full 60C (108F) variation.  The wall design can support a roof load considerably greater than that of flexible lattice designs, too.

However, one of the primary advantages of this semi-solid wall system is that it can be erected in less than 2 hours and broken down into components in less than one, with only one person required for the tasks.  That makes it ideal for medium-term camping, for setup in summer months and storage in winter (making it an optimal lakeside guest house), and for portability.  Although the unit requires more storage space than a flexible wall yurt, a sixteen-foot diameter yurt can easily be transported in the back of a half-ton truck, or on a small utility trailer, as its weight does not exceed 200 pounds (excluding floor and joist system).

A portable yurt may seem unnecessary for most applications, since they often are set up and remain in place.  However, given that almost no flexible wall yurts meet engineering standards that will allow them to be substituted as permanent, permitted structures in zoned or code-controlled areas, the only way to bypass permanent home rules is to be able to erect and disassemble the units rapidly.  This gives them an exemption as temporary structures, similar to portable garages.  With a 90-day window common for these buildings, the semi-solid wall yurt provides the capacity to build and de-construct the unit rapidly, allowing them to qualify for use in zoned areas.

Yurt 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 generally lasts about 40-50% longer.  However, both are prone to punctures from branches, squirrels and birds, so I recommend the lighter weight, as the price per year will be slightly lower than the heavier weight.

 Poly tarps tend to be less pliable than canvas ones, and, in brisk winds, can fray if they are not installed tightly to a frame.  On the other hand, canvas tarps are much heavier, and are prone to mould if snow is allowed to accumulate on them, or if they are in high humidity/high rainfall areas.

Canvas tarpaulins are easier to install, yet are a poor choice if you are using an open rafter concept, as they may stretch over a period of several years.  However, the authentic and aesthetically pleasing sound of rain or wind on a canvas is unequalled.

For solid or rigid-wall yurts, either canvas or poly tarpaulin skins will suffice.  If you are insulating your yurt and the insulation is moisture-proof (rigid insulation or Mylar-coated), condensation may build up between the tarpaulin roof and the insulation.  This problem is best addressed by using poly tarps, and treating the skin with a mildew-resistant spray.

Each type should be treated with UV protectant annually, and coated with flame retardant (at minimum, on the inside). 

Overall, a poly tarpaulin is a better choice than a canvas skin.  Cost of canvas is two to three times that of a medium weight poly, and lifespan (without treatment) is comparable.  While canvas is a more environmentally friendly choice, the value of a poly tarp exceed that of a canvas one. 

Yurt 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 these items are portable, if one considers only the weight and space.  But true portability also requires ease of assembly and disassembly.  Here, the flexible wall yurt fails.

First, consider that erection of a simple 16-foot diameter flexible wall yurt requires the expertise and strength of two to four people.  To hold the rafter ring in place, for example, requires two people, while another one or two install the rafters.  The assembly of the lattice walls requires two to three people to place the curved segments in place, while hoisting the skins into position also requires more than one person.  Typically, assembly of a lattice-design ger takes at least eight hours, not including the deck or floor.

On the disassembly side, things are almost as complex, requiring care and precision in taking each piece apart in sequence.  On a windy day, the task is monumental, with the risk of damage to the fabric or window plastics a major cause of concern.

The concept of a yurt being portable, to be consistent with the Mongol original yurt design, simply is unrealistic.  In fact, the Himalayan tents generally were only moved twice a year, at most, so even they were not intended to be purely portable. But today’s outdoorsman may be seeking that ability to move from place to place.  The answer is the lightweight rigid (not solid) wall system. 

The yurts constructed by EasYurt provide that ability, with their EPS rigid insulation walls and roof system, routed rafters that allow foam insulation to rest in channels, and floor deck joists that have channels cut in 2 by 6 dimensional lumber to reduce weight by fifty percent while maintaining strength. 

It is true that EasYurts offer a budget concept, with a solid (rather than clear acrylic) dome vent, lighter (14 oz) poly tarp skins as opposed to heavy (22 oz) or canvas skins and less attention to aesthetic design.  However, their prices are at least 45% lower than the nearest competitor (and as much as 78% lower than other suppliers), and their designs all include deck floors (which no other supplier offers).

I have assembled an EasYurt in under 2.5 hours, and disassembled that same unit in under two hours, by myself.  Truthfully, these yurts are simple in design and appearance, but I also can find replacement parts, if needed, at any local lumber yard.  As a seasonal camping unit, or as a summer guest house, the system is perfect.  However, I am reluctant to spend a Manitoba winter in one, as it has only R7.5 insulation value and winters here are bitter!  But, I although I have used conventional yurts such as Colorado Yurts, I would be similarly reluctant to winter in any other commercial unit. 

Yurt suppliers have found a wide client base.  Fortunately, there is such a diversity of products that you can pick and choose the right one for your preferences.  Just be sure that you research their attributes, rather than rely on manufacturer claims of portability, ease of assembly and comfort in all weather.

Build 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.  Their insulation (optional) generally is Mylar bubble insulation and windows are heavy plastic.

The yurt concept in this set of plans calls for rigid insulation walls, readily available materials, glass windows, standard-sized door, and a very lightweight, truly portable design. Although the yurt plan is sized for a 16-foot diameter unit, size can be scaled up or down quite readily. Total material cost generally is less than $1,500.

Typically, one person can cut all the pieces needed to size in less than 40 hours.  To assemble the unit requires one person and three or four hours.  To disassemble takes two hours.

The guide includes numerous photographs of a sample yurt being built.  Also included are discussions of problems with many yurts (and solutions), ideas on plumbing, heating, interior finish and power.

The manual is available at www.robertflee.com, www.smashwords.com or www.amazon.com. For Amazon or Smashwords, type in author name (Robert Lee) and title of book (How To Build A (Semi) Solid Wall Yurt (For Under $1,500), or ISBN 9781301795956. Price: $5.99

Portable 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, one-by-six lengths of spruce, pine or fir, one-by-three lengths of SPF, 7/16 (or ½) OSB or plywood and a small quantity of 2”, 2 ½” and 3” deck screws, as well as a few pieces of scrap wood for levelling the floor on uneven surfaces.

