Anyone built a Yurt??

[paulnb57]

I've already been in contact with "johnc" on this forum, who has built a superb Yurt. When I build mine I will base it on the 9 foot diameter "weekender" yurt from Paul King's book, The Complete Yurt Handbook, although I will modify it so that the sides are a bit taller (probably 4 foot/4foot 6) and 2 doors opposite each other. A door at each "end" is great for ventilation this, and the increased wall height are based on our previous yurt rentals. There are only 2 of us and this size will be a good compromise between room and portability. Timber will probably be off the shelf prepared as here on the Isle of Wight coppiced poles appear hard to come by........The build will happen as time and funds allow, but I will of course share the build on here.....

Has anybody else built a Yurt and is there anything you would have done differently based on your experience?

Cheers!

Paul

 

[morch]

Try here http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29229&highlight=yurt

Dave

 

[Neumo]

Thanks for that link, which has got me thinking. In theory a Yurt should not be too expensive in materials, I would have guessed, with some not too hard wood work & a bit of sewing. Like the idea of that.

 

[paulnb57]

That link is the one that inspired me to have a go - after reading The Complete Yurt Handbook, the build is pretty straightforward - lots of repetitive actions, producing poles for the sides and roof, then fabricating the roof wheel and (probably) the most difficult for me the sewing of the canvas cover......

Im just wondering what size timber folk used, as the book reccommends coppiced poles, and what if anything you would do differently if you were to do it again......the book is very good indeed and available from Amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Yu...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1298719960&sr=8-1

Paul

 

[Neumo]

I found this free PDF rthat may help:
http://zinelibrary.info/build-your-own-yurt

 

[Neumo]

This is worth a look at as well;
http://www.woodlandyurts.co.uk/index.html

 

[KIMBOKO]

I made a 9/10 foot yurt using 5ft bamboo canes and an old tent to cover. The roof ring was made of steam bent ash but a solid wood ring would work or perhaps a plywood ring. I think I had a a picture of it in "my gallery" on this site but the gallery seems to have disappeared.

 

[Laurentius]

I have been told by one who knows who has spent some time in Mongolia, that the proper term is a ger, but linguistics notwithstanding they exist elsewhere by many names, however what I have been given to understand that a ger is much more than the enclosure it is a concept very alien to a western way of thinking, though maybe not so far from some notion of "bushcraft" thinking.

If I were to say for example that my home is what I take with me rather than that which I live in, that would approximate. If I were to go further than that and say that my home was what I took with me in my pockets that is going beyond either, but not entirely alien to the Mongolian principle.

So for you a ger, or yurt would only be a particular kind of structure, for the true principle of it, a ger has no age, nor no newness it is your grandfathers axe, a bit like my motor actually

 

[andythecelt]

It's well worth keeping an eye on ebay for unfinished projects. Over the last month I've seen a set of the collapsible wooden sites go for a song, also a heavy duty canvas outer cover. Building one yourself is a lot of work and a lot of people give up part way through. You may as well make the most of such opportunities.

 

[paulnb57]

Good point Andy - only problem for me is ferry fares - the ferry cost - £40 to £100 depending on time of year, would buy a lot of materials......

Cheers

Paul

 

[sandbender]

"...I have been told by one who knows who has spent some time in Mongolia, that the proper term is a ger..."

They are called 'Jurta' over here which comes from the Turkish, possibly the English 'Yurt' comes from the same source.

Some pictures of Hungarian Yurts may be viewed here.

 

[Neumo]

A quick look on ebay brings up the following:

Door:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MONGOLIAN-YUR...re_HikingCamping_Tents_JN&hash=item415710d50b

Walls:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/YURT-WALLS-/2...re_HikingCamping_Tents_JN&hash=item3cb58de44d

Side canvas:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MONGOLIAN-YUR...re_HikingCamping_Tents_JN&hash=item415709423b


It may well be cheaper to buy the bits like this, which I would do if I had the spare money at the moment.

 

[Norwayboy]

Happy to see more people are interested in building/living in a Yurt.

Yurt is indeed coming from the word "Jurta", but i thought it came from the Russians, maybe the Turks use the same word.
Mongolians use the word "ger" and have weird house rules...

Example: If you step on the threshold, the punishment is beheading...

This is the Yurt we will be sleeping in this year in Norway.