Building from scratch - uni diameter and material types

[Craftycraigy]

Hi there I was wondering what kind of material do you use for the uni of a Yurt I'm using 25mm Oak and am unsure if it is sufficient for the job of holding the weight of the roof and covers its only really for non snowing weather any help or suggestions welcome

All the best from Scotland
Craig

[Bob Rowlands]

1" oak rafters on what diameter yurt? Are you talking oak dowels from the lumberyard?

If you have a yurt 20' or 6 meters in diameter that would be a rafter in the nine foot range, which seems very small to me even if made from oak. I'd think 1.5" would be better.

1" would be fine on a smaller 12-16' yurt with no snow load, assuming you had decent dowels with little run out. Very unlikely with oak.

For reference, my 12-14-16 foot yurts had 1x3 rafters or 20mm x 75mm, and I could hang mid span off any two of them. I weigh 210. A 1" rafter on that diameter, no way, it would snap. Also my rafters withstood an 18" snow load without issue.

At any rate, if that's what you got, go with it. Then you will know for sure instead of the guesswork I am giving you. Good luck.

[Yurtman]

It really depends on the size of the yurt and what you want to use it for. Is it camping or permanent. Is it 12ft or 20ft.

My

camping yurts

use 1.5”x 7/8” vertical grain Doug Fir. I use these on the smaller yurts, but also the 20ft. My Rings weigh under 10 pounds (yes ten) so there is not too much weight on the roof. People buy my yurts to live in (where there is no snow), but they adapt them a little.
If you intend living in a yurt, I would make the lattice 1/2” or thicker and the roof poles 2”x4” or 2x6 if in a snow area. I think a lot of the permenant yurt makers use vertical grain 2x6 which is much stronger than the average construction 2x6

[Bob Rowlands]

Thanks for giving us your rafter details, Yurtman.

[froit1]

Sizes for (cut) Mongolian larch rafters, spaced 21-24 cm on the lattice:
4 wall/5 meter 32 mm/210cm long, 66 pieces
5-wall/6 meter 40 mm/245cm long, 81 pieces
6-wall/7 meter 48 mm/300cm long, 98 pieces
Split larch rafters can be 25-30% thinner.
Mongolian rafters have 22-25 mm square tips, the spacing in the crown being 55-65mm hoh. Which gives you the rough size of the crown.

Above 6 wall/7 meter we make bi-conical rafters, with the fat part about 25% down from the crown. This makes for a heavy top, which is good for wind, but still a rafter that can be raised by one person, which speeds up pitching. Pitching time and easy is very important for us, second after repairability.

[TSRalex]

Originally Posted by froit1

..... we make bi-conical rafters, with the fat part about 25% down from the crown. .....
.....easy is very important for us, second after repairability.

Who is "we" (and "us"....)?

[froit1]

We/me is Froit, I am one of 4 partners in a collective. We have been making, selling and renting Mongolian style yurts since 1997, based in Holland and Mongolia.
About 400 units made so far, we collectively hold about 20 for short- and mid-term rentals, and take contracted care of another 20, which are long-pitched in holiday-camps and so. We keep long-term contact with many of our customers, supplying advice, spare parts, and services.
We employ many short-termers for assistance in making, delivering, and pitching/recovering rentals. Many of those also live in their own, sometimes self-built yurts. Some of us have lived continually in yurts basically since 1997-2000, some joined later. One went from yurt to boat...

We stick to standard basic Mongolian design, with a few improvements: raised door-lintel, for easier access since 2000. PVC mudflap sewn onto canvas since 1998, polycarbonate windows in crown since 2001, and a PVC flap onto that for waterproof connection to roof. After 2005 our yurts did not change significantly. By then we replaced most materials with better/best options: Flame-retardant canvas and outer cover, inner liner, washed and moth-proofed felts made in Europe, outer cover UV proof, etc.
Our yurts come with structural calculations and flame-retardent certificate on demand.
Our yurts must be taken down/undressed and rebuilt/redressed once a year to keep warranty.
We built from 3 to 16 walls, or 3.8 to 14 meters diameter.
Any more?

PS we do sometimes get contracted to build or fix 'USA' style PVC-covered yurts, we charge extra for that, as it is so much extra work.

[TSRalex]

Originally Posted by froit1

We/me is Froit, I am one of 4 partners in a collective. We have been making, selling and renting Mongolian style yurts since 1997, based in Holland and Mongolia.

OK - thanks - that´s your website, isn´t it?

[froit1]

Thats my private site.
For our Dutch/European yurt stuff we use www.nooitmeerhaast.nl, the Mongolian side is named Euro-yurts home.

[Craftycraigy]

Thanks for the info everyone I am a total newbie at this so all the information is really helpful P. S sorry for the late reply everyone had a bit of trouble with my health recently