Begin by cutting seven lengths of eight-foot 1*6 into 94.5 inches for each of the eight-foot by eight-foot sections of the 16 by 16 foot yurt platform .  If you are planning on including a deck in the design, allow for two more sections of platform.  Mark along the face of each 1*6 the depth of the rigid insulation that you will be using.  (Minimum recommended thickness is 1.5”).

Next, cut twelve pieces of one-by-three to 94.5 inch lengths per platform section.

Using wood or carpenter’s glue, apply a liberal amount of adhesive to the side of a one-by-three, then align the one-by-three top edge with the marks on each one-by-six and clamp together.  Using the 2” screws, join the two pieces, placing screws offset from each other at one-foot intervals.  Each 8*8 section will require two of these joined sets.

Using the same process, attach one-by-threes to each side of a one-by-six.  You will require five of these sets per eight-foot section of platform.

(Note that the use of 1 by 6 joined floor joists is intended to provide the most lightweight option for your portable yurt floor. If you are unconcerned about weight and portability, substitute this assembly for 2*6 joists, with 1.5" (or 2", depending upon thickness of your rigid insulation) deep by 0.5" wide notches on either side of the joist, allowing the insulation to rest in these channels upon completion)

Next, cut two 1*6s into four lengths of 14.5 inches and two lengths of 13.75 inches per board (per platform section)

Mark two 1*6s at 16” intervals.  Lay out and temporarily screw together the assembled 1*6/1*3 combinations to each of the marked 1*6s, so that the 1*6 parts of the combinations are centred on the 16” marks, forming a framework of seven joists and two 1*6 headers.

Using the first 13.75 piece of 1*6, fasten it on the inside of the 1*6 marked header, between the first and second 1*6/1*3 combination joist with three 2” screws and wood glue.  This piece should fit tightly between these segments.  Do the same between the last two joists of the section, and repeat on the other header.  Using each of the 14.5 inch pieces, screw them in place between each of the remaining joists.  All pieces should fit snugly in place.  If they do not, re-measure and realign the spaces between the joists, keeping in mind that the 4by 8 foot sheet of OSB that will be used later as a subfloor must align precisely along the centre of the 1*6 joist.

Cut two 2*2s into four lengths of 14.5 inches and two lengths of 13.75 inches per board (per platform section).  Aligning the 2*2 top edge with the top edge of the 1*3 part of the 1*6/1*3 combination, fit one of these pieces between the joists at the 2.5 foot distance from each header.  This will provide additional support for the rigid insulation that will rest in the channels created by the joist assemblies.

Cut four pieces of 2*2 into ____ lengths, with 45 degree end cuts.  Toenail one end of the first piece to the third joist where the cross brace 2*2 meets the joist, and the other end along the adjacent fourth joist.  Fasten the second piece in the same manner between the fourth and fifth joist.  Fasten the third piece between the second and third joists on the opposite end, and the fourth between the fifth and sixth joist.  These braces provide diagonal support while you complete the assembly, and help to support the rigid insulation.

Cut the 1.5 inch rigid insulation into four pieces measuring 14.5 inches wide by 94.5 inches.  Cut two pieces of rigid insulation measuring 13.75” by 94.5”.  Fit each of these pieces into the cavities between the joists, using the narrow 13.75” pieces on each end.

Lastly, lay out the two sheets of OSB across the joists, parallel to the joists and with the edge of the sheet exactly aligned along the centre of the fourth joist.  Ensure that all outer edges align, as well, with the edges of the joists and headers, so that the structure is square. Screw OSB into place using 2” deck screws. 

Your floor deck is complete, and may be finished using indoor/outdoor carpet loosely laid on top.

Time to cut and assemble floor: 1.5-2.0 hours per 8*8 platform section.

Yurt 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 wait a minute!  Have we considered all the cons, as well as the pros?

I have devoted the last two years during which I have maintained this blog to exploring the good, the bad and the ugly of yurt living, based on my own experiences.  Having built a hybrid solid wall yurt in the backwoods of Manitoba, Canada, where the wind velocities often reach 100 kilometres per hour, temperatures drop to Minus 45 regularly (or climb to Plus 35C, 95F), and snowfall usurps five months of the year, I consider myself an authority on yurt living.  My wife and I have loved the experience, but, in truth, there are numerous drawbacks to such a lifestyle.

One of the most recent problems has been the breakdown of the UV-protected, water repellent tarpaulins that make up the skin of the structure.

Sunlight harms every fabric.  Commercial yurt makers brag of ten-year UV protection, but, most often, that is the myth rather than the reality.  Farmers who “tarp” their haystacks know that most treated tarpaulins begin to show significant wear within three years.  Five years is the norm for UV protection and its contingent water repellent qualities.

Yurt manufacturers recommend that pressure points on the tarpaulins be reduced, since the stretching and stress of the fabric breaks the protection down.  Doubling of the tarps at specific points does, indeed, extend the usable life of the covering, but does little to extend water resistance.

Our roof tarpaulin, after only four years, requires replacement.  There are a few reasons for this.  First, the tarp was not properly designed.  Because it was too loose in spots, wind caused segments to flutter and flap like an untethered sail.  Imagine using an old fashioned wash scrub board on which you rub the tarp for hours on end, and you will have the longer-term effect of this billowing.  Quickly, the fabric breaks down.  Second, snow load was allowed to remain on the roof, because of its low-slope (33 degrees) design.  Standing moisture caused deterioration of the moisture barrier.  Lastly, the tarp was shipped with creases in it.  These creases formed flaws in the continuity of the weather barrier and, here, threadbare fabric emerged within two years.

This year, we sprayed down much of the walls with water relent spray (the same as we use on shoes, etc.).  The roof tarp was treated with brush-on moisture repellent.  Those areas that were treated have held, resisting this summer’s rains.  But it is only a matter of a couple of years before we will be replacing the entire outer skin of our yurt.

Unique Yurt Top Plate Design Provides Exceptional Support

While 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 considerations is the counter-play of the outward pressure of the roof rafter system against the vertical walls, along with the gravitational downward pull on the roof truss chords.

