This weekend we had the opportunity to help some friends setup a yurt on their property. Back when we were shopping for land, we considered yurts very seriously as potential cheap, temporary housing while we built our permanent home.
The modern yurt is a remarkable chunk of engineering. The two biggest U.S. manufacturers – Pacific Yurts and Colorado Yurts – offer products that can be setup by just a few people in a few days. They have optional packages that allow for nearly any climate, including those that experience a lot of wind and snow. Our friends – James and Carol – chose Pacific Yurts for their place.
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We got started around 9am on Saturday. When we arrived the crew was finishing the process of putting all the pieces where they needed to be. The crew consisted of James and Carol and about 10 of us friends and family.
Here you can see that platform has been finished, and scaffolding has been setup on the platform to facilitate some of the work that will be done on the center of the roof.
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The walls consist primarily of a heavy lattice which stretches all the way around the yurt’s circumference.
Larry is measuring to ensure that we have spread the lattice around the edge consistently. This helps to guarantee the wall height is uniform all the way around.
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The lattice connects to the door. Although James and Carol chose to have a single door, the kit is configurable for up to a total of 4 doors.
The door was extremely well-made. I was impressed with the tightness of the fit.
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After the walls were up, we installed a cable that sat between the slats at the top of the lattice.
We then started attaching the pre-cut rafters to the center ring and lifted the center ring so that the whole assembly rested on the cable at the top of the lattice. Amazingly simple, but strong.
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With all of the rafters up, we installed some 2X4 studs to reinforce the walls. These studs were part of the optional wind and snow package that James and Carol bought. This involved a little cutting and drilling, but added an immense amount of strength to the outer walls.
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The roof was the next task. After laying down a liner over the rafters, we unfolded and spread out some thin, reflective insulation that was pre-fabricated to fit the yurt.
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We followed the instructions, so we spread baby powder over the insulation before we put the outer shell on in order to reduce friction between the layers.
The outer covering for the roof was then installed over the insulation. This was a large, heavy chunk of vinyl that required some tugging and adjustments to get it even across the roof.
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Next we started hanging the side insulation. The insulation was pre-fabricated to James and Carol’s specifications for window placement.
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The outer side shell went on next. Again, this was a single, heavy chunk of vinyl complete with pre-installed windows. (This photo actually shows us starting the installation with the side shell inside-out. Oops!)
This was one of the trickiest steps as it was difficult to remove all the slack and get a nice, tight wrap around the yurt.
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Before we quit for the day, we tucked these loose ends into slots built into the door jamb. Again, this was a very tricky procedure as the vinyl didn’t want to cooperate.
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We did all these steps in about 8 or 9 hours. The weather was perfect for it, too, as there was very little wind. Trying to put the roof on in high wind would be very challenging indeed.
The whole thing made me appreciate the quality of the product, and gave me a chance to see the construction process for myself. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have our own yurt one of these days.
Tags: paonia, yurt
May 11th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Mike,
How does one stay warm in the winter? Will there be solid walls and roof ever? Hope you are both well and happy, Kay
May 11th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Hey, Kay!
James and Carol will add a wood-burning stove for heat. And no, there are no additional walls to be added. This is it! Don’t be deceived – those walls are VERY strong, especially with the snow and wind kit we added. Depending on the package you buy, the materials may be guaranteed for 15+ years by the manufacturer.