In flexible wall yurts – the most popular designs – the outward stress is counterbalanced by a line of aircraft wire strung through the vertical wall lattice, and tensioned using a turnbuckle system.  The rafters notch into this cable, pressing outward in a uniform manner.  Because of the circular shape, every resting point of the heels of the truss chords applies equal pressure, and thus, each truss offsets each other truss.  At the apex of each chord, the rafter ring bears the weight and pressure of the upper end of the truss, equally and counterbalancing each other truss.  This design is simple, but its simplicity means that there is a maximum diameter of yurt that can be built.

Solid wall yurts have both drawbacks and advantages over the lattice wall design.  While they offer greater protection from exterior elements, the ability to be designed taller than lattice wall units, the flexibility to incorporate conventional doors or windows and the capacity for greater insulation, they also have the drawback of being built in a multitude of wall segments, as opposed to the continuous wall format of lattice walls. Solid wall yurt systems require, because of the individual wall panels, supplementary structural support.

When designing my solid wall yurt, I incorporated not one, but four rafter support concepts.

The first was the conventional aircraft cable, strung through the heels of the rafter chords (reinforced with a metal ring, to prevent cutting through the wood of the rafter.  Secondly, I used hurricane ties on each chord heel.  Thirdly, I nailed steel mending plates at the top and bottom of each joined segment.

The fourth concept provides unique structural support for the walls, offers exceptional wind resistance, and ensures that the rafters do not place excessive force against the top of the walls, causing them to bow outward.

My yurt is twenty-eight feet in diameter.  Using forty-four two-foot wide panels, I placed each panel at an eight-degree angle to the adjacent panel (resulting in 352 degrees of curve, rather than the full 360). By using 2 by 6 studs and cutting an eight degree  “V” shaped 1.5 inch wide, I was able to generate 12 top plate segments from each eight foot length of wood.  Each piece has two arms extending from the apex of the “V”, with each arm twelve inches long. 

These pieces are nailed on top of two adjacent panels, with the “V” placed precisely where the two pieces meet, and extending one foot into each panel.  They are secured with three nails in each arm.  As added reinforcement, I used the same system as the bottom plate for the walls.

This unique top and bottom plate system has worked exceptionally well, with the yurt enduring wind gusts of 115 kph (73 mph) without any problems. In fact, in 2011, shear wind toppled a tree with a trunk diameter of fifteen inches, less than 100 feet from the yurt.  The yurt barely quivered!  2010 winter snow loads failed to bend or bow any of the truss chords.   Although I clearly have implemented more structural reinforcement than is normally required, the strength of the design provides comfort and reassurance in the harshest weather.

Build A Yurt Rafter Ring, Version Two

There 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 article is suitable for smaller yurts (less than 32 feet diameter) and in low humidity locations.  While it will withstand moderate snow loads, it is less structurally stable than the laminated version.

When designing a yurt roof, the same considerations that are factored into stressors on conventional housing roof rafter chords come into play.  That is, you need to consider the tensions (both lateral and gravitational) on the angled chords.  Truss chords endure two primary stress forces: the tendency of the bottom of the chord to push walls outward and the pull of gravity that causes slump in the riser chord.  Use of collar ties works to ameliorate the gravitational warping, but, simultaneously, actually increases the stress on the top plate-to-chord heel point of contact.  Fortunately, yurt roofs are so light that collar ties and webs usually are not needed. 

In my prototype solid-wall yurt, I employ several redundant reinforcements for the chords.  A series of mending plates, hurricane ties, aircraft cable and unique angled top plates create a structure that resists very significant outward stress.  These concepts will be presented in future articles.

The rafter ring design in this article consists of two layers of ½ or 5/8 inch oriented strand board (or plywood, if OSB is unavailable) and a collage of two-by-four blocks.  Other materials needed include a pound and a half of 3 ½ construction or deck screws, a pound of 1 ¾ inch construction screws, enough 3 ¼ inch framing nails to allow for four nails per block, and a quart of carpenters glue or three tubes of construction adhesive.

Begin by cutting a four by eight sheet of OSB into four-by-four pieces.  Scribe a circle four feet in diameter in the first piece, and a circle three inches smaller in the second.  These will form the upper and lower  layers of the “sandwich” ring. 

Cut as many four to six inch lengths of 2 by 4 as you will have truss chords.  Lay out the pieces around the perimeter of the larger OSB circle, equidistant apart, with the pieces pointing toward the exact centre of the ring.  Mark the location of each piece.  Apply a layer of carpenter’s glue to each piece, and re-secure them in the spots as marked.  Once they have dried sufficiently, turn the assembly over and secure the pieces using two 1 ¾ inch screws per block. 

Measure the distance between each block at the inner edge.  Cut pieces of 2 by four that will fit accurately between each 4-6 inch piece.  Do not worry too much about angling the cut edges precisely, as these pieces simply act as stabilizers for the main blocks.  Apply glue to the long edges of these blocks, slide them into place between each 4-6 inch block and secure them using 3 ¼ inch screws, toenail angled into place.  Use one nail per longer block to nail the spacers into place.

Turn the assembly over again, apply glue to the exposed edge of all of the blocks, and attach the second ring, with its centre aligning exactly with the centre of the larger ring.  Use two screws per block, as in the prior side of the sandwich.  Turn the assembly over once again, and screw in two screws per spacer block.

This rafter ring is much lighter than the laminated version described in prior articles, and is much easier to raise into place.  With the smaller ring on the lower side of this sandwich design, the truss chords, once cut on the proper angle, will slide into the notches quite easily and will hold themselves in place as each truss in installed.  However, the drawback to this design is the tendency for the OSB to expand and weaken if it gets wet, or for the screws to pull through if they are set too deep in the OSB.

Making 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 holds it in place.  There are a number of pieces that make up this assembly, whether it is designed and constructed  in-house or custom ordered.

The ring, in some instances, is built from one piece of wood.  However, this is quite a costly venture, relative to the total cost of the yurt.  Other wooden rings use a layered approach, sandwiching a layer of OSB between pieces of dimensional lumber, or the reverse. Other rings are constructed from metal, or metal and wood combinations, while a few are built of polymers.  Since most yurt-dwellers have a core of self-sufficiency, I recommend constructing the ring completely from dimensional lumber, in layers. 

For this piece of your modern Mongolian yurt, you will need fourteen eight-foot lengths of one by six spruce, fir or pine planks.  As well, one quart of carpenters glue and one hundred eighty two-inch construction screws complete your parts inventory.  For tools, you will need a variable speed drill, ½ inch drill bit, screwdriver bit, jig saw with blades and a small paint brush.

Begin by cutting all of the eight-foot lengths of planking into four-foot lengths.  Lay them side by side, using nine pieces on the first layer to form a near-square.  Due to the actual width of a six inch plank (5.5 inches) he total width should be 49.5 inches – slightly wider than the length.  At this point, this is not important.  Next, tie these boards together temporarily, using one of the four-foot lengths screwed across the centre point of the nine boards.  Apply a liberal coat of carpenters glue to the surface.

For the next layer, lay the second set of nine boards perpendicular to the first layer, with the leading edge flush with one side of the 49.5 inch width.  This will leave 1.5 inches of the first layer exposed.  Later, that surplus will be removed.  Put one screw at each end of the nine boards of the second layer.  Since there is no lateral security using single sets of screws, you now are able to square the assembly, using a standard two foot square.  Holding the setup in place, set one screw every six inches, alternating from one side of each board to the other.  The screws will protrude beyond the bottom side of the first layer at this time.

Flip the two layers over, applying a layer of carpenters glue to the underside of the first layer.  Lay the third layer of boards perpendicular to this first layer, and attach exactly as you did with the second layer.  Allow the assembly to dry, then use a saw to remove the 1.5 inches of excess width on the second layer.

Use two strings from alternate corners of the square, so that the two strings cross over precisely in the centre of the box.  Secure a nail here, then tie a string that is exactly the length of the distance between the centre and any side to the nail.  Be sure that the string or twine is not stretchy.  If necessary, use a thin piece of wire.  Hold a pencil at the very end of the string, and arc it around the outside of the square, drawing a perfect circle.  Now, shorten the string by eight inches, and draw a second circle.

Using your jig saw, cut the exterior run of the first circle.  Drill a hole at any point of the inner circle, then use your jigsaw o cut out the centre piece.  You have constructed your basic rafter ring.  However, for added reinforcement, you may want to screw a band of medium thickness aluminum ring around the circumference of the ring.  Alternatively, a ring of 3/16 inch plywood may be glued and screwed to the outer edge.

Building 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 posts and no piles. 

When you opt to construct a solid wall yurt, rather than tarpaulin and lattice, you add significant weight to the structure, but, through the use of innovative top and bottom plates, cable reinforcement, hurricane ties and mending plates on the walls, you can build a yurt that equals any house for structural integrity.

To design a base system for a yurt by boring piles is an illustration of overkill, however.  Not only do you change the definition of your building for zoning and permitting purposes, you provide a degree of reinforcement that is quite unnecessary.

The most cost effective and structurally sound combination of bases for your yurt is a simple pad system.  However, you may, depending upon the grade and type of soil, need to use posts and pads, notched pads, crossties and webbing, saddle brackets and so on.

Let us look at the most simple design: beam on pad.  Whereas conventional wood frame homes may require 2 by 12, 2 by 10 or doubled versions of each for beams, imbedded joists, grade beams, piles, etc., yurts, even as large as forty-two feet in diameter, will require no more than single 2 by 10 or 2 by 8 beams under 2 by 8 or 2 by 6 joists. For flat terrain with packed soil and good drainage (or in high wind regions), use a basic patio pad.  For sloped ground, gravelly or soft soil or windy regions, use notched pads, or notched pads on patio pads secured with anchor bolts. 

Begin by ensuring that all pads are level with each other. Simply lay the beam into or onto the pad, and then tie the joists into position, sixteen inch on centre separation.  Beams should be spaced a minimum of eight feet apart, with pads spaced four feet apart for greatest stability.  Reinforce the beams by nailing cross supports between beams at eight foot separation.  As in conventional housing, joists should be tied together with webbing (2 by 2s).

To use post and pad on heights not exceeding twenty-four inches, use four by four double saddle brackets and double the beam using a second eighteen inch length of beam material in the upper saddle bracket.  Set the foot of your four by four pile into a slotted deck pad, ensuring that the top of each four by four posts is level versus each other post top.

To use post and pad systems on heights exceeding two feet, be sure to use diagonal cross supports extending from the bottom of each post to a nearby beam or joist on two adjacent sides, alternating sides with each sequential post location.

After laying the joists into place on the beams, be sure to install appropriate headers, using a minimum of four 3.5 inch nails per joist-to-header connection, and three nails, toe-nailed into place on each beam intersection.

Since you already have ensured that the structure is level (by levelling either the pads or the tops of the posts), you should only need to check level of the joists to ensure that nothing has shifted during construction.  Now, lay your underlay into place, using 2.5 inch nails.  The tongue-and-grove ¾ inch OSB or plywood should be placed so that edges meet at the centre of the joist.  Use plywood ties between joists for added structural strength.  Your next layer of flooring will be installed at right angles to the underlay, at a later time.

Yurt 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 assembled within a couple of days.  So, knowing that you will be mortgage-free the instant that the home is erected, and you will be living in this space-age creation (that was first constructed several thousand years ago in the Slavic and Mongolian regions), you jump at the chance to go minimal with this unique idea.  But, there’s a lot more to be considered before you buy!

While yurts do hold great appeal, and while yurt living has a lot of advantages, there are myriad drawbacks, impediments and disadvantages to consider, as well as significant design and sizing options, depending on your region and geography.

Before we look at design considerations, reflect on a few of the more obscure issues that become very significant once you have moved in.  In our locale, for instance, we commune with nature in a very intimate way, with black bear, deer, raccoons & skunks, wolves & coyotes, weasel, mice, squirrels, an army of insects, garter snakes, birds and so on.  This interaction with nature is, for the most part, enjoyable. 

However, when the bear gets up close and personal, you don’t want to be cooking inside a flexible wall yurt, with plastic windows.  A solid wall yurt, raised off the ground is a must. 

When the skunks, weasels and squirrels take up residence under the building, there goes the neighbourhood.  Consequently, an effective mesh screen and lattice barrier is vital to keep the predators and vermin away.  Sure, the weasel will eradicate the mice, but that leaves the problem of a noxious weasel!  Skunks are fairly easily relocated, since they do not care to be in close proximity to us.  It is reciprocal.  Squirrels offer greater resistance and, like raccoons, can wreak havoc on the tarpaulins.  Our yurt integrates so well into its surroundings that a raccoon family has torn holes in the roof tarpaulin, merely by climbing onto it.  Squirrels leave only pin-sized holes, but more of them.

Birds are much more difficult to deal with. Their use of the yurt roof tarpaulin for target practice is a mere annoyance, but their clamouring across that same roof scratches the fabric as much as any squirrel.

Wolves are a great experience, while coyotes, after you have been away from the yurt for a week or so, do not hesitate to move in, burrowing little caves under shelters.

Insects, like mice, pose a major problem.  No yurt should have carpeting inside, because of the risk of ant, tick and spider infestations.  As tightly as you seal the walls and flooring, insects find entrances.  With flexible wall yurts, mice are a major issue.  This problem is eliminated with well-built solid wall designs.

Overall, though, the advantage of being in close contact with nature in your yurt outweighs the problems that such contact poses, if you prepare for these intruders and guests.  Because of the tent-like assembly, you are intimate with the outside world, hearing almost every sound.  As well, by using design and colour options (camouflage, etc.) for your tarps, the yurt may blend discretely into its environment.

The basic yurt design lends itself to several drawbacks. 

Flexible wall yurts, for instance, have walls that are less than two inches thick.  Even with the space-age bubble and foil insulation employed, you will experience more rapid heating and cooling variations inside this building.  However, a solid wall yurt can be constructed of conventional studding, and insulated to higher levels using fibreglass matt insulation as well as bubble & foil or Styrofoam foil combinations.  On the other hand, a yurt, because of its circular design and open concept, heats and cools much more effectively than a similarly sized bungalow.  For example, our 600 square-foot yurt can be heated during minus 25 temperatures with a small radiant propane heater (4-6,000 BTUs), and a 20 pound tank will last nearly a week.  A 600 square foot house would require triple that amount of fuel and still have cold and hot zones.

It is impossible to use standard glass windows in a flexible wall yurt.  Consequently, the norm is to install single-sheet heavy plastic windows, which transmit a great deal of the heat or cooling between interior and exterior.  A solid wall yurt, on the other hand, can accommodate standard window units (smaller sizes).  Doors pose similar issues, and, more so, because most yurt vertical walls are 6’6” to 7’ – less than standard door frame height.

Other infrastructure poses challenges, too. All wiring must be routed through conduit, as it is installed on the outside of the walls framing, rather than through it.  An option is to use low voltage wiring and inverters throughout the building.  Plumbing, too, is installed in plain view.  Of course, this method of installation is much easier and quicker. 

Due to the open design of these homes, privacy is impacted, and closet space is at a premium.  Creative layouts can offset these concerns.

Other considerations include safe heating systems.  Open flame is very risky in fabric yurts.  With solid wall designs, flame retarding materials and fire-rated wall boards can be installed.  Yurts may be purchased with mounting for chimney egress, but pay close attention to sparks that may burn through the roof tarpaulin!

Other problems that may arise include condensation issues in cold weather, when warm, moist air rises and contacts the thinly insulated ceiling materials, condensing and falling inside the building.  If tarpaulins (particularly roof tarpaulins) are not skin-tight, wind causes the tarp to billow which, in turn, packs down any matt insulation used and reduces that R-value. While the wind effect against a yurt is minimized because of the round design, this means that there are no leeward sides or areas next to the yurt, where you can huddle against the cool breeze.  That also allows smoke and loose sparks to migrate around the building during the winter.

Yurts, almost always, do not meet zoning demands of any urban jurisdiction, and, therefore, do not qualify for permits.  If you are building in remote locations, this will not be an issue, and some solid-wall designs, indeed, can obtain engineer certification.  Proper design and construction practices should be employed regardless of whether the building meets code.

Most of us choose yurts as our living option because of its simplicity and eco-friendliness.  Simplicity equates to Spartan, and Spartan means less luxury.  The yurt is simple.  That, in turn, should eliminate the expectation of opulence.  If you want opulence, stay in the city!  The yurt offers a wonderful escape and alternative to conventional housing, but be prepared for the drawbacks, as well as the advantages.

Building 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 cooler and colder climates.  Soft-wall yurts offer the primary advantage of being able to be assembled, then disassembled and relocated with relat9ve we, while solid structures do not lend themselves well to relocation. The question then becomes, if you intend to relocate frequently, why not buy a tent or RV?

Our solid-wall yurt will stand for years, and has proven itself, already, to be a weather-tight, comfortable home.  Although, due to our wanderlust and travelling nature in winter, we do not spent the deepest Part of winter in our home, it has endured the coldest, snowiest and windiest days of our Manitoba, Canada winters.  If minus-40 is still too warm for you, then a yurt, of any variety, may not be a viable living solution! 

By using 2-foot panels, assembled on an 8-degree angle to each other, we have constructed a 600-square foot (that’s incorrect:  hard to have square feet in a round building!) facility.  Similarly, one could build a yurt in a variety of diameters (12, 16, 24, 32) with relative simplicity. 

Simply construct the individual panels, cut the sectional top and bottom plates, build the roof ring and saw the appropriate angles into the roof rafters, and the entire package of components is ready to be shipped to your building site.  Assembly on your pre-existing platform or floor should take two people no more than 12 hours.  Slide the wall tarpaulins around this wooden framework, slip the roof tarpaulin over the rafters and install your doors and windows and your yurt is ready for the finishing inside touches.

The tarpaulin walls offer both aesthetic and practical benefits.  As a Tyvek-type exterior skin, the tarp is impervious to the most violent winds, while repelling both rain and snow. The roof tarpaulin, however, needs to be installed tightly.  This demands that the supplier manufactures it to your precise dimensions and pitch, and that your roof rafters and top plate assembly are equally precise.  If the tarp is too loose, any flapping or vibration in the wind will act as a billows, and dislodge your roof fibreglass batt insulation, or break the seal on your foil-backed bubble insulation used to line the interior of the ceiling.

Within two days, your yurt metamorphoses from a pile of dimensional lumber and fabric in your garage to a fully liveable home, for less than 50% of the cost of a conventional  flexible-wall yurt, and one twelfth to 1/6 of the cost of s similarly-sized conventional house.  The added appeal is that this project can be undertaken and completed at any time of the year.

Free 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 vehicles), as well as large wet-cell storage batteries (such as those in forklifts and indoor industrial cleaning equipment), the most prevalent, and therefore, the lowest-priced units are conventional deep-cycle marine 12-volt batteries.  These typically cost from $80 to $200, with only modest storage and cranking amperage.

The primary advantage of marine batteries over vehicle batteries is their capacity to be discharged to low levels and recharged often.  However, “often” is subjective, with most of the commercially available units being rated for a few hundred charging cycles, at most.  These batteries also do not like to be frozen, but really detest excessive heat.

In order to supply minimal energy, such as the energy to light two compact fluorescent bulbs four hours each day and a small bar refrigerator (drawing 90 watts, with a surge of 800 watts), you will consume 2,280 (2.3 kw) watts each day.  Now consider that a small solar panel produces 13-18 watts (some of the single panel retail units produce 30w) under optimal conditions.  In northern latitudes, hours of summer daylight average 15 hours, but typically generate only about 60% of that in sunlight sufficient to “max out” the solar panel.  With three panels, you will produce 405 watts – less than 20% of what you need.  A small wind turbine may produce 40% of what you need, if you live in an environment where the wind is very frequent, and of sufficient strength to power the turbine. Typically, the marine batteries attached to your collectors are rated for 800-1000 CCA.  Obviously, unless you expand your generation and/or storage network, you will need to use a charging system on the batteries.

Because each of the batteries is being discharged the equivalent of 100%every eight hours, you will require a battery array of at least three batteries, just to produce your daily minimum energy requirement.  Ultimately, most of us will require electricity for television or sound equipment, charging cell phones and laptops, power for small fans, and so on. With minimal energy, though, your three-battery array will be fully discharged and recharged 100 times from June to September.  That is the normal lifespan of the battery!

This year, we experienced near-record heat and sunlight throughout our summer.  While that is great for our solar panels, heat is more damaging to the batteries than cold, and reduces their ability to be recharged (and hold a charge) significantly.

We used an eight-battery package.  However, almost weekly, we needed to refill the cells, as the electrolytic acid evaporated.  The sunlight did its damage, too, destroying one battery.  Of the eight, only one battery now holds a significant charge, even though I de-sulphated the batteries regularly.  Five of the batteries were three years old or less, with the other three being four years old.  Seven batteries will need to be replaced.

At a cost of $90 per battery, our outlay will be $630, plus taxes.  We used nearly $100 of generator fuel to supplement our renewable energy supply.  In four months, our lighting costs will be $700-800, factoring in the wear and tear on equipment.

Now, we have batteries that need to be recycled and spent fuel that polluted the air.  If we had relied on our hydro-electric grid for energy, at a cost of $0.08 per kwh, we would have spent less than $130!  Did we really do the environment and our pocketbook a favour?

Thermal 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 to minimize the extent of heat transfer, the results last year were largely inadequate.  However, this year, I believe I have found the solution, and it is, in part, due to the supplementary restraint system that I incorporated in the design.

In prior articles, I discussed how I had installed a dome tarpaulin that overhung the walls by about eight inches.  This reduced air infiltration during wind, allowed for a greater ability to shed “horizontal” rain, protected against pest intrusion, and allowed us to create a small overhang above the windows. 

I also installed another feature: ratchet strap tie downs around the upper perimeter of the walls.  While the ropes that tether the roof tarpaulin to the unit generally are adequate, and the sole restraint system in many conventional designs, the ratchet straps can be adjusted around the circumference to further resist the parachute tug of high winds.  At a cost of less than $40 for ninety feet of strapping, it is an inexpensive solution.  That strapping also allows me to install a flexible rain gutter (see prior articles).  However, its greatest benefit is in the ability that it provides to me to resolve the thermal bridging problem in the yurt.

Thermal bridging occurs, quite simply, where a harder surface that transmits hot or cold easily is exposed to the elements and to a conflicting heating or cooling source.  Think of that metal counter top, and how cold it seems to the touch in winter, how hot in summer.  Wood, although offering less transfer capacity, still acts as a bridge.  In houses, R-factor of insulating walls is lowered, if the studs meet the outside and inside walls with no insulative materials between them.  The same happens in the yurt.

To resolve the thermal dilemma, I cut pieces of two-foot wide by one inch thick rigid polystyrene insulation into five-inch lengths.  Sliding these under the ratchet strapping and to the apex of the walls, all around the circumference of the yurt, I provided an R-5 insulation barrier between the top plate of the walls and rafter joints and the outside air.

Although, to date, temperatures have remained moderate by late autumn standards in the region, I have experienced no condensation in these areas, where I did so last year when the temperature neared freezing.  Although an infrared thermometer shows a five-degree difference in temperatures at the bridge point versus the rest of the wall area, this differential is insignificant.  Accordingly, I completed installation of similar strips of rigid insulation along the bottom perimeter of the yurt, where wall meets floor.

Yurt Popular, Even With Flies

Flies: 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 structure enables odours to waft outward. Combine these two factors with the tendency of the roof tarpaulin to trap the sun’s heat, and yurts become playgrounds for flying pests.
Last autumn, for example, I removed a portion of the dome insulation to install additional snow load braces, and found hundreds of dormant flies embedded in the top side of the fibreglass insulation layer. While part of the problem may have been that the eggs pre-existed in the insulation package, recent hot days have stimulated an invasion of black and bluebottle flies.
An additional contributor to the attraction of our yurt for flying insects is the presence of our grey water tanks and compost holding tank near the home. Whenever we drain or flush these systems, flies are drawn to the site.
The round design of the yurt, as well, means that there is less air turbulence, on windy or calm and hot days. This relative tranquility allows flies to gather and reproduce.
We have implemented and tested a variety of solutions. The conventional insect trap is a general failure, for flies, mosquitoes and wasps. Unfortunately, it does a terrific job on moths, which we prefer to allow to thrive.
In desperation, we resorted to commercial chemical sprays, without success, while also flooding the environment with toxins. These sprays included perimeter, spot and space sprays, all equally ineffective.
We grow such plants as tansy, lemon balm, sorrel and other natural insect repellents. They do work, but only within a very limited and defined area. We would need to plant these sentinels every few inches around the home, and even vertically on our yurt walls to have any hope of winning the insect war.
Inside the yurt, we have resealed all of the joints of the foil-backed bubble insulation that lines our yurt roof. This action has been significantly successful, as the flies that do hatch in the domed area must migrate outward, rather than inward.
Our walls have been difficult to seal completely, given the way they moor to the roofline and floor. However, taping all of these joints has been successful, as well.
A third successful solution has been to open the dome vent while closing all but two of our windows, and using our ceiling fan to draw the air upward, instead of forcing it downward. We have installed a floor vent that allows cool air from beneath the deck to be drawn upward. This continual air movement keeps the flies from settling. The round interior of the yurt maximizes air movement, which the flies dislike.
The last proven solution that we have employed is to install a small fume hood over our cook unit, and bent it outside. With less odour to attract the flies, they now prefer to congregate near the outside vent.
We are experimenting with one other solution: mustard paste. In past years, I have had great success in deterring bugs and crawling pests in the garden, by obtaining mustard seed and wild mustard screenings from a local seed cleaner. When crushed and applied near plants, insects shy away from this hotfoot compound. We have obtained mustard oil (crushed form these same seeds), and have applied a spray under the lip of the roof tarp where it meets the wall, around the base of the wall tarp and around the window and door cutouts. So far, in the areas where this oil has been applied, there is a huge reduction in fly accumulation. However, we need to observe how long this spray lasts, and whether it has a detrimental effect on the fabric. We will keep you posted!

Yurt Interior Walls

One 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 air flow. Similarly, many of us want closets and wardrobes, whether they are built as standalone units or integrated into the bed enclosure. Again, the natural flow in the yurt is interrupted by such barriers.
In our yurt, we built a six by eight foot bathroom, but left the ceiling area open. While the walls do provide impediment to air movement, the open ceiling concept means that warm, moist air is able to move out of the enclosure, and reduce heat and vapour pooling. By combining our closet space into the rear, outer edge of the bathroom, we were able to reduce the number of structural breaks.
Still, these barriers created condensation problems within the yurt. In the late fall, cooler outside air and a lack of air movement in the corner areas where wall met outside wall, a severe moisture problem resulted, with development of mould. We solved that issue by implementing several strategies.
First, we installed small 12 volt fans in these vulnerable portions of the yurt. The fans were salvaged from desktop computers, yet are sufficiently powerful to move the air away from these stagnant areas.
Next, we doubled up on the insulation factor where floor, outside wall and inside wall met, installing a one inch thick segment of polystyrene rigid insulation, extending six inches above and below the floor level.
The third change that we implemented was to install two fans along the top plates of the bathroom and closet, forcing air to move from floor to ceiling.
By moving our furniture and small items away from the outside wall, we increased air flow.
Lastly, we bored two inch holes at the base of the wall, allowing the air to move freely between the main yurt floor space and the bathroom and closet.
It is imperative, if you are choosing to build a yurt for efficiency, that you consider what makes the yurt an efficient design. Vertical air movement, allowing hot air to rise in the summer and vent at the apex of the dome, as well as moving it downward with small fans in the winter, is a significant feature of the yurt design. It is more imperative, though, that you reduce barriers to air flow in dead spaces and “corners” of the yurt. Simple layout alternatives provide this free flow of air. Where possible, consider moving walls a few inches from the outside, and tie them together in a free-standing box system, so that there is a space along the entire height of the exterior yurt wall, keeping air flowing freely. Ensure that insulation is installed properly and evenly, with no cold spots to encourage dead air and condensation.
Built properly, the yurt design is a marvellous system. Done carelessly, and it loses its structural integrity and natural efficiency.

Solid Versus Flexible Wall Yurt Systems

Yurt 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/tarpaulin skin systems employed by manufacturers from Yurtco to Colorado Yurts have aesthetic appeal. Their flexible framing, bubble insulation and heavy-duty pvc tarps allow for an intimacy with the surrounding environment that a conventional house or cabin does not. The sound of rain on the exterior skins is magical, and the thick plastic windows create an aura of living in a tent. Even in relatively stiff winds, these yurts hold steady, yet react to the breezes. Yet, these same benefits also can be drawbacks.
Since windows are nothing more than thick, clear poly plastic, they transmit heat and cold easily. To cut down on sun infiltration, the exterior skin must be zipped shut. Similarly, in winter, those same windows almost always are zipped closed, creating a claustrophobic, tomb-like atmosphere. If the window is improperly installed and allowed to vibrate or shake, the plastic quickly breaks down, and, in a matter of a few years, the window must be replaced when it cracks.
The light lattice framing does withstand winds of 70-90 kph, but a wind/snow load supplementary support system must be installed in high wind/high snow regions. Of particular concern for many is the loose fit of the yurt wall skins at the base of these units. While tight enough to hold back the elements, many yurts with lattice wall design, according to owners, allow small rodents such as voles to work their way into the building during the colder months.
Due to the thinness of the exterior walls, R-factor levels for insulation are minimal, with only a few centimetres of space-age bubble insulation protecting against the elements.
A reasonable fear that some people have expressed is that the light construction is a poor impediment to a hungry bear, who may smell food through the fragile skeleton of the yurt. Whether the fear has ever materialized is irrelevant, as the fear may still exist even where the risk is minimal.
On the other hand, solid-wall yurts offer a great many advantages. Few bears, badgers or raccoons have the tenacity to force their way through 7/16 inch of wood, plus framing, making the structure seem considerably safer from these predators than flexible-wall yurts.
With the exterior tarpaulin covering those walls, wind and air infiltration is minimal. The framing allows for two to three times the insulative capacity than lattice walls.
Wind endurance is significantly greater in a properly designed solid wall yurt, as well. Using the interlocking top and bottom plate segments that has been created for these units, the structures have endured winds of over 115kph, without any sign of stress or strain. In one instance, a healthy tree, sixteen inches in diameter, was sheared off by the wind not more than forty yards from the yurt, yet the yurt suffered absolutely no ill effects from the wind force.
Window and door installation is easier and less expensive in solid wall yurts. Because of their framing, these buildings can be constructed using standard windows (double or triple pane) and doors, allowing for reduced cost, energy saving and better light infiltration. It is also a lot more difficult for a raccoon to claw through a pvc & glass window than a plastic one!
Along with the advantages of solid wall construction, these hybrid yurts maintain the tarpaulin roof structure, along with added truss strength to withstand heavier snow loads. The tarpaulin skin allows for the same magical enjoyment of a rainfall on the tent-like roof, the same intimacy with the outside environment and the same open atmosphere as more “traditional” yurt systems.
Yurt purists may decry the bastardization of their beloved structures, but they will have a hard time denying the advantages of solid-wall over flexible-wall yurts.

The Romance Of Yurt Life, Wildlife Included

When 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 systematically destroyed every bird feeder we had put up while they scavenged for the last meals of the season. A couple of squirrels determinedly decided to winter in the insulation under the platform deck of the yurt, as well, but we were willing to tolerate them for the four bitter months that we were away from our home.
As spring broke this year, though, we found just what damage a couple of active nut-eaters can do to insulation! Our raccoons have returned, as well. What is unusual is that the family of four remains together, with no new litter of kits in evidence. They announced their return by using their can-opener teeth to puncture a Coleman cooler that I had left outside. For dessert, they gnawed their way into a plastic gas canister, filled with mixed fuel for my chainsaw, and dragged the leaking container across the grass. Given their “finger” dexterity, I am glad I did not leave a barbeque lighter around!
Thirty miles north of us, Hecla Island, in Lake Winnipeg, is the summer home of turkey vultures and a few bald eagles. Rarely has either been spotted away from that area, yet, just as the snow melted from our meadow, a bald eagle pursued a mouse, and landed in the field to finish his lunch. It is just one example of the changing patterns of wildlife in the area. We have two mallard couples nesting in the creek bed not fifty yards from the yurt, sand hill cranes that have relocated their annual nesting area from the adjacent farmland to our small meadow, a grouse sitting on eggs under a three-foot high spruce in a clearing only paces from our home and coyotes that have decided that it is safe to howl, nightly, thirty feet away from where we sleep.
Late in the winter, I encountered a lone black wolf (probably from the Hecla pack) that obviously had strayed form its traditional range twenty-five miles north of us.
My wife is less happy with our annual migrant bear, who has, each spring and fall, travelled along our old riverbed with her latest cub. Two weeks ago, she came up to our doorstep with her cub, demolished a sealed garbage container and dragged one of the bags two hundred yards through our garden before tearing into it. As bold as that action was, she showed that she is less wary of human contact than ever, when she returned, during a rainstorm, to the yurt and rooted around the deck. In the morning, her huge paw prints in the wet clay where I had been excavating provided more than ample evidence of her visit.
Fortunately, our resident skunks and badger have not opted to become emboldened, and move in under the yurt platform!
More humorous that dangerous are the romantic interjections of local wildlife. Our ducks and Canada geese have almost finished their courting, calling, dancing and preening, while the frogs continue to be in great serenading voice. There is nothing quite so mood-destroying, though, as the cooing, gurgling and raucous clucking of crows in love. Their grating calls have all the appeal of a screaming baby. On the other hand, who can turn a deaf ear to the Buddy Rich drumming of a male ruffed grouse at 3:00 a.m?
The best of the strutting males though, has to be one of the many sapsuckers in the woods. For six years, he has chosen to drum his mating song not in nearby trees, but on any metal that he can find. Six years ago, it was my old Cockshutt tractor. Then, he found a better sound with an empty 45-gallon steel drum. Last year, it was the tin bonnet on my old camper. This morning, though, he reached the apex of quality music when he found that the roof of our new Prius provided the melody that he wanted.
It is there that I draw the line at passive interaction with nature. Tomorrow morning, I expect to join him with a few well-directed tennis balls to divert his attention from his new $30,000 toy! I expect, however, that, with the abundance of empty containers and old iron in the yard, it will be only moments before our rock-star drummer finds a new beat with which to lure his mate.

Inexpensive Yurt Flooring Solution

In 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 for materials with a cost of less than $0.45 per square foot, plus $0.10 per square foot for finishes.
Secondly, we wanted to ensure that the frequent traffic directly from outdoors to indoors did not track in excess dirt. Carpeting would have trapped that dirt.
Thirdly, the location of the yurt in a wooded area would have attracted insects such as ants. By constructing flooring with a hard surface, we eliminated nesting sites for those insects.
Fourthly, we wanted a floor that would remain cool in the summer and able to adapt to winter conditions. With the hard surface, we were able to lay down area carpets that we already owned in strategic locations, while keeping bare floor at entrances and frequently used work areas, such as the kitchen areas and washroom.
Lastly, we wanted to minimize weight of the flooring, since we built the yurt on pads and posts, rasther than embedding pillars into the ground.
To accomplish all four goals, we used ¾ inch oriented strand board as sub floor material, with 1/8 inch good one side plywood laid at a ninety degree angles to the subfloor as the main floor. The plywood was screwed to the underlay using three quarter inch wood screws with threads the full length of the screw. The use of full-length threads is essential, so that the screws can be countersunk into the thin plywood.
Lastly, we used a clear varnish to coat the surface of the flooring, making sure to pay special attention to the high traffic areas.
Since installing this flooring, we have found that it works remarkably well, and shows a sheen and grain similar to good-quality hardwood or laminate flooring, at one quarter of the cost.
However, some problems have arisen. On occasion, we stored 20 pound propane tanks on the floor, and, with changing temperatures, the tanks attracted condensation. This condensation accumulated in a ring on the floor. To remove it, we lightly scoured the area with a Javex and water mix, with modest success. The only other problem has been a slight separation, due to the thinness of the material, in spots where insufficient screws were used.
This flooring has answered all five of our criteria for the design, and is recommended for anyone contemplating an inexpensive flooring alternative, whether in a yurt or cabin.